JAMES TUKE SUGGESTS THAT TAX PROFESSIONALS COULD ASK WHETHER THEIR FIRM IS MAKING THE MOST OF ITS ONLINE PRESENCE TO ATTRACT NEW CONTENDERS FOR ITS TAX DEPARTMENTS
Before we all got online, recruitment, particularly for graduates, was very different – a whirlwind of ‘milk rounds’, endless hand-written application forms, advice from friends and contacts, and work experience placements for the lucky few. But things have changed and today the internet is key to all our lives, and particularly for graduates who have grown up with the web as the norm.
To keep in step with these changes, many accountancy firms have invested in their websites to make sure that they carry out all the necessary functions involved in the recruitment process. But how does your firm’s website compare, is it a flyweight or heavyweight? There are still firms out there that have poor online recruitment sections and if you joined the firm in the past few years, why not ask yourself whether it was because of or in spite of their website.
Poor performers
The reasons for poor design are many: lack of resources, poor planning and partner interference to name but a few. In the past, a big firm could simply trade on its stellar reputation to draw the best recruits in, while smaller firms suffered through lack of exposure. However, the ubiquity of the internet has levelled the playing field somewhat. Through clever online positioning, a smaller firm can punch well above its weight. Funky design and appealing copy stand out as fresh and illuminating in relation to dull design and hackneyed images – the rictus grins and corporate backgrounds can appear highly incongruous.
If, when talking to friends and professional colleagues, perhaps in other firms, you find that your company’s website is a source of some embarrassment, perhaps this is something that should be delicately (no punching) communicated to those in charge of it.
Driving force
The market is the driving force; graduates want to be fully informed about all aspects of a firm, from corporate social responsibility policy to salary structure, regardless of its position in the market. Such total online exposure has caused many firms to put their houses in order. A good example here is the issue of work/life balance. A decade ago this concept barely featured in the employment lexicon: now it is an essential factor in the potential trainee’s decision-making process. Furthermore, those of an ambitious mind-set with the right qualifications are well aware of their value in the wider graduate marketplace. They want to be impressed, even courted by firms.
With the needs of the end user in mind, the ingredients of an effective career section are extensive, from the obvious – slick design – to the more obscure, like intuitive navigation. But two points are crucial. First, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution; secondly, graduate recruitment is a process of attraction. Combine these thoughts and a philosophy emerges: maximise your firm’s key assets or specialities, and be different from your competitors.
Getting it right
Often the worst recruitment websites simply get the basics wrong. They might have poor content, an inefficient application procedure, or fail to give an insight into the firm’s working culture. Web 2.0 technologies like blogs and video clips give firms the opportunity to illustrate their work culture online, and are increasingly popular with progressive firms.
In an effort to connect with graduates, some firms have even begun to infiltrate the active world of social networking. While it is difficult to measure the extent of any benefits from using social networking sites, the most obvious positive is raised awareness of the firm. For those just outside the big four, free publicity gained on these sites can be a great boost for the brand among graduates. Not only do they help spread the firm’s name, they also help to demonstrate its progressive working culture. After all, most graduates want to work for a modern accountancy practice with a vibrant social life, not a drab firm with few post-work opportunities.
Tools for the job
Despite this, our recent paper on law student attitudes towards graduate microsites or sections suggested that new media tools should be used with caution. Gimmicky features – if used just because they were trendy – were an irritation. So while innovation is helpful, technology should not be used unless it adds value.
Below are Intendance’s top five tips for a functional, eye-catching and informative graduate recruitment section. Get ready to punch the right keys.
Top five tips
