When’s the last time you took a good hard look at your website? If the answer is more than 2 years ago, it’s time to do it now. Here’s why:
Over the past 18 months, there have been some big changes to both the web and websites. To ensure your website continues to be your prime recruiting resource, you need to embrace these changes.
First, some history.
Way back when (circa 1996, for example, when NPA’s first-generation website was launched), websites were simply the electronic replacement for your company brochure. Websites were static; they often consisted of just 1 or 2 pages, and didn’t get changed or updated with any frequency. Users couldn’t “do” anything with your website other than read.
Today, websites are dynamic, constantly changing, interactive creatures. Everything is defined by user experience. The mantra is “content is king” … but only if that content is relevant to the user and authoritative.
For global recruiting businesses, it’s imperative to offer a website that allows job seekers and clients to interact with you and share your content with their own fans and followers. Here are my top 4 tips for making sure your website is your best recruiting resource:
- Make sure your website is built on a dynamic platform. A dynamic platform means you have full control over your website content, making it easy to change, modify, create, and update content. NPA’s website, www.npaworldwide.com, runs on WordPress. WordPress, which is most well known as a blog-hosting application, is also a robust programming platform. It is both simple to learn, and feature-rich.
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Mobile devices are taking the technology world by storm, and having a major impact on websites. If you haven’t already gotten rid of your online “career center,” you should consider doing so. Job seekers with mobile devices simply will NOT take the time to fill out a lengthy online “application form” and upload a resume. If that’s all you can offer, you’re quickly losing relevance. The new LinkedIn Apply button allows job seekers to use their LinkedIn profile as their resume.
- Make sure your website offers social sharing options. Make it easy for users to share job postings with other job seekers they know. Let them post your content to Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Allow them to email articles and job postings to others they know. This will drive new visitors to your site, and give existing visitors a reason to keep coming back.
- Start a blog on your website. Yes, you will need to spend time or money creating regular blog posts (at least once per week; more is better). But, it’s the single best way to consistently create new, relevant, shareable content that will drive traffic to your site. Share recruiting resources. Talk about how, as an independent recruiter, you are different from the big franchises. Write about global recruiting trends. Establish yourself as a thought-leader… as the old movie line says, “If you build it, they will come.”
Your website is arguably your strongest recruiting resource. Spend the time and money to ensure you’re offering a quality user experience.
