A potted history of data in business
There was a time when access to reliable and comprehensive digital data was a pipe-dream and it wasn’t really that long ago. Reliable data in mainstream businesses – the kind of data that you can make sure-fire decisions with – is relatively new. What isn’t new is the concept of capturing, recording and sharing data – from paper spreadsheets in pre-digital times, to clunky collection and storage systems on computers, to a new era of data analysis marked by the creation of the internet and the launch of search engines in the 1990s. It wasn’t until the 2010s, though, that ‘Big Data’ began to take on the meaning we assign to it today, when a surge in data collection meant that companies began to be able to use data reliably to make data-driven decisions.
From spray-and-pray to another way
It’s in this decade that data-powered recruitment technology began to emerge in a big way. Up until this point, decisions were made on gut instinct. A seasoned recruiter’s instinct is valuable but making big decisions purely based on instinct isn’t going to yield reliable results. But that is all a recruiter could work with until reliable, relevant and comprehensive data became more easily accessible and reliable. In terms of job posting specifically, without any real knowledge of which job boards provided the best ROI for the industry you recruit for, hedging your bets seemed the only way to reach the candidates you needed. So the ‘spray and pray’ method was widely used – post your jobs to all the big job boards and hope for the best. But then 2 things happened…
- Recruitment data became more accessible and reliable – When technology developed to the point where reliable data could not only be accessed but displayed in an easy to understand way, everything changed. No longer did recruiters have to rely on instinct and intelligent guesswork but could make decisions based on live and historic data which could tell them not just where but when to post their jobs to get the best return.
- Job board prices increased – Part of what made spray-and-pray advertising so attractive (and why it continued up until very recently) is that posting jobs to job boards was relatively cheap so many thought they had nothing to lose by posting everywhere to cover all bases. However, over the past few years the major job boards have been increasing their prices to the point at which it makes no financial sense to post without data-led strategy. In fact, more than that, it has become prohibitive.
Both events were game changers in the way recruiters approached job posting. But they also initiated a mindset shift – perhaps mass exposure isn’t the right strategy after all. Quality over quantity became the new aim. Get jobs in the right places at the right times to reach the right candidates.
Job boards remain an important source of candidates
Despite the rhetoric around job boards losing their relevance, they continue to be by far the most popular platform for job advertising by both recruiters and candidates. Wave data has found that a huge 85% of all jobs are posted on job boards and they account for 83% of applications.
The reach that job boards have and the ease with which candidates can go in and search for a job is arguably incomparable. Job boards should be used in conjunction with your own CRM database, your website’s job page and possibly social media – we wouldn’t recommend using job boards as your sole recruitment marketing strategy – but not many recruitment agencies will forgo job boards as an advertising platform.
Data-driven job board choices
The challenge is knowing which job boards among the myriad out there are likely to bring you the highest number of quality applications. And that’s where data can help. Job posting technology that recommends the best job boards for your job calculates which boards are likely to produce the highest numbers of applications based on historic and live data. The big data resulting from the thousands of job posts and applications that flow in and out through the technology, helps to provide further data that can be used to make budgeting and distribution decisions as well as aid negotiations.
For example, Wave data gleaned from WaveTrackR tells us that certain niche job boards outperform generalist job boards month after month when it comes to average application per job figures. When it comes to generalist job boards, Wave found that TotalJobs received the highest percentage of applications but that CV-Library received double the percentage of ‘good quality’ applications (those that recruiters shortlisted) and slightly more hires than TotalJobs. Each industry, agency and job is different though, which is why personalised data is so important.
Using data to reach candidates at the right time
Data is also a huge help when it comes to knowing when to post your job to job boards. Timing is always a crucial element in an industry known for being fast-paced but the fastest time isn’t necessarily the best time when it comes to posting your job ads. Your ads need to go live on job boards when candidates are actively searching and applying for jobs or you could miss out on qualified candidates.
Wave data shows that the vast majority of applications are received either within 24 hours or 48 hours of a job being posted, with applications dropping off significantly in the days following. This is largely due to job board algorithms prioritising fresh jobs, meaning that the more time that passes and the more jobs that are posted, the less likely it is that candidates will see your job.
We know from Wave’s ‘applications by weekday’ data that, in general, Monday to Wednesday are the most active days for candidates to apply for jobs. That means that if you don’t post your jobs at the beginning of the week, it could be days before candidates are searching – by which point, your job is likely to have slipped down the results.
The time of day also makes a difference, with Wave data showing that the best time to post your jobs is around 9-10am to catch the applications rush late morning and through lunchtime. However, we also know that candidates in industries with a high volume of shift-based roles differ when it comes to when they’re most active, with weekends and nights being popular times to apply. This comes back to personalised data – focusing on the data that directly relates to your industry, job roles and candidates.
A mix of data, instinct and experience
Whilst you should utilise data to make intelligent job board posting decisions, never underestimate the importance of your own instinct, experience and expertise. If you’ve been working in the industry for a while, you’ll have picked up a wealth of knowledge on what job boards are right for your jobs and where your candidates are searching. Data should never be used in isolation but alongside human thought. We should never lose that human element from any part of recruitment, from creating the job advert all the way up to hire. Without human influence and perspective, we’d have robots hiring for very human roles and no-one wants that outcome. What data does is provide the foundations for intelligent decisions to be made.
Spray-and-pray is over. Data-driven job board posting is here to stay.
Want to explore this topic more? We recommend:
✍️ The Deep Dive:The 3 Ws of candidate attraction
✍️ Why timing is everything when posting your job advert
✍️ How to get more for less from your job boards
✍️ Quantity vs quality: why job board application volume isn’t the metric to focus on
🎧 Quality over quantity: How to increase quality applications to your jobs
