Here is a brief write-up from their interview with Michael Marlatt and participants of mRec2011:

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Here is an indication of how much things have changed in the last few years. There are more cellphones in the world than computers and televisions put together and some companies are betting that you’ll use your smartphone to look for your next job.

“The three things that you walk away with in the morning when you step out of your house — your keys, your wallet and your mobile device” -Michael Marlatt

iPhones, iPads and Blackberries aren’t just about playing “Angry Birds” anymore. They’re quickly becoming the major way we get information.

“There are really three screens. There’s the TV of which there are two billion of those worldwide, there’s the PC, of which there are one billion, then there’s the third screen, the cellphone. There are more than five billion cellphones globally,” said Chuck Martin, a mobile technology author.

“The Third Screen” is the title of Martin’s new book, urging businesses to embrace the cellphone, reaching out with mobile apps and web sites — not just to customers, but also to job seekers.

“Some of these employers that want to be leading edge, bleeding edge, and looking at how do we stay connected with the folks when they’re on the go?” -Michael Marlatt

Marlatt heard that question so many times, he put together a conference about it. Though record numbers of Americans are looking for work, companies report that finding the right candidate is even harder than before, especially if they already have a job.

Read Original ABC 7 News Coverage Here

Times have clearly changed and so should our recruitment strategies. Today’s professionals have evolved and are on the go. We have become a society obsessed with staying connected, both while we work and while we play.  A 2010 Mobile Workforce study from iPass revealed that over 94% reported that they stayed connected either always or occasionally during vacation. In addition, iPass also discovered that over 96% of mobile employees carried two or more mobile devices, with almost 50% carrying three or more devices. Society’s addictiveness to mobile technology, pervasiveness and sheer dominance gives it a pivotal position as a next generation talent attraction and engagement channel.

According to the CTIA, there were over 302M U.S. wireless subscriber connections as of December 2010. With U.S. wireless penetration now over 96%, employers clearly have a unique opportunity to leverage this vastly untapped recruitment channel. For job seekers, the mobile device serves as an ideal channel for remaining discreet while actively (or passively) exploring the latest career opportunities. Whether a job seeker joins an SMS campaign, views a position on a mobile career site, or responds to a position through a job app, the convenience of exploring new jobs anytime, anywhere, offers an advantage.

Mobile is the one communication and marketing channel employers have been very slow to adopt. However, forward-thinking corporations are finally beginning to recognize that they must innovate in order to effectively compete for the best possible talent. Extensive research from organizations such as Nielsen, iPass, Comscore, Pew Internet, etc., all point to the pervasiveness of mobile. There is no doubt that mobile has the greatest worldwide reach of all mass mediums. It is time we move beyond the question of whether mobile recruiting makes sense. As employers, our focus should now turn to how we create meaningful content for attracting and engaging our target audience. Mobile as a standalone solution is not the answer.  However, by integrating mobile as part of our overall digital recruitment strategy, we are setting the stage for engaging the new workforce in the way they want to be reached.

This post also appears on TalentMinded’s blog. View it here

Speakers from companies like Microsoft, Facebook and Research in Motion agree to speak at the first cutting edge mRecruitingcamp conference.

It’s crucial in this economy to find the best talent available, and to do that you need to take full advantage of the best, most innovative techniques that technology has to offer, but what’s the best way to effectively find and attract talent in today’s world? Those at the vanguard of the human resources industry in the business community have developed and are currently developing highly effective recruiting methods in the field of mobile recruiting. Now, on September 30th, 2011, an esteemed gathering of extraordinary, innovative leaders in the field of recruiting, from companies as large and successful as Microsoft and Facebook, are getting together for a collective, informative think tank to discuss mobile recruiting technology in San Francisco, CA at the inaugural mRecruitingcamp. These noted industry leaders will discuss many of the astounding recruitment opportunities that mobile technology offers today.

View Press Release on PRWeb

Enjoy!

Question about my mobile recruiting slideshow? Use the contact form or set up an appointment to chat live.

Margo’s question:

“What was the single most important take away for the #SHRM conference where you were presenting on April 26th?”

