Attracting the most suitable candidates is a harrowing task for the human resource management division of even the best companies. In such a scenario, mobile phones and recruitment offer synergies that can get quicker and better results at a lower cost than traditional techniques. Mobile HR or mobile recruitment is also being used as an important tool to build the brand value of the company.

Understanding Mobile Recruitment

According to UN data, mobile phone subscribers across the globe would jump to five billion by 2010. In 2009, there were 4.6 billion active mobile subscribers, as compared to 1.2 billion PC users and 1.3 billion landline users. Not only are the subscriber numbers high, but also that mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily lives. This is because, with the latest technological developments, mobile phones have become lighter, more efficient and much more convenient. As a result, mobile phones have come to play a significant role in branding and marketing. Recruiting the right candidate requires similar endeavours.

Mobile recruiting is the process of connecting and communicating with candidates for the purpose of hiring them, using mobile phones. Mobile recruiting may involve text messaging ( http://www.cellphones.about.com/od/phoneglossary/g/smstextmessage.htm : SMS ), video messaging (MMS), WAP and various applications for mobile phones.

Why HR Managers Love Mobile Recruitment

Mobile recruitment is gaining in popularity due to the advantages it offers. Among these are:

– Low Cost: Sending messages is far more cost effective than advertising via traditional media, like newspapers, magazines or the television. One can also explore the options available for free messaging.

– Faster Communication: Mobile messages can be sent in a matter of seconds. Moreover, a person tends to check his/her mobile phone messages more often than emails. People may not check their emails on weekends and while on the move. However, they typically check mobile phone messages almost instantly. Mobile recruitment can connect with people anywhere and at anytime.

– Higher Response Rate: Mobile phone messages appear more personalised. Therefore, responses to such messages are higher than to advertisements using traditional media. Moreover, if a person has internet access on the mobile phone, he/she can immediately send the resume, even while at work.

– No Restrictions: Mobile recruitment operates outside corporate firewalls and access restrictions.

Studies show that more than 90% of mobile phone users keep their phones within arm’s reach through the day or night. Thus, mobile recruitment allows companies to connect with candidates more effectively and enjoy a higher success rate.

Why Jobseekers Love Mobile Recruitment

Jobseekers enjoy the following advantages of mobile recruitment:

– Privacy: The mobile phone, being a personal device, tends to remain in the hands of the user. This enables jobseekers to respond to job alerts without the danger of colleagues getting to know about it.

– Convenience: With mobile recruitment, jobseekers do not need to ‘hunt’ for jobs. They receive messages that are suitable for their profile. They can ask initial questions and get a fair idea of the company and of the roles and responsibilities without investing too much time.

Mobile Recruitment via SMS

SMS or text messaging is the most commonly used data application in the world. While less than 1.5 billion people worldwide use emails, there are 3.5 billion users of SMS. Thus, it may prove to be the best way to reach out to a larger number of candidates. SMS is probably the simplest way to communicate the vacancy and job description. This is also the cheapest solution and one with the highest response rate.

However, SMS alone is not the solution and a complete strategy needs to evolve around mobile HR. New options are made available every few months. So, it is crucial for the http://www.kenexa.com/ : Human Resources Management team to remain abreast of the latest developments. The most effective solutions can be devised if HR managers work closely with mobile recruitment software developers.

Author Bio: Andrea Watkins writes articles for Kenexa, a provider of Human Resources Management software and solutions. With Mobile HR , recruiters, hiring managers and job seekers can connect anywhere, and Mobile Recruitment lets you extend offers to candidates on-the-go.

Category: Business Management
Keywords: human resources management, mobile hr, mobile recruitment