How Long is Too Long of a Resume?

How Long is Too Long of a Resume?

Dec 5, 2023 | Blog, Candidate Experience, Career Site

In my previous experience as a recruiter, I once received a 23-page-long resume from an Engineer. Upon calling him and requesting a shorter version, I discovered he had been advised by previous recruiters to include all his experiences and skills to improve his chances of landing a job. However, I explained that my managers typically only delve into the summary and the most recent job details.

 

The reality is, that resumes aren’t read; they’re skimmed over. Recruiters look for keywords, locations, job titles, and the first few bullet points.  But with AI, resumes are digested, analyzed, and can be summarized in seconds. As more AI Chatbots evolve, it seems that the zero-shot model can learn from textual descriptions with zero training. Therefore, when it comes to AI and analyzing resumes, possibly a multipage resume is beneficial for the learning model.  

 

So, here’s the question now that AI is here and will be doing the recruiting (ahem) tedious recruiting tasks, does resume length even matter? And, does the length of a resume significantly impact a candidate’s chances? It appears that a shorter version might be more effective in catching the recruiter’s attention, but too short of a resume and AI platforms might exclude them from other qualified ones.

 

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Tracking Conversions from Indeed’s Sponsored Jobs

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Tracking Conversions from Indeed’s Sponsored Jobs

Nov 1, 2023 | Career Site, Job Advertising, Recruitment Marketing

In the past, recruiting was a simple affair. Recruiters would post jobs on traditional job boards, count the applicants, and plan their budgets for the year. But then, Indeed stormed onto the scene, changing the game with its pay-per-click (PPC) model, quickly becoming the dominant force in the job board industry. Yet, Recruitment Marketing experts can’t help but feel frustrated by the enigmatic nature of the PPC model and the uncertainty surrounding the source of their applicants.

 

Indeed’s story has two sides. On one side, they paint a rosy picture with impressions, clicks, and the coveted “apply” button clicks. On the other side, your trusty ATS (Applicant Tracking System) reveals how many applicants you received from Indeed. Often, these two sides don’t align, leaving you wondering how much you should invest to secure an applicant.

 

When things don’t go as planned, Indeed tends to blame the application process or claims that the job is so hot it requires a larger budget to attract applicants. On the flip side, the Recruitment Marketing and Talent Acquisition teams are left perplexed. Despite increasing spending, they’re not getting the desired number of applicants.

 

However, a significant share of the responsibility falls on the recruitment marketing team if they haven’t set up proper conversion tracking. While Indeed used to provide tracking pixels, that’s no longer the case. If your recruitment marketing manager isn’t proficient in setting up conversion attributes and goals, pointing fingers at Indeed won’t solve the problem. They have the data to show you what’s happening, but you need your data to make a compelling case.

 

So, how can you establish conversion tracking for Indeed without their tracking pixels? It’s a challenge, but you can get creative with Google Tag Manager (GTM). Using the “Custom HTML” feature, you can insert a script that triggers when someone submits a form, for example. This script sends data to your GTM account, allowing you to set up triggers and variables for data analysis in Google Analytics.

 A custom version of Indeed’s tracking pixel on your career site provides valuable insights, such as which jobs receive the most page views and applicants from Indeed. For instance, you might opt to use Indeed Apply for jobs with low click-through rates from Indeed to your career site.

 

Without the right conversion tracking on your career site, you’ll have to rely on Indeed’s data and trust that their account managers have your best interests in mind. They usually do, but they also manage other accounts, and they’re not in the best position to help you achieve your objectives on your career site without reliable data.

 

This post isn’t a step-by-step guide on setting up custom conversion tracking code; however, it’s a reminder that Indeed has its data, and you need your data to gauge the performance of your sponsored campaigns. Once you’ve implemented conversion tracking, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions about your budget and how much you’re willing to invest in Indeed to attract the applicants you desire.

Revamping Your Career Site: Showcasing Your Unique Company Culture

Revamping Your Career Site: Showcasing Your Unique Company Culture

Aug 28, 2023 | Career Site, Employer Branding

Have you taken a look at career sites lately? You’ll notice a recurring pattern – stock photos, generic video testimonials, and vague descriptions. But here’s the catch: job seekers want more than that. They yearn for a genuine glimpse into your company culture without having to scour Glassdoor reviews. It’s time to break free from the cookie-cutter templates and bring your company’s essence to the forefront. In this article, we’ll explore how effective employer branding can not only attract the right talent but also establish a powerful employer brand identity.

