Online Job Forms
Discouraging
Most online job seekers fail to
complete tricky corporate job applications, study
finds.
While the popularity of online recruitment
and job searching is growing, one study found that three out of
four online job seekers failed to complete application forms at
six leading companies.
The study by Creative Good observed that only
26 percent of efforts to complete job applications were
successful at six companies in varied industries. At the same
time, Creative Good said those companies surveyed demonstrated
a "strong dedication" to and "significant investment" in
recruitment.
Thirty-two percent of job applications failed
"partially," which meant the applicant gave up part way through
the process. Forty-two percent of job application form attempts
were pronounced a total failure, largely due to the user being
unable to decipher the job application. The study found
"unfamiliar language" tripped up applicants, causing them to
select the wrong option on the job form. Other reasons for
abandoning job applications included heavy graphics and
"inappropriate navigation."
Still, the trend toward corporate online
recruiting is growing rapidly, largely due to cost savings. The
Creative Good study, called E-Recruiting, Online Strategies in
the War for Talent, revealed that a company can save up to
US$8,000 in hiring costs per person recruited online. This
figure can multiply to significant cost savings in larger
companies, noted Creative Good. For example, Proctor &
Gamble, which hires more than 4,000 people annually, could save
up to US$3 million per year by recruiting online.
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