The single most important take away?  Wow, now that’s a tough one.  Margo’s question is very timely and deserves more than a simple one word response. With 91% of Americans now mobile subscribers, there’s no better time to discuss how mobile plays into HR & recruiting.

Here are FIVE TIPS for any employer considering a “mobile recruitment” solution:

Tip #1: Think Strategy before Tactics.

While we can agree having the right technology is important, an organization should first ask the all too familiar question:  What keeps you up at night?  Understanding the key “pain points” in your recruitment efforts is critical.  Next, ask WHAT do you hope to accomplish by deploying a mobile solution?  Will it help by filling a particular gap in your recruitment efforts?  As much as I like to talk about mobile, the reality is that maybe mobile is not the right solution for what you are trying to accomplish.  Clarifying the basics needs up front and having a clear goal will ultimately determine a number of other “tactical” considerations.  Avoid a cookie-cutter approach.  Like any other mass marketing effort, develop a customized solution that is in line with the needs of your organization and target audience.

Tip #2: Selecting a Mobile Platform/Provider.

Once a clear strategy & objective has been determined, it will be much easier to proceed with selecting the “right” mobile provider.  When selecting a provider to host your mobile recruitment campaign, you should take time to consider whether they offer the level of service you need in order to properly execute your desired campaign.  For example, let’s say you’re interested in deploying an SMS (text-message) campaign and also need a mobile web presence.  Your initial goal may be focused on building a network of prospect talent via the mobile channel that your company can later engage. Your company might be interested in sending SMS/text-messages related to employment surveys, job alerts, career event info, or other company related updates, etc.  To do this, you will clearly want to identify an organization with a proven track record of delivering SMS solutions. The good news is that there are many providers out there that offer SMS services with flexible two-way text-messaging capabilities.  In addition, many of these companies are typically able to help create a mobile optimized web site, which (in my opinion) is a must have for any employer.

Clearly, determining the tactical part will be much easier if you first understand what you want and hope to accomplish. Avoid the temptation of trying to run before you walk. For now, stay away from trying to integrate trendy technologies such as QR codes, Bluecasting, GPS, etc. While I fully expect providers of such services to disagree with me, my advice is keep it simple and consider your broader audience. When building your talent network, you don’t want to inadvertently isolate your audience based on the technology you select. Start with the end in mind before spending countless hours trying to figure out which is the “sexiest” mobile technology to deploy, or who is the best provider to manage your campaign.

Tip # 3. Develop a Mobile Web Presence

Creating a mobile web presence is important.  Based on your “call to action” (i.e., what you are asking your audience to do during your mobile campaign) – you will ideally want to redirect users to a final landing page.  That landing page could be a mobile version of a company’s site (or a mobile app) that might include a brief “how to engage us” form, a specific job to view, a “click to call” number, or other relevant information a company wishes to display.  While this may sound a bit complicated, just remember, you do not (and should not) have to go it alone.  Keep in mind, there are companies that can help you build and launch your SMS campaign.  Some companies, such as Jobing, are equipped to create a fully functional mobile web version of your career portal.  If you prefer the mobile app route, you should consider AllTheTopBannanas (a company founded by Dave Martin).  Dave’s company is based out of the UK and has a strong track record of rapidly building out “a fully branded iPhone application for your business“.  In addition, they are scheduled to be on Android by the end of May then Blackberry by the end of June.  Definitely keep your eye on this company as you will likely hear more of them soon.

Tip #4: Time, Place, & Relevancy

My friend Mike Galyen said it best:  Time, Place, Relevancy is key with mobile.  And, you know what? He is spot on.  I could write an entire blog on this topic alone; however, suffice to say it’s important that we keep the audience in mind when developing a mobile  campaign.  If we fail to deliver information to our target audience with the proper context of time, place, and relevancy in mind, we will not likely see the level of return (or engagement) we expect.  Why is that?  Well, if you are running a mobile campaign targeted at attracting sales professionals, you clearly would not want to send text-alerts related to software development, project management jobs, etc. Keep it relevant and you’ll keep them engaged.

