Online recruitment via career portals has long been a norm overseas. However, in Pakistan, it is only recently that online career portals have started to take off. Since the category is relatively new in Pakistan, job portals often lack benchmark parameters, which result in disorganized, difficult-to- navigate portals.
To maximise the effectiveness of your career portal, keep the following internationally recommended parameters in mind:
1. Choose an effective domain name.
The first step is to select a domain name that accurately depicts ‘what’ the portal does, for instance, efinancialcareers.com is a good choice because it instantly conveys the portal’s purpose. A relevant domain name also ensures higher rankings on search engines.
2. Functionality.
Typically, all career portals follow a functional layout, with the colours blue, black and grey dominating their web pages. Links such as ‘register’, ‘sign’ in’, ‘contact us’ and ‘about us’ should be clearly visible on the top half of the homepage so user do not have to scroll down. Links to articles that provide career advice are often incorporated as a value-added feature.
3. Features.
These should be clearly visible on the homepage and include:
*For job seekers: Automatic resume generation, job alerts via e-mail, listings of top employers and vacancies, the option to upload a resume directly, and a search option to enable them to find vacancies that match their skill set.
*For employers: Listings of potential candidates that have the desired skills, the ability to post vacancies, and search option to enable them to find employees with specific skills.
4. Real time updates.
The traffic a job portal attracts primarily depends on the volume and relevance of the job listings; it therefore crucial that these are updated in real time. When an employer notifies you that a vacancy has been filled, remote it immediately. An online portal with inaccurate or outdated information will fail to establish credibility.
By Arshia Wasif Ahmed. The writer is a corporate trainer.