  1. Define Your Mission and Values, Loud and Clear

Start with the foundation. A well-crafted mission and values statement isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a beacon that guides your ship. Place it prominently on the main career site page, ensuring its visibility. Don’t stop there – integrate it into job postings and internal communications. Make sure it resonates and stands out.

  1. Authentic Employee Stories and Testimonials

Stock photos of pristine models won’t cut it. Real stories from your people will. Yes, unearthing these gems takes time, but when you hit the mark, they’re pure gold. Employee stories and testimonials offer an insider’s view of your company culture. Blogs, videos, and social media posts are your canvases. Use them to paint a vivid picture.

  1. Diversity and Inclusion: Beyond the Buzzwords

Don’t let diversity and inclusion blur into a homogenous sea of corporate statements. Be different. Share stories that illustrate how diversity has enriched both your company and your employees. Showcase the real impact – that’s what resonates.

  1. Office Space: Where Culture Takes Shape

Remote work might be trending, but the office isn’t obsolete. If your culture thrives on collaboration, creativity, or work-life balance, let your office space embody it. Share snapshots on your social media and website. It’s more than just walls – it’s a reflection of your company’s soul.

  1. Video: The Power of Brief

Video content is king, but brevity is queen. Craft videos that whisk viewers through a virtual office tour or dive into employees’ stories. Keep them under a minute – attention spans are fleeting. A well-crafted video speaks volumes.

  1. Recognition and Rewards: Celebrating Culture Champions

Employee of the month? That’s a start, but think bigger. Create a Recognition and Rewards program that spotlights employees embodying your culture. This reinforces your values and inspires others to follow suit.

  1. Consistency, The Thread of Trust

In this quest, consistency is your ally. Whether through blogs, videos, or other methods, ensure your efforts are unwavering and genuine. Authenticity breeds trust – an invaluable currency in the talent market.

In conclusion, your career site shouldn’t be a clone of the competition. It should be a window into your world – your unique company culture. Ditch the stock and the snooze, and opt for the real and the riveting. Your future employees want a taste of what’s real. So, let them savor the essence of your organization through authentic stories, meaningful visuals, and a resounding commitment to your values. In the end, your efforts will resonate, and resonate deeply. And that resonance will be the magnet pulling in the right talent while cementing your brand identity in the minds of job seekers everywhere.

 

Platforms and Companies to Consider: Phenom People to host company career site and Stories for video content.

Improve the Candidate Experience Using Facebook Chat on Your Company Career Site

Improve the Candidate Experience Using Facebook Chat on Your Company Career Site

Jul 24, 2023 | Blog, Career Site

The job market is inundated with applicants, and the candidate experience is often at an all-time low due to the lack of responses and the dreaded ATS blackhole. To address this issue, what if your recruiters utilized a chatbot to communicate with jobseekers? In this blog post, we explore the key ways the Facebook Chat plugin can improve the candidate experience and help bridge the gap between applicants and employers.

  1. Providing Personalization: While chatbots have their uses, they can’t match the personalized touch that real-time chat with a recruiter can offer. By engaging in live chat on your career site, candidates feel valued and understood, making them more enthusiastic about potential opportunities.
  2. Building Trust: Two-way communication with candidates through the Facebook Chat plugin humanizes the recruitment process and builds trust. Candidates appreciate timely updates, and the instant response feature of the chat plugin ensures they receive the information they need promptly.
  3. Guiding Candidates: Real-time chat can be a game changer when it comes to assisting candidates who face obstacles during the application process. Quick help and support keep candidates motivated and reduce their frustrations.
  4. Sharing Company Insights: By chatting with knowledgeable recruiters, candidates can gain valuable insights into your company’s culture, values, benefits, and open roles. This interaction fosters a deeper connection with potential candidates.
  5. Reviewing Chat History: The ability to review chat transcripts provides valuable insights into frequently asked questions and pain points for candidates. This knowledge allows you to refine your recruitment process and improve candidate interactions further.
  6. Qualifying Leads: Engaging interested visitors in live chat enables recruiters to qualify leads based on their needs and interests. This ensures that the right candidates are matched with the appropriate opportunities.

