Major online recruitment practices include social media, websites and technically sound people who can make this happen. When we go further it involves networking, advertisement, AI and other recruitment techniques.

Before covid-19 online recruitment was not much popular among candidates and employers. It was just a method of hiring. But during and after COVID everyone using the internet is becoming more active and sensitive towards online information. COVID not only forces the recruitment industry to evolve but it also evolves the employer and employee mindset to focus on WFH or hybrid work environments.

Why online Recruitment?

How long has it been for you to see job advertisements in newspapers or on billboards? If you are a working professional then you must have a LinkedIn or Naukri profile. How simple it is to just update your profile and start applying for jobs. You must have seen HRs keep posting jobs on their profile and/or the company’s profile. You can start applying for jobs in just a few clicks.

That's why online recruitment is so important. It’s easy and cost-effective to engage relevant and targeted candidates. And also helps in employer branding.

Follow These Best Practices for the Online Recruiting Process.

Here are some Important strategies that every business should follow and successfully execute their online recruitment strategies. Using the power of social media and the internet, companies are now able to reach a wider audience. Mastering online recruiting requires more than just posting jobs on social media and popular job boards. Employers or recruitment agencies need a strategic approach to harness the power of the Internet. From optimising your website and job listing for search engines to effectively using social media platforms, we will explore various techniques. Employer branding is also equally important to create a compelling online presence that resonates with your target audience.

Read more: How Recruitment Agencies can help candidates?

If you are a recruiter agency or employer or a recruiter and want to get more out of your digital recruitment efforts or want to enhance your online recruitment strategy. This blog is going to help you with the knowledge and strategies needed to master the art of online recruiting. So let's solve your first question: What are the best practices for recruiting?

Improve Online Presence

1. Create an Engaging Career Page:

   Designing a user-friendly and highly engaging webpage will attract candidates and improve company branding. That page should contain descriptive information about the job positions with engaging creatives. Also mentioning the organisation’s culture & values will give it an extra edge.

   1. Apply relevant keywords to it: We often miss keywords optimising the page with trending and relevant keywords. Because of this page is not able to rank and miss the organic audience. Implement job focussed keywords that match the job title and the key responsibility that the position requires.
      
      Example:For a Sales Manager position in a bank possible keywords are: Sales manager LAP, Sales Manager - DSA, Sales manager hiring in the reputed bank, Lead generation specialist, Networking and relationship building, Sales team manager, Negotiation skills, banking sales, Cross-selling etc.

2. Implement Technical SEO:

   
   

   It will add an extra edge to the content and the page will help rank high in Google jobs and improve search engine ranking.  Here are a few examples. Do not forget to implement schema markups on the job page.

   Some improvements that can be implemented in Technical SEO are Title and meta description updates, schema markup implementations, content optimization(LSI keyword implementation), mobile speed optimization, image optimization etc.

3. Focus on Mobile First:

   Do you have a website to list your job and accept applications? If so, then focus on that. If you create a website to list your job and accept job applications It is more convenient to use a mobile than a laptop or desktop. If we talk about basic statistics about 11.6% of people have laptops and 74.8%  have mobiles in India. Now you can figure out whether you should focus on mobile or laptop users. Every laptop user has a mobile but not every mobile user has a laptop. Focus on mobile responsive websites and applications and mobile marketing.Make sure everything you do in online recruitment should be mobile optimised and responsive.

2. Enhance Social Media Presence:

   

   It is a critical component in building a strong online presence on professional networks for effective online recruitment. Platforms like LinkedIn and other similar social media channels. Sharing job openings with targeted audiences will help in collecting job-relevant profiles. These platforms will also allow you to share valuable insights about your industry, company culture and updates that further help in employer branding.

3. Focus on Advertising:

   Offline advertisements do not have control to select the targeted audience. Whoever passes from it will see the ad. However, an online advertisement business can target a specific group of people who share the same interests. It will allow us to attract top-targeted candidates with retargeting capabilities. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook provide detailed targeting capabilities where one can even select a particular location or interest of the targeted audience.

   1. LinkedIn ads

   2. Facebook and Instagram ads

   3. Google Ads
       

4. Email and SMS Marketing:

   According to Litmus Resource Center, email marketing has an average ROI of 36:1, which that means for every $1 dollar spent the return is $36. Moreover, the Direct Marketing Association’s Talent Acquisition Factbook indicates that email marketing is the third most commonly used source for external hires

   The level of automation provided by platforms can easily target specific candidates ensuring that each email resonates with the particular candidate and is personally designed for him/her.

