What to include on your business’s “careers page” to attract the best candidates

A well-designed careers webpage should provide enough information about the company and its job opportunities for candidates to assess whether they want to work there. This article elucidates which elements businesses need to include on their careers page to attract talent. It also covers common mistakes that deter candidates. 

To win over prospects, a careers page must communicate:

Your company’s culture

– Let applicants get a feel for your workplace by using words that reflect the environment, such as “blue jeans-friendly” or “traditional.” Highlight things that make your employees happy. Do you have a weekly happy hour or allow pets in the office? Describe the design of the office or the advantages of its location. Call out special events and awards. Short descriptions about the company’s different teams can be helpful.

Mission and values

– Succinctly state your company’s story, objectives and purpose for being. This helps candidates understand what kind of employee you are looking for.

Employee benefits

– Outline the company’s benefits, like wellness programs, parental leave, health/life/disability insurance, retirement plan, tuition assistance and free lunches. But don’t stop there, because frankly, employees generally expect at least some of these benefits in a full-time position. That’s why you need to include any other details that set your business apart, such as flexible hours, remote work options or half-day Fridays. If you offer career development or hold regular team offsites to foster a tight-knit team, say so.

Why they should work there

– List the top reasons to join and reiterate why your company is a great place to work. Stay away from uninformative cliches like “we work hard and play hard.” Consider asking existing employees for their views on why it’s a good place to work, and let their feedback guide this section. Display employee ratings from sites like Glassdoor.

A careers page should also have these six elements:

1. Links:

   Include hyperlinks to detailed information when feasible to keep the careers page from getting too cluttered. Add a link to the company’s LinkedIn and other social media platforms so candidates can follow future jobs and news about the business. 

2. Images, infographics, videos:

   Use any combination of images, infographics and videos on the page (or linked pages) to help applicants learn about the company. 

3. Job search filter:

   Categorize jobs by title, field, department, qualifications and location. Allow candidates to use a filtered search to quickly find details about roles and responsibilities. 

4. Hiring process:

   Explain how to apply, when interviews will start, how applicants will be informed if they don’t make it to the next level and whether they must take online skills tests. Include an option to upload a resume. Ask only qualifying questions to minimize barriers to application and time expended.

5. FAQs and CTA:

   Address common questions from candidates in the FAQs and include a call to action like “Apply Now” to guide candidates to the next step.

6. Job alert registration:

   Give candidates the option to sign up for future job opening alerts. Provide an option to share a job listing via email.

Last step –

polish the content by checking it against our do’s and don’ts.

Do:

• Keep paragraphs short; use lists or infographics, not long descriptions.
• Make it mobile-friendly, compatible with multiple browsers and OK on different screen sizes.
• Include keywords to boost SEO.
• Update the page as needed with awards, emails, dates, news and team activities.

Don’t:

• Crowd the page with excessive text.
• Use images or videos that load slowly. 
• Add pop-up windows.
• Make the application process too long and complex
• Ask for information that isn’t pertinent.