While every job board may look and feel the same, when you take a closer look, you’ll find that’s not the case. Even minor differences in the practices of the job boards can affect the performance and reputation of your job board. These practices can either make or break your job board. Some of the common mistakes job boards make are preferring quantity over quality, spamming candidates with notifications, or not implementing advanced job scraping tools in their operations. These practices may even drive traffic away to competitors’ websites, having them not return ever again. If they are not addressed, you might end up being long forgotten in this fast-paced world. Here are some factors that might end up working against job boards:
Tedious application processes
Most job application processes are lengthy. This can drive job-seekers away. The job application process should be as quick as possible. Tedious job applications can cause frustration for candidates. Job boards should keep the application process to as fewer clicks as possible. Most job boards redirect users to third-party sites, spam-filled websites, or other job boards instead of leading to the original employers, when they click on a job posting. To ensure that the job postings on their site directly lead to the employers, job boards should use advanced solutions such as Propellum’s job scraping tools. These tools are counted among the best job board technology in US. It ensures that the job posted on the site is genuine and that the users can quickly apply for it.
Simplifying the job application process gains even more importance for mobile users. A majority of the applications on mobile phones are left mid-way due to difficulties faced in filling applications. Job boards should ensure that candidates have a pleasant experience whether they use the services on a desktop, mobile browser, or an app.
Absence of customized services
Every customer is unique. The needs, requirements, and skills possessed by each can vary significantly. The job board must make the customer feel special by providing curated content. Services such as customized job feed can keep the users engaged in the ecosystem. Job boards can use advanced job scraping solutions that can tag and categorize jobs from various client sites. The job boards can then suggest them to users based on their preference. Every time the customers check the website, they should only be exposed to relevant job ads. This increases the satisfaction level of the users and can keep bringing them back to your job board. Misleading and irrelevant job postings can drive users away to competitors. Customers should get the feeling that the job board actually knows them and cares about them, which keeps them returning back.
Unwanted notifications
Job boards notifying candidates about new employment prospects is an excellent thing. However, it can prove counterproductive in certain cases. Job boards usually bombard candidates with email and app notifications to get users to come back. However, if the number of emails is not checked, users may get frustrated by notifications. Job boards should send a predefined set limit of notifications. They can even have candidates choose the number and type of notifications they would like to receive. Users should have the option of choosing the job positions for which they want to receive updates. Notifications should also be limited to employers instead of HR companies as candidates usually prefer a direct connection with the employer.
‘Premium’ services at a premium
Many job boards allow candidates to get the basic job done of job applications free of cost. However, certain features are restricted to premium users. Features such as increased visibility, personalized resume building, and enhanced customer support are provided to premium users. However, these features are usually provided at a high cost. Many recruiters who are starting their professional careers can’t afford such high fees. Job boards must ensure that their packages are charged at a reasonable prices.
Also, not every premium user needs access to all the services offered. Job boards should have varying premium services plans. Users can choose a plan according to their needs. They should be provided with the option of downgrading, upgrading, or even canceling their subscription at any point in time. Additionally, job boards should use advanced payment solutions so that the payment process is hassle-free. Users usually tend to get frustrated if their payment can’t be processed quickly. They might look to switch to a competitor that offers the same services but has a smooth and quick payment process.
Not integrating advanced solutions
Not so long ago, job boards had just one task. Post jobs indiscriminately. However, with changing times, job boards had to adapt accordingly. The ones who understood the changes integrated advanced technological solutions. The use of job scrapers and crawlers allowed job boards to search, manage, and tag jobs efficiently. Not every job board jumped on this ship quickly, and the unfortunate ones drowned in the ocean of sluggish job boards. The ones adopting these features became the go-to sites for job seekers. In addition to advanced solutions, job boards should invest in the basic needs of job seekers. Easy updating of resumes being one of them. Job boards should integrate third-party apps such as Google Docs to allow users to update CV on the go. Users can even have their Dropbox account linked if they require it frequently to upload documents. Sometimes, job boards ignore simple things while focusing on difficult issues.
Improper data utilization
In today’s age, data holds the key to the growth of any business, including job boards. Job boards need to optimize data and correctly organize it to improve services. Unoptimized data can lead to slow job updation on the website. Job seekers can lose out on hundreds of relevant jobs in such a scenario. The user might switch to other job boards where they can find a multitude of job options. Job boards can even utilize data enrichment tools that can build upon the existing data available. Propellum’s job crawling services can fetch accurate and comprehensive job data. Job data enrichment can improve the efficiency of job boards and also increase job seeker satisfaction. It ultimately comes down to user satisfaction if the job boards want to retain their customers. The more satisfied a customer is, the less likely he is to stray away.
Ignoring quality for quantity
The above point discussed how the job boards should maintain job posting quantity. However, this doesn’t mean that they should ignore the quality of jobs. Some job listings may contain incomplete data or even have incorrect information. Job boards should ensure that the job postings have an accurate job description attached. Mismatched or incomplete information can result in unproductive time spending for candidates. And they might look somewhere else to search for jobs as per their needs. Job boards should, thus, maintain the balance between quantity and quality.
So, a look at your job board. Does it feel like one of the best job boards for recruiters as well as job seekers? Or is it making the above mistakes? Correcting or avoiding the aforementioned mistakes can significantly help in preventing customers from switching to competitors. Using tools like those made by Propellum can help in tackling most of these issues. As for the rest of the problems, job boards must relook their strategy and approach towards running a job board service.