   Similarly, SMS marketing is a valuable marketing technique for online recruiting. According to the research conducted by SMS Bump, the opening rate in sms marketing can exceed 98%, making it one of the most effective communication channels. This high opening rate can be used in job openings or in interview reminders.

   Incorporating both email and SMS marketing into your recruitment strategy, you can ensure that leveraging the most effective channels to engage with potential candidates and streamline the hiring process.

5. Focus on Online Reputation Management (ORM):

   

   Focus on ORM for the long run is a successful online recruitment strategy here's why?

   1. Attraction of quality candidate
   2. Retention of top talent
   3. Reduce recruitment cost
   4. Improve candidate experience
   5. Effective use of social proof
   6. Mitigation of negative impressions.
   7. Showcasing the company’s culture
   8. Encouraging employee advocacy

6. Online Job listing portals:

   
   

   Today’s dynamic job market is primarily a data-driven market which is a quest to use data. Job listing portals supply data of the potential candidates to employers with the candidate’s consent. These virtual platforms make a perfect match for job seekers and employers. Job listings posted by employers reach a vast audience around the clock and attract a diverse pool of candidates with just a few keystrokes. Here is how this dynamic practice elevates the art of online recruitment to a whole new level.

   1. It serves a wide reach and ensures that a vacancy seen by a broad range of potential candidate
   2. Posting a job on an online portal is a quick and efficient process, which speeds up the recruitment process.
   3. Online job portals are available 24/7, allowing candidates to view and apply for the position at any time.
   4. International reach and mobile accessibility ensure to find the best fit for your organisation.
   5. Last but not least - Resume database access allows employers to productively search for potential candidates based on specific criteria.

       

7. Lights, Camera, Hired: unlocking the power of Video in online recruitment:

   According to a survey by Wyzowl, 84% of people say they've been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. Video interviews have become a cornerstone of the remote recruitment process. They allow employers to access a candidate’s communication skills, professionalism, and personality, all from the comfort of their own environment. Video interviews not only save time and resources but also provide a more convenient experience for candidates.

   According to a report by Spark Hire, 60% of candidates have had a video interview during their job Search. By prioritising video-based communication and content. Adopting videos in culture is not only adapting to modern recruitment trends, you are harnessing a powerful tool that can give you an edge in attracting top talent.

8. Utilise Employer review sites:

   
   

   Websites like Ambition Box and Glassdoor are acting like an open window into a company’s culture. Allowing candidates to have a firsthand look at what it’s truly like to work there. Nowadays jobseekers are armed with powerful tools to peek behind the corporate curtain. For candidates, it’s an opportunity to gather unfiltered insights that go beyond job description and salary figures. It’s a chance to understand the heartbeat of the organisation, from work-life balance to leadership style.

   Employers can use these platforms to their advantage too. By actively engaging with reviews and feedback. Addressing employees' concerns and expressing gratitude for positive feedback not only showcases a company’s responsiveness but also fosters a positive employer brand.

   According to a survey by CareerArc, 62% of candidates say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review. So Employer review sites are more than just digital forums.

Enhance the Recruitment Process and attract more applicant

• Introduce AI in Existing Systems to Improve Efficiency:

  We all know that AI is evolving at tremendous speed and recruitment is one of the areas where AI is automating numerous tasks. AI in the recruitment process is now becoming a necessity.  Find Out where your existing system can adopt the AI and automate manual and time-consuming processes. Here are a few suggestions for where you can implement AI.

  • AI enhances sourcing and screening: feed resumes to AI software and it will scan thousands of resumes and pick the relevant resume based on the skills and experience required.

  • AI can Automate Email/SMS to shortlisted candidates: Sending customised emails to shortlisted or selected candidates. This will enhance the candidate experience and help in increasing word of mouth.

  • AI-powered Communication system and performance tracking: Any kind of communication is necessary to a new candidate applying for a job or a person who is exploring your website. And AI can help in enhancing the entire brand’s communication channel.

