Technology has been changing the way we do things for a long time. It’s no surprise that our recent research revealed medical sales job seekers are finding success with both mobile and social recruiting, and are quickly moving away from the use of desktop and laptops altogether.
Furthermore, employers and recruiters are taking note and evolving to be sure they are recruiting the top talent. Here are some of the ways technology is changing the job search:
1. Smartphones are playing an increasingly important role in the job search. In 2014, 90 percent of respondents report that they’re using their mobile devices in their job searches. This is up from 77 percent just two years ago.
2. The most commonly cited job search activity on smartphones is job alert emails. While 71 percent of respondents check job alert emails through their phones, 56 percent searched for medical sales jobs on a mobile website and 49 percent search on a mobile app. Additionally, 31 percent actually texted with recruiters and four percent conducted video interviews through their mobile devices.
3. Job seekers are comfortable applying to jobs via mobile devices. However, several medical sales job seekers shared frustration about the lack of customization the apps allowed. For this reason, many still prefer to save the job and submit an application via laptop or desktop later on.
4. Job apps are increasing in popularity. Just two years ago, only 13 percent of job seekers had applied to jobs via an app, while 29 percent applied to jobs via an app in 2014. Each month, MedReps.com receives an average of 6,000 applications via our mobile job search app. Tech savvy, top applicants recognize the value of being able to apply to a job as soon as they become aware of it with a single click.
5. Facebook and LinkedIn still dominate social job search. The last five years have seen some notable changes in the way professionals use social media. While Pinterest, Twitter, and Google+ saw some increased participation from past years, none of them come close to surpassing the interest in LinkedIn or Facebook. More than 90 percent of respondents use LinkedIn in their job search and Facebook has held steady since 2012, at just below 70 percent. The remaining sites come in below 30 percent.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
6. Social networking is for professional purposes. Eighty-four percent of medical sales reps use social networking for professional purposes, most commonly to view job listings and connect with former and current colleagues. Additional activities include researching potential companies and hiring managers, participating in professional groups within a social network, and connecting with current and former managers.
7. Social activity does lead to viable career opportunities. For 42 percent of the respondents, social activity has let to a career opportunity.When asked for the specifics, responses centered mainly around reconnecting with people on LinkedIn who were able to help them, or being contacted by a recruiter via LinkedIn.
It is clear that mobile technology and social networks are the catalysts of change within job searching right now. The question that remains for many is what the next five years will bring for job searching. Our predictions include:
- Tablets and smartphones will continue to become more powerful and laptops and desktops will be used less.
- Apps will continue to become more robust and user-friendly, ultimately becoming the future method of searching and applying for job seekers.
- Video interviews and preliminary talks will disrupt the job searching and recruiting process.
- Location-based job notifications will be introduced as our phones develop the ability to use location information to notify users about a job opening available in their area.
No one can truly predict the future, but it’s safe to say that technology will continue to be a major driving force in the job searching process. It also has to be said that tech savvy professionals will have a huge advantage in the future of job search.
Robyn Melhuish is the Communications Manager at MedReps.com, a job board which gives members access to the most sought after medical sales jobs and pharmaceutical sales jobs on the Web. Connect with Robyn and MedReps.com on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
