Applying online – what do jobseekers think?

Over 1300 students and graduates were questioned on their experiences of online applications, for the GTI Online Recruitment Student User Survey 2009. The results highlight that systems are now generally recognised as the mainstream way of making an application and that applicants are skilled in their use.

The feedback suggests that there is still variable quality in the systems used. There is also conflict between employers insisting on open-ended questions and applicants who cannot see the point of such questions and are not prepared to spend time on them. The issue on which there is no dispute, however, is that any system must have clear objectives, be technically efficient, properly tested, and fair and welcoming to all prospective applicants.

Survey results

The majority of comments were positive. When asked what they liked, students mentioned speed, convenience/cost-effectiveness, fairness and presentation:

ï ëIt is faster, cheaper and easier to apply online than by mailí
ï ëIt is easier to amend onlineí
ï ëYou can do the application any time of dayí
ï ëA standardised application process is the fairest way to assess candidatesí

57% said that what they appreciated most was to being able to save and return to the form. The ability to complete sections in any order was also highly valued.

When there were objections they related to the length of the form, its complexity and sections where the candidate didnít have relevant experience: ëIt wastes time – emailing a CV and a covering letter is faster and I donít need to re-submit the information in a different form.í The speed of the system and finding the web link in the first place were also mentioned as stumbling blocks.

Best and worse

Users were asked to name the best and worse systems. Those consistently rated highly were:

Allen & Overy
Barclays
Boots
Civil Service
Deloitte (most mentioned)
Ernst & Young
IBM
KPMG
Lloyds TSB
Marks & Spencer
NHS (in various guises)
Procter & Gamble
PwC
RBS
Sainsburys

Why were their systems rated so highly?

ï ëIt was very easy to find under the graduate sectioní
ï ëGood navigation with clear questionsí
ï ëíApply Now buttoní
ï ëOne system for all job applicantsí

Many organisations received accolades such as ëbrilliantí, ëit all workedí, ëa friendly and welcoming siteí. Regrettably, other responses show how a bad site can cause irritation and alienation:

ï ëI had to phone to ask where to go to apply as it wasnít clear at all onlineí
ï ëThe site was not maintained wellí
ï ëThe submit button was placed off-screen and you had to scroll to find ití
ï ëThe internships were not easily distinguishable from the graduate jobsí
ï ëI had to find the vacancies, then search through all of them to see which one I was eligible forí

Candidates gave suggestions for system developments:

ï Alignment with new technologies, for example so more browsers are supported and documents can be loaded in a wider variety of formats
ï Standardise testing
ï Include a spell checker
ï Allow users to see all the questions at the outset
ï Live help via an instant messaging system
ï Ability to upload a CV and have the system parse it for relevant information
ï Space for a personal statement
ï Tracking of applications with confirmation of progress.

Processing of applications

66% said theyíd submitted applications that were acknowledged immediately, while at the other end of the spectrum, a startling 12% had submitted applications where theyíd received no acknowledgement at all. When waiting for news of rejection or the next stage, 12% had experience of an immediate next step while over 40% of people had experienced waits of more than two weeks.

Recommendations

Based on this research we give the following advice:
ï Test the system thoroughly before launch
ï Keep it simple
ï Make sure it can be completed in a reasonable length of time
ï Think carefully about all the issues that really annoy users – arbitrary word limits, not enough space, illogical processes
ï Ensure that users can save and return to the system
ï Allow for exceptions (mature applicants, postgraduates, those with different educational backgrounds, etc)
ï If recruiting internationally, ensure the system is not country/culture specific
ï Respond promptly and sensitively to submitted forms. If there was one complaint was most notable in the responses we received, then this was it
ï If possible, give details of the application process and how long it takes to typically go through each stage
ï Make the web link to the system easy to find.

If youíd like a copy of the full survey results or a demonstration of our applicant tracking system, please contact mark.tims@gtisolutions.co.uk.

Key facts about the survey

1368 students and graduates were surveyed in May 2009. They all had experience of using online application systems. The questionnaire was online and comprised seven pages of quick-to-answer questions. 677 completed the survey in full (55%) while 1027 provided partial responses.