Oh, and remember this…

There are no short-cuts in mobile marketing. Everybody starts at ground zero when building a mobile network.  With mobile marketing, the success can often be attributed to the fact that it is 100% permission-based.  Mobile phone spam is illegal. Shally Steckerl (at Arbita), produced a very easy to understand post for recruiters on the topic of SMS-spam. There are strict regulations that govern the practice of mobile marketing and the fines for sending commercial text spam are often very severe. A single violation can potentially set you back $11K! So what’s the point? There are no quick fixes or short-cuts when deploying an SMS campaign. It requires planning, patience, and hard work. We all start from scratch and build our mobile network one “opt-in” at a time. If a prospect candidate is opting into your mobile “talent” network it’s because they want to engage with your organization.  We all know that the mobile is a personal device so it’s important we don’t abuse this channel.  Candidates want to engage with your organization and are waiting for you to communicate with them. By keeping the delivery of your content relevant, you are far more likely to engage the candidates successfully and retain their interest long-term.

Tip #5: Remember to Integrate

Mix it up!  Although mobile SMS is the most widely used DATA application on the planet, mobile as a standalone solution will not work. Consider fully integrating your mobile campaign across a wide variety of media channels (e.g., print, radio, tv, internet, etc).

Need real examples?

American Idol

Back in 2005, American Idol gave viewers the option to SMS (text) in their vote when selecting a favorite singer.  Amazingly, 41.5 million responded to this “call-to-action” and voted via SMS.  In 2006, the number of votes via text-messaging totaled 120 million.  The integration of SMS (text-messaging) with live TV was a success and certainly a history-making event.  They nailed the time, place, and relevancy concepts – hence the amazing results.

Obama Campaign

The Obama camp experienced great success in their use of SMS to communicate and engage their opt-in followers.  This was especially evident when Obama announced his VP selection via SMS. An estimated 2.9 million text messages were sent, which is the single largest mobile marketing event in history.

Although both examples above are above the norm, you don’t need to have a large budget to advertise your mobile campaign.  Think viral.  Start by advertising across the standard online channels such as a company careers site, a Linkedin page or group, a Facebook fan page, your company Twitter site or Youtube channel, podcast, etc.  Of course, don’t forget to rally the recruiting team and educate them on the mobile campaign.  Each Recruiter can also serve as an ambassador by advertising the mobile campaign on their signature, Linkedin/Facebook profile, personal tweets, etc.  If you are attending a professional conference as a speaker, make sure to add your SMS campaign to your presentation signature (front or last page).  Include the URL to your mobile site, or point them to where they can download your company’s mobile (careers) app.  Bottom line, advertise and promote wherever possible.  The idea here is to be creative and don’t allow budget to be a constraint.

Final thoughts…

I realize this is way more detail than Margo had requested; however, I provided the deep-dive to help others who did not have an opportunity to review “Recruiting on the Run” or sit in on the SHRM-Mobile Recruiting presentation.  There’s so much more that could be said on each of the topics presented above.  However, I hope the high level provides a starting point for those who are considering a mobile option as a compliment to their recruitment efforts.

Let’s face it, our mobile device is with us 24×7, always within arms reach, and rarely ever shared. Regardless of what device you favor, one thing is certain:  the mobile device connects us all and is the one piece of technology that we never seem to be without.  With all the buzz around mobile apps, it’s important we don’t forget one of the most basic (yet powerful functions) of the mobile device – SMS (text-messaging).

Let’s first define SMS (text messaging)…

According to the CTIA:

SMS (Short Message Service) is a text-only message delivery system on mobile phone networks. As a compliment to voice calls, text messages travel through the wireless service provider’s network, routed and delivered much like a voice call. The messaging server for SMS or text messaging routes all messages to the appropriate mobile phone or application based on the number in the destination address.

SMS:  Some amazing SMS stats…

- On July 23rd 2010, SMS will celebrate its 18th birthday.

- SMS (text message) user base in 2009:  3.6 Billion

- By the end of 2010, it is estimated that we will finally reach 4B active users of SMS text messaging.

- Worldwide, 4.5 Trillion SMS text messages were sent in 2009.

- SMS usage is expected to grow by 22% in 2010, to – 5.5 Trillion total SMS text messages sent globally.

