Job Hunters Go Mobile

  • 62% of respondents said mobile technology has changed the way they search for job
  • Convenience is the biggest benefit of mobile – 62% respondents look for a job on their phone whilst watching the TV, while 47% search for jobs while travelling
  • 42% of males admit they would look for a new career on their phone whilst at their current place of work
  • Sellick Partnership has seen a 92% year-on-year increase in the number of people accessing its website from a mobile phone, and a 172% year-on-year increase in the number of visitors from tablets, prompting the firm to launch a brand new mobile-optimised website

A recent survey conducted by financial and legal recruitment specialists Sellick Partnership has identified the impact that mobile devices have had on the job search behaviours of today’s job seekers. Over 60 per cent of respondents agreed that their smartphones and tablets have significantly changed the way they search for a new role.

Not surprisingly, the highest number of people currently looking for a job is the 18-24 year old bracket, with 66 per cent suggesting mobile devices have revolutionised how they look for a job, compared to only 57 per cent of 45-54-year-olds saying they benefit from this new technology.

The online survey – to which 386 people responded – was carried out ahead of Sellick Partnership’s mobile site launch in July.

Anna Gibbons, Corporate Communications Manager at Sellick Partnership, comments, “The survey has given us an interesting insight into the changing habits of job seekers, with convenience being the biggest benefit – 56 per cent of respondents relished the fact you can use your phone whenever and wherever you are. 62 per cent of respondents admitted to job searching whilst multi-tasking such as watching TV, while a further 47 per cent have looked for a new job on public transport.

“These sort of figures really highlight the importance of a mobile site for businesses today. At a time when the best talent in the market is in such high demand, employers really can’t afford to miss out by not moving with technological advancements.”

The research also identified a number of differences in behaviour between the sexes. Interestingly, 42 per cent of men admit they would look for a new career whilst at their current job, while a further 19 per cent of men would look for a job in the pub.

Women, however, prefer a more relaxed environment for their search, with 58 per cent of female respondents job hunting in bed. In addition, 22 per cent of men admitted to searching for jobs first thing in the morning, whilst the majority of women preferred job hunting in the evening.

Commenting on the mobile revolution, Ms Gibbons stated, “The mobile job seekers market is growing rapidly, yet employers and recruiters are typically missing out by not providing a mobile optimised solution for candidates.

Currently, over half of career sites aren’t optimised for mobile, yet this year we have seen a 92 per cent growth in the number of people accessing our website from a mobile phone, and a 172 per cent increase in the number of visitors from tablets.

“Employers need to adapt to these developments and provide job seekers with a convenient and accessible solution. Current trends still show the first port of call for the majority of job seekers are online job boards (63 per cent); with 21 per cent of professionals still browsing newspapers and trade press for the latest jobs – highlighting the importance for businesses to have a fully integrated marketing strategy.”

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