JUST MAIL IN YOUR RESUME: THE EVOLUTION OF JOB APPLICATIONS AND ATTRACTING TOP TALENT

Did You Know?

?45% ?of employers say their biggest hiring hurdle is attracting enough applicants.

Job descriptions serve as the cornerstone of the hiring process, essential tools for attracting top talent. As the application process evolves, adapting your job descriptions to new standards and expectations is crucial for building robust, high-performing teams.?

The Evolution of the Job Application Process

30 Years Ago: The Pre-Digital Era

From the 1980s to the mid-1990s, job applications predominately lived on paper. Job descriptions lacked detail, requiring brevity due to physical space limitations for newspaper or job board postings.? “Back in the day, if you were looking for a job, you went to the Sunday paper where companies posted Help Wanted ads. The job descriptions were, at most, a sentence or two. Help Wanted: Experienced sales person, base plus commission. Send resume to physical address, attention Personnel department,” says our Gen X correspondent. “Maybe they’d include something like, ‘plus benefits’ or ‘national company.’ If you were lucky, they’d actually put the name of the company. Regardless, you’d type up your resume, take it to a printer to have copies made, write up an envelope, lick a stamp, and hope for the best. Often, you only saw a full job description once you got an interview if the company was legit. In smaller companies, you never got one! Things have changed.”?

10 Years Ago: The Rise of Online Applications

The internet revolutionized the job application process by the mid-2010s. Resumes and cover letters were submitted via email or through online portals. Job descriptions became more detailed and standardized in the 2000s, emphasizing responsibilities and qualifications, but typically excluding details about salary, benefits, and company culture.? “I would say job boards really stated taking off in the early or mid-2000s. I remember submitting my first job applications on Monster Jobs and CareerBuilder. That was the place to apply, but they’re nowhere near as relevant as something like Indeed or LinkedIn today,” says our Millennial correspondent. “Applicant tracking systems also became more popular, probably in the 2010s. That really shaped how people apply for jobs. We started seeing people tailor their resumes to tracking systems with keywords, which people are still doing now. Except they’re putting them in white at the bottom of the page to get around the different AI systems companies use to screen resumes. It’s a similar concept, just evolved.”?

Today: The Digital and Mobile Era

“Everything is online now. We’re searching for roles on LinkedIn, doing interviews over Zoom, taking AI skills tests, and looking up companies on Glassdoor. The internet forces an emphasis on transparency on both sides,” our Gen Z correspondent reflects.? So, what do the job seekers of 2024 appreciate in their job descriptions? “We see organizations adding information about salaries, benefits, or values, and we like that because it’s honest. Job descriptions are intentional, so when you come across one that’s vague or impersonal, you’re left to draw conclusions about the organization that might discourage you from applying,” notes our Gen Z contributor. “Like, is the salary low or is the company toxic? Why are they not excited to tell me all about this position? But don’t sacrifice clarity or simplicity. People are applying on their phones--smaller screens and shorter attention spans.”?

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PuzzleHR’s?Talent Acquisition ?team is ready to help you find your missing piece! Whether you need help fine-tuning your job descriptions or selecting the right job board, we have the solution for you.?Contact us ?today to learn more!?