Some would argue that the jobs page is the most important on any recruitment website. After all, the majority of candidates accessing your website will be searching for one thing – a job. Most recruitment websites will incorporate a jobs page as it gives recruiters their own platform on which to advertise their jobs. It is also one of the few pages that is truly unique to a recruitment website, incorporating a number of recruitment-specific functionalities.
Get your jobs page right and you’ll make it easy for candidates to find the results they’re looking for and for search engines, including Google for Jobs, to find your jobs. Optimised job listings, advanced search and filtering, a job map, and the ability for candidates to create job alerts all contribute to a jobs page that is both user and SEO friendly.
- Advanced job listing
A filterable job listing makes finding a relevant job easy. Always include the option to filter by location or postcode, job type, category, salary range, keyword or tag. The easier it is for jobseekers to find a job that matches their needs, the better the outcome for everyone. They are less likely to apply for a job that doesn’t quite suit their skills or requirements, which will save them, the recruiter and the client time.
An easy search will mean that if a candidate doesn’t find the right opportunity, they will be more inclined to return to your website to search again or set up a job alert. Ultimately, an advanced search means that you are more likely to match the right candidates with the right opportunities – a win for all involved. - Map
A Google Maps API integration enables recruiters to display jobs on a jobs page in a Google map format. That way jobs can be searched for by radius based on location. The feature also has an auto address suggestion for both location and address fields. A visual understanding of where a job is located can be incredibly helpful when it comes to a jobseeker deciding whether a job is right for them or not. Location is, after all, an important consideration in a job search. If you’re worried that a map might reveal who your clients are, you can set the parameters, choosing whether it displays postcode, city or county data.
- Optimised for Google for Jobs
As a zero cost source of talent attraction, optimising your job ads for Google for Jobs should be on every recruiter’s to-do list when publishing ads on the jobs page. It’s an incredibly useful tool for recruiters, offering a free way to increase organic traffic to your website and of course your jobs.
However, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure Google for Jobs finds your jobs and ranks them in relevant searches. These include salary, location, job title, skills, responsibilities, and qualifications. In-built SEO tools such as those on all RecWebs websites will help you to optimise your jobs so that they rank well in Google for Jobs. Including job posting structured data in all job listings is vital as this is what makes your jobs eligible to appear in Google’s search results for jobs. It’s also important to use and update sitemaps and make all of your web pages indexable. - Job alerts
Allowing candidates to set up job alerts is beneficial in several ways. It enables active candidates to register their job specifications so that if they don’t find a suitable job in your current listing, they can be notified if one comes into your agency.
Passive candidates who are casually browsing may not have the time or inclination to search your job listing but would be interested to hear if you have anything relevant. It also allows you to keep the contacts in your internal talent pool up to date – if their details and/or requirements change they have the ability to update their profiles so that you know you are only sending them jobs that would interest them. The great thing about a job alert is that the candidate is in charge so you’ll never frustrate one with an unsolicited, untargeted communication. - Candidate registration CTA
Each of the pages on your recruitment website should contain at least one call to action (CTA). On the jobs page there should be a job alert CTA and a candidate registration CTA, though often the two are combined. You may also choose to situate these on your candidates page but it is useful to also place a button that will take candidates to those pages on the page where they will be looking for jobs.
If they are ready to look for jobs, they are likely ready to register their CV and/or subscribe to job alerts. Make sure the CTA button is clear, clickable and tappable, with concise, persuasive wording that creates a sense of urgency. - Easy to find
This might seem obvious but it is vital that your jobs page is clearly navigable from every page of your website. That means it should be easy to find on your header, on your footer, and/or in a collapsable menu. Intuitive navigation is the cornerstone of a good website. If users can’t find what they’re looking for they will give up and click away onto a competitor’s website. There are thousands of recruitment agencies in the UK, most with websites, so if a jobseeker can’t easily find your jobs they won’t waste time searching on your website.
- Humanise your jobs
When candidates are searching for jobs online, for what could be an incredibly huge change in their lives and their careers, the experience should be bolstering but can feel impersonal. Recruitment is ultimately a people profession, matching great people with great people and organisations, via great people (you!). Adding the details of the recruiter handling each job can immediately create a connection. Include a picture, name and job title, plus clickable links to their LinkedIn profile, and internal contact details or their profile on your meet the team page if you have one. It helps to personalise and humanise the recruitment process.
Candidates are putting their careers in the hands of recruiters. Providing them with the ability to see who they would be talking with can instil a vital sense of trust. It’s the building blocks of forming a relationship between candidate and recruiter.
Whereas other pages on your recruitment website might focus on persuasive copy, detailed information, and stand-out graphics, the jobs page exists to display your jobs in an easy-to-view, easy-to-search, filterable format. Make it easy for candidates to find your jobs page, search for jobs that fit their profile and apply for those jobs. Matching great candidates with great jobs is a recruiter’s end goal. Get your jobs page right and that goal will become far easier to achieve.
