The millennial generation kids are already working or will soon step into the job market. It is expected that they will be 46% of the total American workforce by 2020. Their online habits are way different from their predecessors’. These millennials hardly sit before their computer to look for a job. Instead, they are more glued to their smartphones. They like to consult a job-search app from their phones on the go. In order to attract these young job-seekers, are the employers ready to make their career page mobile-friendly?

photo credit: Patrick Hoesly via photopin cc

Until now, while most of the firms have shifted their e-commerce platform or marketing functions to the small screens, the job application process is strictly restricted to the desktop web realm. But, as the Americans spend more time on their Smartphone and Tablet apps instead of accessing the internet from desktop computers, firms have to concentrate on mobile optimized job application process. Applying for jobs online through mobile devices will soon become the norm.

Gone are the days when you need to apply for a position sending an application via post or visiting a workplace to submit it. Soon the idea of applying for a job from a desktop computer will also be outdated. Job applicants are more interested to access jobs and apply for them from mobile websites because it is simple and convenient. Moreover, these sites can be accessed anytime from anywhere. According to the Vice president of Technomedia Talent Management, Rayanne Thorn, “with over 7 billion mobile devices out there, applying via mobile should be an obvious standard.” If your job page is not optimized for the mobile generations, it is likely that the company will miss the quality talents.

How will the change affect the life of job seekers?

Technological innovations change the long accepted ways of things, but the change is not bad for job seekers. In fact, candidates are in a more advantageous position. The aim of designing a mobile friendly career website is to encourage candidates to apply for a listed job as soon as they see it. Previously, if they discover a lucrative job opportunity from their mobile phone, they bookmarked it, so that they can get back to the site from a desktop computer.

Applying for a job through mobile

The research report of Kelton Global Company reveals that 4 out of 5 surveyed smartphone users search their jobs on Android, iPhone, Blackberry or Windows phones. If the company accepts mobile applications, their recruitment process can be invariably faster.

100% mobile job platform

Marriott International has launched a website that will enable job seekers to apply for a position via their mobile phones. If a career website is mobile optimized, you can expect:

• The information that you save with the website will be retained; there is no need to re-enter the same information every time you search for a new job.
• Only jobs matching your requirements will be displayed.
• You can use a resume already saved in the website’s  database.

What is the role of candidates?

There are certain norms that job seekers should follow to ease their job application process through a mobile phone.

Candidates have to do some planning before applying for a position from their mobile devices. They have to store their resume online or on the cloud for easy access. It is a good idea to create a resume on a site such as LinkedIn. Job seekers should also keep their social media profiles updated. If the applicant tracking system is advanced enough, it can fetch data from job seekers’ profiles on Google+, Facebook or LinkedIn. Therefore, it is crucial that your social profiles look professional and have accurate information.