Recently, I asked my client partners why they declined using mobile marketing as part of their recruiting strategy in 2009. I heard everything from "It's just hype," to "It's intrusive," to my personal favorite "It's dangerous."  So I thought I'd share some quick facts to dispel the myths, and provide a few ways to ease into a mobile strategy. Armed with information, perhaps you'll decide it makes sense for your 2010 recruitment marketing strategy.

Myth #1: It's just hype.

• Over 200 billion requests in 2009.


• Mobile web usage grew 110% in 2009.


• Of the 270 million U.S. cell phones, over 96% are SMS capable.


• 84 billion text messages are sent each month - over 1 Trillion in 2009.


• Cell phone penetration in the U.S. has surpassed cable TV, web access and Home PCs.


• Over 95% of new phones sold today have web browsers and over 70 million U.S. consumers use them regularly.

Myth #2: Mobile's not appropriate for recruiting.

The mobile phone is considered by many as an alternate source for a computer. If you think about healthcare workers, sales reps, even truck drivers, they don't always have access to their computer. But they almost always have access to their phone.  Why not reach them and share recruiting event information, invitations and registration, RSS job alerts and your company's EVPs from your mobile career site? 

Myth #3: Mobile is too invasive.

• Building a mobile career site only means you're prepared when someone is searching on their phone for an employer. There's nothing invasive about that.


• 100% of users are opt-in.

Myth #4: It's only for younger audiences.

• Wrong! Ages 25-34 have experienced a 40% YOY growth; Ages 35-54 a 31% YOY growth.


• Text messaging surpasses phone calls with the 25-44 age range.

(Source: The Nielsen Company)

Myth #4: It's too expensive.

• A mobi site costs under $5,000 to build.


• Many of the mobile tactics are free or far less expensive than interactive tactics and certainly less expensive and more timely and trackable than print (after all, time and ROI are money saved!).

So why should we consider mobile marketing?

• Mobile is everywhere and outpacing every other tool for keeping people connected.


• Mobile allows for the immediate reaction of a job seeker to a message.


• Mobile is private.


• Mobile is convenient.


• Mobile recall and response metrics are higher than traditional Web.

Here are things you can do fairly easily and quickly, and for a small investment:

• Build a mobile site with a homepage and job family pages communicating your organizations EVPs, and include mRegistration (remember, it'll cost you under $5,000).


• Consider text messaging for job alerts, event notifications and CRM (candidate relationship management).


• Target your organization's passive audience with mobile display ads/banners.


• Buy mobile pay-per-click on Google (FYI: mobile search on Google increased 110% in 2009).


• Deploy it as part of your CRM strategy to keep already interested candidates engaged in your organization. Send them a text message with event invitations, reapply notices at 60/90 days and/or links to job alerts, press releases, new store openings and recruiting chat schedules.

People are now synchronized by technology - living in "the cloud."  So, too, is your talent.  You'll be hearing more and more about cloud recruiting - recruiting where you serve and synch technologies to optimize the candidate experience and engage A-level talent. The mobile device is ubiquitously poised within "the cloud" for messaging your organization to the right candidates. Darwin once said, "It's not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, it's the one most responsive to change."