- The big driver in the SMS traffic now is North America, as Americans finally joined the SMS texting bandwagon along with the rest of the world.

- 94% read rate for SMS (75% read immediately), 15-20% response rate vs 1% for traditional media

And, did you know…

-4.6 Billion actual mobile phones are expected to be in use by the end of 2010

-60 countries have already reached 100% mobile phone penetration rates (incl. Brazil, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Turkey)

- Italy, Israel, Hong Kong, Russia etc are all at 150% mobile phone penetration

- Europe has surpassed 125% mobile phone penetration rate

- Worldwide email user base: 1.4 Billion

- Worldwide Internet user base: 1.7 Billion  (including those who access at internet cafe’s and those who use the internet on their mobile phones).

- Worldwide PC user base: 1.2 Billion

Stat Source: Tomi Ahonen, Communities-Dominate

So what’s the point?

With the amazing apps being produced for the Android, and iPhone, it’s very easy to be enamored by all the slick new mobile applications flooding the market.  However, let’s not forgot that SMS is still the most widely used DATA application on the planet and an extremely powerful channel for connecting and engaging our target audience.  While many mobile users may not yet have a smart phone, or even mobile internet access, virtually every mobile device has SMS (text-messaging) capability.  If you are a company planning on integrating mobile as part your overall interactive marketing strategy (and have a limited budget/resources), consider creating an SMS campaign and tie that into your mobile web site.  Most importantly, remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.

As a side note, on April 26th, I will be co-presenting at SHRM in Orlando-FL to further elaborate on this topic (along with my good friend Chris Hoyt-AKA @TheRecruiterGuy).  If you have plans to attend SHRM this month, please make sure to look me up and say hello.



If not, you should take a closer look at Lori’s profile because she’s helping to drive some cool innovation in the mobile recruiting space. In case you were unaware, Lori is the creative mind behind AutoSearch, a desktop and mobile app that was specifically designed to enable recruiting professionals to easily source for new talent online.

Lori’s Story…

I had the opportunity to speak with Lori directly. I was particularly interested in asking what inspired her to create the AutoSearch mobile application. Like many of us, Lori took a class on internet recruiting to become better acquainted with how to create and leverage Boolean searches for prospecting new talent online. What Lori very quickly realized was that she was spending more time and energy constructing search strings than actually connecting with candidates. She was convinced that there was a better way. She wanted to make the process of searching for prospect candidates less complicated. The result: AutoSearch for the iPhone.

Key features of the AutoSearch iPhone app:

» Click here to expand image view.

AutoSearch offers users a very simple platform for conducting recruiting (sourcing) searches via the mobile device. Here’s how it works:

» Step 1: AutoSearch landing page.

» Step 2: Users are prompted to enter their primary key search terms and location preference. (Note: At the moment, there is no save search feature. I believe creating one would certainly help with addressing a valid OFCCP concern of searching for candidates while using a mobile device. While the save feature is not available on the AutoSearch app today, my understanding is that they are planning on incorporating this function into a future release.) Refer to screen-shot in step 2.

» Step 3: AutoSearch is pre-configured to run your search query against multiple sites including Yahoo’s search engine, Linkedin, Twitter, Zoominfo, and Jobster. (Note: AutoSearch uses Yahoo exclusively and does not currently run any searches across Bing or Google.) Refer to screen-shot in step 3.

» Step 4: The search results are rendered in a consolidated format, making it easier for the user to scan the results. Refer to screen-shot in step 4.

I have used the iPhone AutoSearch app on several occasions and have found it to be very intuitive and easy to use. AutoSearch delivers what it promises and makes mobile recruiting simple. You don’t need to be a “Boolean Expert” to obtain your desired search results. However, to get the best results, it is helpful to include all your critical keywords when entering the details in the search field. This will help reduce the amount of search “noise” you get back in the final results. Keep in mind, the app is still in its early phase so expect that it will continue to evolve and get better as more people use it.

AutoSearch is currently selling for $4.99. You can download a copy by visiting the iTunes store. If you want to learn more, or want to stay current with what’s new, you can follow AutoSearch on Twitter or become an AutoSearch fan on Facebook.