• Mistakes an HR should avoid:

  As an HR professional, you are responsible for filling open positions in a way that upholds your company's employer brand. Even minor oversights can damage your company's reputation, so it's important to be mindful of the following:

  • Not Providing Feedback After the Interview:

  • Asking generic or irrelevant questions:

  • Do not focus on soft skills:

  • Unconscious biases during an interview:

  • Not taking feedback:

  • Not Following a Standard Pattern of Interview:

  • Making quick judgement

  Read the detailed blog on Mistake An HR Should Avoid

• Enhancing Candidate Experience: For any Business whether a manufacturing or an HR consultancy overall experience for it’s stakeholders matters a lot.  To enhance the experience below points can be followed.

  • Personalized Communication gives a personalised experience: send regular updates or communication related to the interview status.

  • Engaging with Passive Candidates: Passive candidates can become a candidate so regular updates regarding new vacancies, industry updates etc. can be helpful to let them apply or brand building.

  • Interview-related feedback: Improvement areas or lacking, job description discussion, KRA and KPIs discussion etc. are a few other areas where an HR can inform a candidate and initiate communication. This also helps in enhancing the candidate experience.

Best Practices for Employers, Recruiter and Recruitment Agency to Improve Online Recruitment

• Utilise Personal and Professional network:

  This will help in direct engagement with potential candidates and because they are already known to us can convert easily.

• Stay up-to-date with industry trends:

  staying aware of industry trends isn’t just a smart move - it’s a strategic advantage. You are not just navigating the current recruitment landscape but also anticipating the curves and turns ahead. By keeping a finger on the pulse of emerging recruitment trends, you position yourself and your business as a forward-thinking employer or recruiter.

  Picture These Examples:

  Example 1: Being an HR recruiter in the BFSI sector, I daily talk to 50 different candidates expecting they are looking for a job or job change. And at At the end of the day I submit a few resumes to clients.
   

  Example 2: I talk to 50 different candidates and in parallel, I also focus on staying updated with the latest trends. During those 50 calls, I added information trending and moulded my calls. “You will get a better workplace where you will be working in an up-to-date environment and stay updated with trending skills”. Chances of conversion will increase and I will update and upgrade myself too.

  Hope this example helps you in getting a basic understanding of how staying updated with trends will help.

• Introduce Referral Program:

  Introducing a referral program is like casting a wide net into a sea of untapped talent. This is a strategic move that not only engages your current workforce but also expands your recruitment reach. Studies show that referred candidates are more likely to stay with a company longer and adapt the work culture easily. According to research by Jobvite, referred employees are 55% faster to hire compared to candidates sourced through career sites.
   

• Some other proven techniques

  These techniques will help in improving the work culture and help in brand building to further attract candidates online.

  • Follow-up even after onboarding of candidate

  • Team training

  • Conducting thorough candidate assessment

  • Quick application process

  • Encourage Employee Advocacy

  •  Share awards and recognition on social media

Advantages of implementing best practices for online recruiting

• Faster closure

• Branding

• Building network

• Build trust

• Wider reach

• Cost-effective

• Target advertising

• Less paperwork

• Timely notification and follow-ups

Disadvantages

The negative side of online recruiting. Nothing comes with all positive aspects. There are some disadvantages of online recruitment.

• Data security and privacy concerns

• Fake fraudulent applications

• Technological barriers for some candidates

• Technology dependencies

• High competition

• Limited personal interaction

• Overwhelming response

Key Outcomes

Stay Updated With Latest Trend

Staying updated with industry trends in online recruiting isn’t just about keeping pace - it’s about taking the lead in the industry. It’s about having the foresight to anticipate shifts, the knowledge to navigate them, and the confidence to guide your client and candidates towards success. So, embrace the trends, because they’re not just a map -  they are a compass that points you towards a future of recruitment excellence.

Conclusion

The Strategies we talked about in this blog present a dynamic roadmap to enhance the hiring process you are following. By enabling the above-mentioned practices, you are not just filling vacancies; you are shaping a workforce that aligns seamlessly with your organisation’s goal and culture.

Evaluate your existing recruitment landscape and start implementing above-mentioned points step by step.

It’s essential, however, to go beyond implementation. Regular evaluation is the primary key. Analyse the implementation and metrics, collect feedback and finetune the approach. Need to observe what is working, where adjustments are required and what could be further enhanced accordingly. This iterative process will ensure that the online recruitment strategy implemented remains agile and responsive to the evolving needs of your company and the job market.

Keep in mind, Recruitment is a dynamic journey driven by market forces, organisation and working people. Continuously improving your approach helps a lot to move faster than your competitors.

Remember, you’re not just hiring employees-you’re building a team that gives thrust to your organisation towards success.

Friquently Asked Questions