3 Reasons People Aren't Applying to Your Job

If you’re an employer struggling to hire new workers, you’re not alone. Perhaps you’ve been looking for a while without getting any hits, and now it’s eating your company morale or weighing responsibilities on other employees. The good news is there are solutions to get more applicants for your job openings. It may require starting your search from scratch, but with the proper updates you can begin attracting more applicants. 

Aerotek routinely helps companies improve their hiring strategies to expand their search and attract quality workers. We’ve picked up a few tactics that have proven to be effective for employers struggling to increase their workforce. Here are some reasons why you may be failing to attract applicants.  

1. Not Providing Pay Information

You’ve likely noticed that many job posting come with precise or approximated pay details. This wasn’t’ always the case, but providing an idea of how much a job pays has become common.  

Make sure you include this information if you want to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Job seekers are becoming accustomed to seeing a potential pay range for the opening in the job description. Just putting the pay/salary in the job listing is often enough to get a seeker’s attention — omitting it can be criteria for them scrolling past. While employers may need to provide a pay range for some jobs, there are benefits to keeping the pay information to a single figure. When providing a range, most candidates will seek the top of that pay range. If they cannot attain that top pay, they may abandon the hiring process. Conversely, providing only the low end of the pay range could limit the number of applicants you receive. 

2. Poor Job Description 

Many employers get a little lazy when it comes to writing a job description. While it’s reasonable to assume that if you list and describe a job as a “warehouse worker,” a job seeker might know what you’re talking about. But that’s not always the case, especially with a job like a “machine operator.” When using an umbrella term that can have multiple meanings, depending on the job or company, its best to be specific. A confused job seeker might ask for more information, but they can also focus on other opportunities. 

Avoid any confusion and tell your potential job candidates exactly what the job is. Specify exactly what work they’ll be doing, who they’ll be reporting to, and what they’ll be working on. Answer as many questions in advance to really get the seeker’s attention. 

3. General Lack of Information 

Think of the last time you shopped for something online — a car, a new coffee machine, or even looked at a Zillow listing. What listings do you often scroll through without a second thought? Answer: The ones without any pictures and the ones with the least amount of information. 

Job listings are no different. Jobs can have a big impact on someone’s life — they may move, go to school, or adapt to a different schedule — and a job seeker won’t make a move without knowing as much as they can. Don’t be lazy with the job description, it’s your calling card to your future employees. Make sure to include as much information about the on-the-job requirements, benefits, schedule and other commitments. If space allows, be sure to highlight any unique aspects of your company culture that may make the opportunity more appealing. Do you provide upskilling opportunities or on-the-job training? Put it in the description to help you stand out from the other employers.  

There are more reasons why a job seeker may not apply to your position. Many are looking for a job that matches their skills, goals and desired pay. If your opening doesn’t check all three boxes, they may keep look. Application fatigue is also a factor when attracting candidates. According to our Fall Job Seeker Survey, over 33 percent of job seekers expect to apply to at least 25 jobs before being hired.  By focusing on presenting the information job seekers want to see in the job description, employers can improve the odds that the right person applies and gets hired in a timely manner. 

When you’re ready to discuss improving your hiring strategy, contact us.