Finally, here’s a video that demonstrates what AutoSearch has to offer…

(*Disclaimer: The views expressed on this post are solely mine. I was not paid to endorse this product.)

In Japan, a new generation of job-seekers are using a company called Otetsudai Networks to secure part-time work. While contract staffing is nothing new in the U.S., Otetsudai has come up with an interesting solution to hiring temporary resources. Otetsudai Networks is a geolocation mobile service that matches part-time employees with potential employers.

How does the geolocation service help Job-seekers?

Job-seekers subscribe to the service by completing a mini-C.V. detailing their core skills and expertise. The job-seeker have the option of getting job updates by taking a “GPS reading” on their phone. The candidate’s information is added to the pool of available candidates shown to prospective employers. Once a new opportunity becomes available, the job-seeker is immediately notified on their mobile device of potential employment opportunities within their proximity.

How does Otetsudai’s service help employers?

The service particularly caters to businesses seeking to hire immediate resources with specific skills. Once an employer signs up for the service, they can send requests for immediate help to the Otetsudai Network. Whether the employer is seeking someone for an hour, or all day, Otetsudai sends a list of available prospect candidates within the employer’s immediate proximity. The list shows each candidate’s qualifications, how other employers have rated their work and exactly how far away they are. Employers seeking immediate help will typically receive a list of half a dozen or more people within a few minutes.

As location-based services (LBS) increase in popularity, it’s not hard to envision a day when U.S. companies begin leveraging this technology as a method for staffing its temporary workforce. Although still in its infancy, Layar offers an augmented reality app that provides job-seekers a way to identify new opportunities by scanning what’s around you. It’s simply a matter of time before we see U.S. companies adopting the Otetsudai model of leveraging geolocation to help mobilize a ready-made talent pool.

Does this still sound too good to be true? Watch the video below…

Expect more AR apps for mobile devices in the future.

Editoras Online, have you heard of them?  If not, don’t worry – you are not the alone. Editoras is the Brazilian equivalent of Amazon.com and they recently launched an ad campaign to promote their online store. Ordinarily, you would write them off as yet another average online business trying to go mobile. However, take a closer look and I think you will agree that their ad-campaign was quite clever. Let’s examine why…

What was special about Editoras Online’s ad-campaign?

As part of their “guerrilla” marketing strategy, they incorporated the use of 4,000 QR code stickers posted throughout São Paulo.  Mobile participants quickly discovered that each QR code redirected them to select Twitter messages.  Each message related to either love or hate and refreshed every seven days.  The unique part of this campaign was that Editoras was able to produce a 200-page “living book” made up entirely of QR codes and messages from Twitter feeds.  To close the loop, the messages also carried a “call-to-action” that ultimately drove participants to the Editoras website.  The buzz generated from their guerilla campaign was so successful that copies of their book sold-out in less than a week.  Now, that’s ROI.

Mobile Recruiting via QR Codes & Twitter?

If you are frequent reader of my blog then you have likely heard me reference the use of 2-D barcodes in the past. There are creative ways to leverage QR code (2-D) technology as demonstrated in the Editoras example above.  As an employer, imagine being able to update candidates to your open jobs without having to manually push out the updates. The beauty behind 2-D barcode technology is that the content behind the barcodes can change while the overall framework remains the same.  What exactly does this mean? From the employer’s perspective, it means the 2-D barcode could theoretically represent a ‘company brand’ with the ability to render different content at different times. Today, we already see job updates pushed to Twitter, as seen here and here. Integrating the 2-D barcode would be the final piece of this digital marketing strategy.

The challenges with 2-D barcode technology in recruiting?

Yes, I know, all of this is easier said than done. I realize that not every prospect candidate (user) has mobile internet access, or a built-in 2-D barcode reader.  Plus, even if a candidate understands this technology, there many different 2-D barcode formats so how does a company decide on which format to use?  These are valid questions and they should be asked before attempting to launch this type of mobile strategy. However, there are over 270 million mobile subscribers in the U.S. and mobile internet usage is on the rise.  The point is, with the overall increase in U.S. mobile adoption, we are only limited by our imagination on how we connect with this vastly untapped audience.