Website design is often an overlooked aspect of recruitment marketing but it plays a vital part in showcasing your brand, providing a top-notch user experience and ultimately convincing clients and candidates to get in touch.
In episode 4 of the Recruitment Cheat Codes Podcast, we discuss top tips for recruitment website design.
Our expert, Elizabeth Bennett, Lead UI/UX Designer at Wave, shares her insights and tips on where certain elements should be placed, tapping into user behaviour, some recruitment website trends
Where elements should be placed
From strategically placing logos to using brand colours for call-to-action buttons, effective website design, is about balancing brand and functionality — going beyond flashy visuals to create a seamless user experience by honing in on the pivotal aspect of layout.
Using the placement of different elements and colours should help guide the user to find out where they need to go.
So for example, you might use brand colours for the call to action button, as this acts as a signpost for the user, to know where they need to go to perform a certain task.
Where possible, try to follow website design conventions, like keeping your logo in the middle or corner of the page, and a call-to-action clearly marked at the bottom.
What is a ‘Call To Action’
A Call To Action (or CTA) is the desired action you want the user to take. This is often a button that stands out from the rest.
For example, on a recruitment website, you have clients and candidates who might have different journeys that they need to take. Having a clear CTA on the homepage can help guide them through the correct one, getting them to the information they’re looking for quicker.
Different menu bar styles
Menu bars are critical for your website navigation, so selecting the right one for your style of website is crucial. There are two main types:
- Navigation visible
A navigation along the top of the page, which can move with scrolling or remain fixed at the top. This is best for websites where you need access to the menu at all times.
- Hamburger menu
Usually just three lines in the top right-hand corner, that pop out from the side or bring an overlay up with the menu items on. This offers a more clean design.
Z shaped pattern
It’s important to understand how people take in information when they’re looking at a website page. People often skim pages in a Z-shaped pattern, so you want to place elements that draw their attention to each point of the Z.
This is why you often see text on the left and the images on the right, which are then swapped underneath as you scroll down.