Conclusion: In today’s challenging job market, jobseekers deserve more than automated “thank you” notifications after applying. Integrating the Facebook Chat plugin on your career site can significantly enhance the candidate experience during the job search process and positively impact your employer brand. Don’t miss the opportunity to set a new standard for candidate interactions. Install the Facebook Chat plugin today and witness the difference it makes in your recruitment process. Learn more about the plugin here and take your candidate experience to new heights.

 

How to Attract Applicants with Job Titles

How to Attract Applicants with Job Titles

Jun 11, 2023 | Career Site, Recruitment Marketing

The candidate’s journey ends when the job title is uncommon or confusing.  The reason why so many companies struggle to attract applicants to their jobs is often due to job titles and then the job description. 

Common vs Uncommon Job Titles

Job seekers usually search for jobs using standard job titles. For example, a software developer with multiple skills will click on Software Engineer before they click an Angular Developer job title. Not every software engineer is called an Angular Developer. Therefore, the right person will never see, find, or even consider this job because they won’t search for it. To remedy this, talent acquisition teams need training and the tools to provide data on proper job titles, like talent intelligence tools.

Confusing Job Titles

When possible, avoid using abbreviations because this will impact SEO rankings for your jobs, for example, Sr. SW Developer.  Google places more emphasis on keywords, such as software rather than SW. And, job seekers usually search for jobs without abbreviations. But, sometimes using an abbreviated word in a job title is the norm, like DBA (database analyst), AWS (Amazon Web Services), or QA tester (quality assurance). 

Job Title Tools

LinkedIn Insights is an excellent tool that provides data on common job titles and skills. Using this platform gives your talent acquisition teams talent data on your competitors’ job titles including their hiring activity. For example, if a company wants to hire a Director of Business Development in Atlanta Georgia, LinkedIn Insights provides its users with the following:

  • Common titles used by companies in Atlanta
  • Percentage of professionals with that title
  • Number of similar job posts in Atlanta 
  • New emerging skills

LinkedIn Insights is not the only platform, others like Talent Neuron, will analyze your job description and provide relevant data on common job titles and even trending titles. When these tools are used to improve job SEO, a company can determine if a job title should be Business Partner Manager or Human Resource Manager, for example.

Candidate Journey

The candidate’s experience really begins with the job title.  A video testimonial or image helps create awareness and consideration, but they will not apply to job titles that are confusing.  If the job title doesn’t clearly define what the role is, then they will not apply. The candidate’s journey has many starting points, and the job title is one of them.

 

Recruitment Marketing Strategy 101: Open Funnel Career site

Recruitment Marketing Strategy 101: Open Funnel Career site

Jun 11, 2023 | Career Site, SEO

Two things keep a Recruitment Marketer up at night, high bounce rates and low applicant conversion rates.  One of the reasons for high bounce rates is simple, the career site is a closed funnel which limits how visitors can enter the Applicant Tracking System.

 

When a candidate comes to the main page, and the only way to find a job is through the Job Search bar, well that’s a closed funnel. A one-way approach requires visitors to search and then apply. This is what fuels high bounce rates. However, there are ways to fix this just by having job categories right under the Job Search bar. It acts as a second level (like a safety net) for visitors to find an area of interest. The addition of job categories at the top makes the career site more of an open funnel.

 

Something else to consider is mobile device visitors using apps like LinkedIn for their job search. To them, a career site that is loaded with fluffy content, testimonials, and images seems like an infinite scroll without ever seeing a relevant job. However, creating talent communities allows mobile users to sign up without having to go through a grueling application process.  Adding Talent Communities at the top is another way to make the career pages more of an open funnel.

 

To be honest, these recommendations will help reduce bounce rates, but they don’t always improve applicant conversion rates.  When creating career-site pages you must look at website data and establish benchmarks.  Once you understand the behavior patterns, you can optimize the career site to make it more of an open funnel, which in return can improve applicant conversion rates.

 

Lastly, Phenom People has the best Content Management System (CMS) for career pages especially to create more opportunities for visitors to enter the funnel at any step. If you would like to learn more about creating an open funnel career site, please click here to get in touch with me.