Attracting job candidates to your website is only part of the battle to recruit top talent. Learn how to convert more visitors to applicants by improving your online job application process. This blog post tells you how.
The online job application process is vital for attracting top talent. Getting qualified candidates to visit your govcon marketing website can be expensive and time-consuming. Once they’ve arrived, you must convert them from job-seekers to applicants as quickly as possible.
That’s why it’s essential to follow government contractor marketing best practices to enhance the overall application experience on your website. This blog post provides practical tips and strategies for improving the job application process on your government contractor website. Following this advice will boost your chances of finding, hiring, and onboarding highly skilled professionals for your government contracts.
Review Your Government Contractor Website’s Application Process
Finding a new job is a time-consuming, frustrating slog that requires significant effort. Candidates may be searching at night or on weekends. They’re under pressure to find their next position. They often feel overwhelmed and stressed.
That’s why it’s helpful to step back, put yourself in the job seeker’s shoes, and look for ways to make your application process more efficient. Doing so can help you better understand the candidate’s journey from job-seeker to employee.
Job candidates must complete lengthy applications, customize resumes, draft cover letters, and answer questions during the job search process. Each required action increases complexity, often causing them to drop out. Look for ways to eliminate unnecessary steps in your own process. Target those that don’t add value, like redundant questions or irrelevant fields.
Organizations often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to streamline recruitment. Although beneficial for employers, be cautious, as they can create a suboptimal candidate experience.
Ensure Your Government Contractor Website is User-Friendly
Your government contracting website must be informative and easy to navigate, efficiently converting applicants and encouraging them to apply. A poorly designed site can cost you valuable candidates.
A user-friendly site considers design aspects like aesthetics, accessibility, functionality, and responsiveness. Optimize every element for a positive user experience and a practical application process.
Utilize intuitive navigation and user interface, allowing visitors to find information quickly and move between pages seamlessly. Slow, cluttered, disorganized, or confusing website pages risk losing job seekers. A simple design with clear menus, links, and calls to action ensures user-friendliness.
Expose Candidates to Your Employer Brand
Your employer brand defines you as an employer and the values and culture you embody. Highlighting your employer brand is essential before your system pushes candidates to a third-party ATS system. You want potential employees to see how they fit in and what they can expect from working with you before they start the application process. Learn more about building your employer brand here.
Simplify Job Listings
Are your job descriptions current? Do they accurately reflect position requirements and expectations? Cluttered, confusing listings can deter qualified candidates. Improve them using these best practices:
- Make job listings concise, accurate, and relevant.
- Clearly state security clearance, certification, and government program experience requirements.
- Avoid acronyms, industry jargon, and technical terms.
- Proofread and edit listings before posting to ensure they are error-free, as mistakes can appear unprofessional and raise doubts about the job’s legitimacy.
- Regularly review and update job descriptions to maintain accuracy and prevent candidate confusion.
Want more best practices for recruiting top talent?
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Communicate Your Hiring Process
To attract and retain top talent, government contracting companies must communicate their hiring process clearly and transparently. When job seekers understand what to expect during the hiring process, they are more likely to remain engaged and enthusiastic.
Establishing an internal service-level agreement (SLA) is one way to improve the hiring process. The SLA outlines the responsibilities and expectations of all parties, from HR managers to hiring managers and candidates. By establishing clear communication channels and documented rules of engagement, everyone is on the same page and understands what is expected of them.
Use Pre-Screening Questions and Automated Filters
One time-consuming aspect of the job application workflow is reviewing resumes to identify the best candidates. Pre-screening questions and automated filters help recruiters focus on the most qualified applicants, improving hiring outcomes.
Pre-screening questions filter out those who may not meet basic job requirements, such as location, citizenship, education, or certifications. These questions ensure only suitable candidates proceed in the hiring process. Automated filters further screen candidates, instantly rejecting applicants who lack the necessary qualifications, like specific government program experience or security clearances.
These tools save time for recruiters and applicants while providing a better experience. Candidates not meeting basic requirements are notified immediately, sparing them from wasting time completing the application.
Employers must balance screening unqualified candidates with ensuring qualified ones are accepted. Carefully choose questions and filters reflecting job requirements without unnecessarily excluding potential candidates.
Keep Applicants Informed Throughout the Hiring Process
Since talent competition is fierce, applicants may move on to other opportunities if you do not keep them informed. Responding quickly to resume submissions increases the chances that strong performers will work for you instead of competitors pursuing the same government contracts.
You can set up your ATS platform or job application portal to streamline and automate the hiring process internally. These systems provide applicants with automated, real-time updates on the status of their applications and keep them informed about the next steps in the process. They also allow HR managers to prioritize evaluating candidates rather than managing administrative tasks.
Design for Mobile Devices to Recruit Top Talent
Appcast’s 2022 Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Report revealed that two-thirds of job applicants completed their job applications on mobile devices (up from half only two years earlier). Making your application process mobile-friendly increases applications, improves candidate experience, and boosts your chances of hiring top talent.
Govcon marketing tips for optimizing your mobile job application process include:
- Make job descriptions mobile-friendly by using precise language, formatting for readability, and avoiding large images or videos.
- Use a mobile-friendly ATS for candidates to apply and track application status on their devices.
- Offer various application methods (online applications, text messaging, or video interviews).
- Keep the application process short and simple, with concise instructions on applying and the next steps.
- Ensure a mobile-friendly design for job postings and application processes that looks good and is easy to use on mobile devices.
Ensure Accessibility for All Applicants
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates employers provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Accessible recruitment expands your talent pool and fosters a more inclusive workplace. Make your recruitment process accessible by:
- Choosing an accessible ATS suitable for people with disabilities.
- Providing alternative text for images in job postings.
- Offering alternative application methods, such as phone, email, or mail.
Optimize Your Government Contracting Website for Streamlined Job Applications
By optimizing your government contracting website for streamlined job applications, you can create a better experience for potential applicants and recruit top talent. Investing in govcon marketing best practices to ensure your website offers clear job descriptions, an intuitive user experience, and simple navigation will save your organization time and effort in the long run.
Take advantage of these strategies to optimize your government contractor marketing website for recruiting success. If you need help, the Ocean 5 Strategies team of govcon marketing experts can get you started! Contact us today to learn more about best practices for hiring top talent.
- Recruiting Top Talent: 4 Ways Your Government Contractor Website Can Help
- Attracting Top Talent: 7 Branding Best Practices for Government Contractor Websites
- Recruiting Top Talent by Promoting Your Government Contractor Brand Identity
- Recruit Top Talent by Unleashing Your Employees: 6 Tips for Government Contractors
- 6 Tips to Attract & Engage Top Talent for Government Contractors
