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How to Capture the Attention of Life Science Candidates

Written by: Lucy Walters
Published on: 29 Mar 2022

How to Capture Candidates AttentionWith competition for the best Life Science talent still extremely tough, being able to capture and keep the attention of jobseekers is key. In this article, we outline 8 things you can do to achieve this, from using the correct language in your job adverts to how you can use a job board to improve the overall candidate experience…

Answer ‘What’s in it for me?’

Jobseekers aren’t looking for the job advert with the longest list of responsibilities and expectations – they’re looking for adverts that tell them what they could gain from applying. Regardless of where and how you’re advertising your roles, answering this question should be your main focus.

Use the Right Language

The first challenge in capturing a candidate’s attention is being found in the first place. Your job adverts, social media posts and the text on your careers page must contain the keywords that your target candidates are searching. The copy you use should also:

  • Contain full job titles as well as abbreviations.
  • Be free from bias and sexual, racial, age and disability discrimination.
  • Be thoroughly checked for spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Be snappy and succinct – don’t include every detail about the job everywhere you share it.
  • Not contain so much industry/internal jargon that the information is difficult to digest.

Read our recent article on 13 ways to improve Life Science job adverts for more tips.

Improve Your Website

When candidates click on your website to find out more about you and to browse your roles, you only have seconds to engage them. If your website isn’t user friendly from a jobseeker perspective, you won’t capture their attention.

Ask someone who isn’t familiar with your website to look at it through fresh eyes, and get them to answer the following:

  • Did the website load quickly?
  • Is the website easy to navigate?
  • How easy was it to learn what the organisation does? Did they have a clear ‘About’ section?
  • Was the careers section easy to find, or was it hidden away?
  • Was the homepage visually engaging?
  • What impressions did the website give you?
  • How easy was the ‘Contact’ section to find?

Even if you’ve got a separate careers portal, 64% of candidates will research a company online before applying for a job, and your website is probably the first place they’ll look.

Improve Your Careers Page

If you’re having trouble engaging candidates, take a look at the functionality of your careers page/portal. Look at the following:

  • How easy is it for candidates to search for jobs? Can they set up saved searches and job alerts?
  • Can candidates easily manage and check the progress of their applications?
  • What resources have you provided to help candidates?
  • Have you given candidates an insight into your company culture, highlighting things such as career progression, learning and development, corporate responsibility, and your mission and values?
  • How long is the application process? Are candidates being asked for too much information unnecessarily?
  • Are the application questions clear?

If jobseekers can see that your portal is user friendly and that your application process is easy to follow, you’ll be much more likely to hold their attention.

Ensure Your Careers Page is Mobile Friendly

According to a 2020 report by Appcast, mobile job applications surpassed desktop applications for the first time ever in 2020, with 60.7% of job applications completed on mobile compared to 39.3% on desktop.

Part of capturing candidates’ attention is being where they are, so use data on browsing habits to improve their user experience. To optimise your site for mobile, do the following:

  • Use a responsive design that adjusts your website based on the device used.
  • Reduce the amount of information displayed in one space to help users find information faster.
  • Add subtitles to your videos to allow users to watch them in public.
  • Don’t make it a requirement for mobile users to upload their CV, and instead ask for this to be uploaded later using an automated email.
  • Reduce the number of questions on the application form and ensure there is sufficient space to enter answers.

Allowing candidates to apply for your jobs on the go and in their own time will ultimately increase their engagement with your jobs, as once they’ve had a positive experience on mobile, they’ll be more likely to continue their research on other devices.

Create Engaging Content

Creating engaging content is essential when attracting both passive and active talent. It’s about more than just sharing information about your company. Instead focus on sharing content that’s going to be of interest to your target audience. For example, as a Life Science job board, PharmiWeb has its own dedicated blog for Life Science recruiters containing articles solving common recruitment challenges as well as information about our services. We also share industry news, events and careers advice to attract both active and passive jobseekers to our job board.

Highlight Your Company Culture

To engage candidates, show them exactly what they’d be missing out on if they don’t apply for one of your jobs. Highlight your company culture on your careers site and across your social media channels, with quality content showing things such as awards and accomplishments, company socials, employee milestones and achievements, and more. Your company culture is what really sets you apart from your competitors, so make it shine.

Involve Your Employees

66% of candidates want to hear more from employees. They want to know exactly what a career with you could look like, and who better to tell them than the people who already work for you? Encourage employees to share their stories on social media, or on a company blog with ‘day in the life’ style entries.

These blogs are a great way to stand out from your competition. Even if you’re hiring the same role on paper as your competitors, what that role looks like will vary greatly from company to company. Showing what it’s really like to work for you will also help you to attract like-minded professionals who may be more likely to complement your company culture, so it’s a double win.

Use a Job Board

Using a job board such as PharmiWeb.Jobs can greatly improve the candidate experience. On PharmiWeb, candidates can:

  • Set up saved searches, job alerts and easily manage applications
  • Browse company information on our employer branded careers hubs
  • Search for jobs on the go using our free mobile apps
  • Learn from our free resources containing tips on applying for jobs within the Life Sciences
  • Stay up to date with the latest industry news and developments

Our job board is also powered by Madgex – one of the most well-established job board platforms on the market, ensuring an excellent user experience for candidates and keeping them engaged in the recruitment process.

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Visit PharmiWeb’s Recruiter Blog for more tips on Life Science recruitment, or take a look at our Recruiter Services Information Page to learn more about our range of talent acquisition solutions.