Calling all frustrated job seekers: make your voice heard

Isn’t it great that today we can find employers from across the world online? Our parents would have had to scour the newspapers and ask everyone they knew and still found only a fraction of the opportunities available. If you are like many job seekers, however, all this information doesn’t make the the job application process any less frustrating.

One company is dedicated to hearing your complaints and calling for change. Potentialpark conducts an annual global survey that aims to make it easier for job seekers to interact with companies, find career information and apply to the right jobs. Their survey recently opened in the U.S., and you can participate here. (Bonus for participating: you can win prizes!)

Potentialpark goes through thousands of career websites, job ads, online applications, and social media channels. They check what they find against the survey results. Finally, they make a powerful case to employers to make things clearer and more accessible for their applicants. 

One of the most common complaints is with the online application. About 45% of American students abandon an application mid-way. Sometimes there is too little information so candidates begin without knowing all the materials they would need to complete the steps. Sometimes it is simply too long or badly formatted.

Sometimes the problem is that candidates can’t find information which tells them how they might fit in, or what sort of person the company is looking for. Sometimes, it can even be a challenge to understand where and how you can actually apply for a job at all.

“If the design of the website is not creative or nice looking, I change my mind to apply because in my opinion, in today’s world, the website plays a very crucial role in business and if they don’t pay attention to it, they might not be innovative. “ –Participant of Online Talent Communication Study

Many companies are aware of the problems and some have even hired someone in charge of “making candidates happy”. Most of the Fortune 500 companies have employees with titles such as HR Marketing Manager or Employer Branding Strategist who drive change. Other companies simply cannot adapt that quickly. It takes time to update their systems. Potentialpark believes there is no reason why candidates shouldn’t have at least as good information from the company as its shareholders receive.

They say many employers are listening. Some of the changes they’re noticed are:

• Many companies have mobile-friendly sites and even let you apply via your smartphone.
• Some have chosen to solve the problem of overly long applications by letting you apply using your LinkedIn profile.
• Some are improving the way they explain themselves and the roles.

Potentialpark is currently seeking survey participants. It is anonymous and takes about 10 minutes.

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