For those in search of employment, the job application process can become second nature. Certainly, according to a recent article by Indeed (1), applicants are focusing less on dedicated 'job seeking' time, and more on a constant readiness to apply throughout the day, as new opportunities arise.

The prevalence of online job boards and increasingly capable mobile devices is making this choice much more convenient, and the resultant influx of applications leaves employers and recruiters having to adjust their candidate criteria.

Of course, the potential of the mobile candidate to bring an influx of ‘copy-paste’ CVs is no cause to blanket dismiss all mobile applications. Though it is the applicant that retains ultimate responsibility for the quality and relevance of their documentation, it is up to employers and recruiters to accommodate the modern candidate’s changing needs – encouraging an application process that is both relevant and mobile-friendly.

40% of job seekers are now applying to positions while on the move, and of those that aren’t, close to 70% claim that they would, were certain technological barriers removed. So what causes these barriers, and how might they be dismantled in a way that benefits both the applicant and the recruiter?

ENCOURAGING CHANGE

Savvy candidates are aware of the importance of avoiding a ‘one application fits all’ approach. However, despite mobiles and tablets being on the verge of outselling PCs,(2) most recruiters and job boards have failed to optimise their mobile services for edit-ready document storage. Sites like CareerBuilder, Monster and Dropbox tackle this issue with mobile apps that allow for multiple documents to be stored simultaneously. Still, this method generally leaves users having to maintain an unruly catalogue of past CVs – documents which are themselves becoming increasingly insufficient in making up a full profile.

As Paramount Team Leader Jade Page notes: ‘It is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd and showcase your true character. CVs will always be a significant feature of the recruitment process, but they are also losing ground to things like social networking, online profiles and meetings in person. These methods often prove better at demonstrating qualities such as personality, ambition and determination.’

Jade’s words hold true in the current climate, but it nonetheless remains reckless to herald the overnight end of the traditional application. No two employers are the same, and most still appreciate the concise information offered by a CV. As such, adding an addendum to ‘see LinkedIn’ at the end of a CV or Cover Letter has thus far proved the best compromise for those wanting to demonstrate a more topical kind of profile. By making regular use of the LinkedIn app, the user can display their most up-to-date insight and referrals in the hopes that they will be picked up by the relevant employer.

Paramount Recruitment is hoping to replace this process with something that is both easier and more effective. We appreciate that the best applications show a candidate’s constant, demonstrable interaction with their areas of interest – something that rings particularly true in scientific and pharmaceutical recruitment, where passion toward specific subjects must truly be allowed to shine. We are thus aiming to nurture this mindset with our new site, which will include a more streamlined, mobile-optimised form of integration with LinkedIn.

Our future candidates will effectively be able to combine their CV and LinkedIn information into a dedicated, mobile-optimised Paramount profile, readily available for both them and their consultant, wherever they are. Full use of these profiles will depend on employers accepting alternatives to plain CVs, but we also hope for them to act as a means to garner interest – to show off the kind of capability that will get a candidate that all important first phone call or email.

By making the process more streamlined in this manner, Paramount hopes to lead the way in tailor-made applications that are sufficiently dynamic for the modern, mobile job market.  We would like to hear your opinions, however. Would profile-based applications tempt you in to mobile job seeking? What would they require to work appropriately, and do you think that they could render the CV redundant?

If you are a candidate interested in our services, please feel free to contact us here. If you would like to learn more about Paramount Recruitment, including our new developments, please see here.

(1) Indeed, Survey on Mobile Job Search in the US: September 2014. Available Online at http://3mkm08kox71vtynw1b1wbtpab.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/US-Mobile-Survey-Report-FINAL.pdf. Accessed 22/09/15.

(2) Matt Petronzio, Mashable UK: Tablets Expected to Outsell PCs by 2015. Available Online at http://mashable.com/2014/03/07/tablet-pc-chart/#dA4dOjGLZqks. Accessed 22/09/15.