Graduate recruiting tip #11: Build a top-rate careers site

Article Title: Graduate recruiting tip #11: Build a top-rate careers site
Author Byline: Susanna Cesar Morton of Recruitment 2.0
Author Website: http://blog.advorto.com/blog/2008/08/graduate-recr-1.html

You never have a second chance to create a good first impression.

Students are busy. They love the Internet. They will visit your website. So please, make sure you put your best foot forward and make your graduate site your most successful recruitment tool.

In many cases, the first time a potential employee is exposed to your company is through your web site. Your best candidates come though this channel, so its creation and maintenance deserve your utmost attention.

At the very least, your careers site needs to include an up-to-date listing of open positions and information about your company and its products. A fully developed site can include bells and whistles such as an online profiler, interactivity and streaming audio and video content.

Here are some things to think about when developing a top-rate careers site:

1. Understand your target group’s expectations, preferences and priorities.
2. Design a simple layout and navigation scheme around this, and test it on graduates.
3. Provide a job site map.
4. Include an RSS feed so potential applicants can get updates automatically.
5. Use their language – graduate lingo.
6. Keep a consistent employer brand throughout the entire website.
   Explain your company’s recruitment process. Include a “How to Apply” section to lead a potential employee through the process, with a very prominent “Apply Here” button.
7. Include a list of compelling reasons to work for your company and don’t ignore the basics – include in-depth information about the job, and clearly articulate the interview and hire process.
8. Add a system for managing and tracking applications. An online application form has the benefit of standardizing information from candidates.
9. Have a mechanism to receive feedback, and then use this valuable information.
10. Use the fact that the careers page is often the most visited page on your site (after the homepage) to get much deserved budget from senior management.
11. Include a mechanism to get back to applicants quickly, and whether they will advance in your process. This will create a positive impression, not the sense of a “black hole”.
12. Above all, keep it easy to use and friendly.

A good example of a graduate recruitment site is www.hewittgraduate.co.uk. And check out Microsoft’s "Hey Genius" graduate recruiting site for some innovative ideas to say the least!

What have your experiences been creating careers site? Any tips to add? What is your favourite site? Least favourite site? Leave a comment and let us know.

-Susanna

PS — Our next post in this series is on "making use of video".

** This post is an excerpt from Advorto’s “15-minute guide to graduate recruiting”. You can download the full report for FREE at: http://www.advorto.com/GradGuide.aspx

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.