Watch someone look for a job and you will probably see them do it on a phone. On the bus, on a lunch break, late in the evening. Yet many recruitment websites and careers pages are still designed on a large monitor and checked on mobile at the end, if at all.
The result is candidates who find a great role and never finish applying.
Where candidates drop off
- Job search filters that are hard to use on a small screen.
- Slow pages that take too long to load on mobile data.
- Long application forms that repeat what is already in the CV.
- Mandatory account creation before applying.
- CV upload that only works from a desktop file system.
- Pop-ups and cookie banners covering the apply button.
Each extra step costs applicants. Several together can mean most mobile visitors leave without applying.
What a good mobile apply looks like
A candidate should be able to find a job, understand it and apply in under a minute. That usually means a name, an email, a phone number and a CV, uploaded from the phone, cloud storage or a LinkedIn profile. Anything else can be collected later, once you know the candidate is worth speaking to.
Design for the thumb
Put the apply button where it is easy to reach and keep it visible as the candidate scrolls. Use large tap targets, readable text and short paragraphs. Put salary, location and working pattern near the top so candidates can decide quickly.
Test it yourself
Pick three live jobs and apply on your own phone, on mobile data. Time it. Note every moment of friction. Then ask someone outside the business to do the same.
Measure the funnel
Track job views, apply starts and completed applications separately for mobile and desktop. If mobile completion is much lower, you have found the problem, and one of the most valuable improvements you can make to your recruitment website.