Workthing survey reveals jobseekers and employers are on a different wavelength when it comes to recruitment on the web
Research launched today by Workthing reveals a startling disparity between the way jobseekers use the internet, and the way employers use it as a recruitment and brand-building tool.
The Workthing E-Recruitment Study provides a definitive picture of online recruitment in the UK, comparing and contrasting the behaviours of 2,000 internet users and 250 senior HR decision-makers in two simultaneous surveys.
Eighty-nine per cent of HR professionals believe employer branding is an important issue for their business but most execute it poorly online. The Workthing Study reveals a gap between jobseekers'''' use and expectations of the web and those of recruiters:
- Online content: Online jobseekers say their top three criteria when looking for a new employer are: a secure financial footing, good career prospects and competitive packages yet recruiters say that only 37 per cent of their company websites refer to financial performance, a mere 29 per cent discuss career progression and less than half (43%) cover employee benefits.
- Online functionality: 5.8m jobseekers have applied for jobs online yet less than half (42%) of organisations currently give candidates the chance to make an online application. Furthermore, while a majority of recruiters (62%) felt they were spending too much time on application processing, 85 per cent were still sorting CVs by hand. Only 19 per cent used time-saving tools which could sort through applications electronically enabling them to respond quickly to candidates.
- Use of corporate career sites: 6.3m jobseekers have already looked for jobs on corporate sites yet most recruiters (53%) believed that only a limited number of jobseekers use corporate sites to find jobs or didn''''t know the extent of its use. In addition, when asked how they thought candidates would rate their corporate site, a significant 28 per cent of recruiters said they didn''''t know.
The research shows there are now 11.1m online jobseekers in the UK. They are a highly attractive candidate audience, with 68 per cent classified as ABC1. A staggering 9.7m, equivalent to over one quarter of the entire UK workforce, expect to get their next job online.
Commenting on the findings Andy Baker, Managing Director of Workthing, said:
HR professionals know their employer brand is vital to business success, but many companies are not delivering it effectively through job boards or corporate career sites. To impress internet jobseekers, companies need to understand how their design, content, usability and response handling processes online play a critical role in forming these candidates'''' opinion of their business as a place to work. If they don''''t act, recruiters risk continual candidate attraction problems and the undermining of their employer brands.
Further findings from the study reveal:
- Candidate confidence in the internet is high
5.8m have applied for jobs found on the web and 9.7m jobseekers expect to find their next job on the web. Potential candidates have no qualms about placing their CVs online, with three-quarters of jobseekers interviewed happy to do so. This is a marked increase compared to similar research carried out by Workthing in 2001, when just over half (54%) of jobseekers interviewed were happy to place their CVs online.
- Online jobseekers are an extremely attractive candidate audience
33 per cent of online jobseekers are classified AB, 44 per cent are over 35 years old and 66 per cent have a household income of over 20,000.
- Recruiters are facing tough competition for candidates
85 per cent say that they have problems filling certain positions. Competition for the best people remains the top challenge with 78 per cent of employers claiming this is an important issue. Just over half (57%) find it hard to fill senior positions.
- Recruitment budget forecasts favour online
Almost half (47%) of recruiters plan to increase online spend over the next 12 months. But only six per cent of recruiters plan to spend more on search and selection as a recruitment tool over the next six months.
The full results will be available online at www.workthing-peoplebank.com for 195
Workthing survey reveals jobseekers and employers are on a different wavelength
when it comes to recruitment on the web
