Career Website Best Practice: Attract the best talent

Shortage of skilled workers or general labor shortages — an issue that has been preoccupying the working world in many countries for years. For many companies, the lack of qualified employees means in particular more competition when it comes to recruiting, which means that companies must present themselves in the best possible way in order to have a chance of attracting the best talent.

In our digital age, a well-designed career website in particular is the key to success. It is not only an information and communication channel for potential applicants, but also a figurehead for corporate culture. The latter must shine in order to make it to the top of the ranking of sought-after specialists. But what makes for a really good career website? We present the best practice for career websites:

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1 Story & content creation: Authentic corporate culture for emotional connection

The presentation of corporate culture and values by Storytelling and appealing content is invaluable and unfortunately often underestimated. A simple job posting on a business-oriented website is no longer enough to attract applicants. An authentic presentation of the company as an employer is needed. In the first step, this creates an emotional bond with potential candidates and increases employer attractiveness. Creating a connection on a personal level increases the likelihood that qualified talent will not only pay attention but also apply.

This is what you should write about:

• Company history and mission
• What is the daily work routine in the company?
• What career opportunities are there?
• What employee benefits are there?
• Which projects are at the heart of the company?
• Employee testimonials and success stories
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion in the company

Choose a form of language that suits your company and that authentically underlines your corporate and communication culture.

2 Excellent UI/UX Design: Intuitive & Appealing

It is not just the website content and language that must appeal to a candidate in order to convince him. To ensure that the overall picture remains consistent, excellent UI design and UX design also crucial for the success of a career website. The user interface should not only be intuitive but also aesthetically appealing. A positive candidate experience starts with the first interaction with the website. A well-thought-out design promotes higher user loyalty and creates a positive first impression — a factor that should not be underestimated for attractiveness as an employer.

You should pay attention to the following:

• Use a well-thought-out information architecture
• Create clear and intuitive navigation
• Integrate high-quality images, videos, and graphics to introduce the work environment and team
• Ensure good performance (fast loading times, etc.)
• Consider mobile usability (responsive design)
• Set clear and eye-catching CTA elements for applications or further information
• Use interactive elements to encourage engagement and enhance design.
• Promote your website's accessibility
• Keep design consistent with company branding to promote recognition
• Optimize application forms for easy and quick completion
• Offer help or tips for filling out forms correctly
• Use a powerful website search, such as algolia

3 Geographically specific content: Targeted approach for maximum relevance

A crucial aspect of an effective career website is the integration of geographically sensitive content. Companies should tailor their content depending on the applicant's location. A personalized approach not only based on individual qualifications but also on the applicant's location significantly increases engagement. By ensuring that the right message is sent to the right target group, not only the reach but also the quality of applications is optimized.

4 Integration with ATS: Smooth application process for better candidate selection

The seamless connection to applicant management systems, such as workday, is another key aspect of a successful career website. This integration ensures a smooth application process and enables a quick and efficient selection of candidates. The time savings for both sides — applicants and companies — are enormous, which leads to optimized recruitment.

5 Advanced tracking and analysis functions: Data-based optimization for sustainable success

The use of advanced Tracking and analysis features is another key to a successful career website. Detailed data on candidate interactions and platform usage enable continuous improvement of the website and an optimized recruitment strategy. The data-based approach helps to identify weak points and optimize the entire recruitment process.

6 Online Marketing: Maximize Visibility, Minimize Costs

Optimum visibility in search engines and targeted advertising measures are essential for the success of a career website. By implementing online marketing strategies, such as SEO and Performance marketing, the website has a wider reach. Job advertisements on well-known job portals such as Indeed or LinkedIn are also effective performance marketing measures. In principle, all channels should be used to draw attention to vacancies. This not only leads to more qualified applications, but also significantly reduces the costs per acquisition — an important factor in the efficient use of resources.

The following online platforms are particularly suitable for presenting job offers:

• linkedin: The career-oriented social network is widespread throughout Europe and gives companies a platform to present themselves and regularly publish job offers.
• xing: Works in a similar way to LinkedIn, with a regional focus on Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
• ogre: A well-known job board that is active in various European countries.
• EURES (European Employment Services): An initiative by the European Commission aimed at promoting the mobility of workers in European countries. Cross-border job offers can be found here.
• Glassdoor: In addition to job opportunities, Glassdoor also offers company reviews and salary information. It is available in many European countries.
• Indeed & Stepstone: These job boards are among the largest in the world and are active in many European countries. You can search for job offers and submit applications directly on the platforms.
• instagram & facebook: You can also use posts & advertisements to draw attention to vacancies on Instagram and Facebook.
• Google Jobs: Job advertisements can also be found in Google itself. Anyone who pays attention to the good quality of their career website and uses job markups professionally will automatically be included here and can hope for a good placement.

Conclusion

Impressing and animating potential applicants with a very good career website is therefore not rocket science, but it does take some time and effort. However, given that the shortage of skilled workers and workers will continue to increase in the coming years, it is a good investment to take a close look at your own employer image and to communicate it correctly and attractively.