The holiday season has begun, and it\u2019s also nearing the end of the calendar year.\u00a0 That means the workplace is either extra-busy or extra-lazy, or (more likely) an unpredictable combination of both.\u00a0 So you might find an hour or two available for a little creative research.\u00a0 Why not assess your company\u2019s Career site?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a speedy approach that will hit the highlights and produce some useful insights.<\/p>\n
First Impression. <\/em> When a visitor arrives at the home page of the Careers site for the first time, they will instantly have an impression along one of these lines:<\/p>\n Positive:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Bold\/energetic Negative:<\/strong><\/p>\n A. <\/strong>Messy\/confusing There could be a few other variants, but that\u2019s enough to work with.\u00a0 And different people will have different reactions–but the majority of visitors will probably fall into one of these categories for any given site.\u00a0 So . . .<\/p>\n Step 1: <\/em>Look at your company\u2019s Careers site and decide where most people would put it.<\/p>\n Step 2: <\/em>Decide whether the majority impression fits the company accurately.\u00a0 If the impression is positive (1-5) and the fit is accurate, jump to Step 3.<\/p>\n If the impression is negative (A-E) . . . now it gets harder.\u00a0 Is the website Dull\/lifeless or Typical\/boring because the company is?\u00a0 Or because the company refuses to invest in a better site?\u00a0 If either, stop reading and find something more useful to do.<\/p>\n But if not\u2014that is, if the website is Cold\/formal but the company is actually Warm\/friendly (for example)\u2014then you have identified an opportunity. Add it to the opportunity stack, and move on to Step 3.<\/p>\n
\n 2. <\/strong>Crisp\/professional
\n 3. <\/strong>Warm\/friendly
\n 4. <\/strong>Interesting\/unusual
\n 5. <\/strong>Inviting\/appealing<\/p>\n <\/ol>\n
\n B. <\/strong>Dull\/lifeless
\n C. <\/strong>Cold\/formal
\n D. <\/strong>Typical\/boring
\n E. <\/strong>Superficial\/not worth my time<\/p>\n <\/ol>\n