According to Kiplinger’s Economic Outlooks, 2.3 million new net jobs will be created in the U.S. in 2014. Add that to a recent CareerBuilder survey, which indicates two in five professionals plan to change jobs before the end of the year, and get ready for a churning employment market.
As a result, serious job seekers should be ready to apply for a job at any moment’s notice — even if that means resorting to unconventional methods such as applying via mobile devices.
Last year’s Mobile Recruiting Insights Conference reported that only 26 of the Fortune 500 companies offer a mobile-optimized job application process; but prepare for those numbers to change. As mobile device sales surpass PC sales, the business world will likely respond by creating easier mobile processes.
Rayanne Thorn, vice president of product marketing and strategy at Technomedia Talent Management, a global talent management software platform, predicts mobile will become the new normal.
"More and more people are using mobile for all computing and online activities — online job applications are the norm now. Gone are the days of simply walking into a workplace and filling out an application," says Thorn. "Applying online is now requisite in most pre-hire situations, and with over 7 billion mobile devices out there, applying via mobile should be an obvious standard."
Even though technology innovations are driving a definite change, it’s not necessarily a bad change for candidates.
Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS, a provider of talent acquisition software solutions, explains why: "Applying via mobile is designed to help the candidate more than the employer. As the economy has improved in recent years, more and more workers are considering changing jobs. Essentially, the goal [with mobile job applications] is to make sure that when you do see a job opportunity listed, you can apply right away (when you’re excited about it!) versus having to bookmark the site and come back to it once you’re back on your computer."

Image: Flickr, groundsel
Candidates need to do some planning before they can apply for a job using a mobile device. First, a copy of your resume must be easily accessible.
When it comes to storing your resume on a mobile device, Thorn has a few suggestions: "Resumes should be accessible in online or cloud storage solutions like Google Docs or Dropbox. Additionally, creating an online resume, either on a site like LinkedIn or by saving a PDF in WordPress is a very good idea — many organizations are recognizing the ease of ‘Apply using your LinkedIn profile’ and have added this to their application process."
Vitale says that effective applicant-tracking systems will enable candidates to access their crucial documents — resumes, support documents, etc. — from these types of cloud-based storage. "The best applicant-tracking systems can automatically parse data, including demographic information, work history and education from the job seeker’s resume to minimize the manual data entry required in the application process," she adds.
For job seekers planning on applying to jobs via mobile, Vitale stresses the importance of keeping social media profiles current. "Advanced applicant-tracking systems will allow the job seeker to create a profile with the employer using data pulled from their social profiles on sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Google+," she says, stressing that it's especially crucial that your social profiles reflect professionalism and accuracy.
Companies that are serious about mobile recruiting are creating mobile-optimized sites for candidates. A mobile-optimized site is more than just a miniature version of the company’s website — "optimized" implies that the site has been designed with the needs of the mobile user in mind.
David Smooke, director of content and social media for SmartRecruiters, a collaborative and social hiring platform, says it’s a waste of time trying to apply on sites that aren’t properly optimized. "If the company’s career site or job ad is not mobile-optimized, don’t bother trying to apply on a mobile device. This is how it should work: Candidates should be able to click an 'I’m Interested' button, connect to a social network for professional information, send a brief, direct and welcoming message to the hiring manager, and then see a confirmation screen that [confirms receipt]."
Over the past few years, recruiters have recommended the use of keywords in resumes as a way for candidates to get noticed, and applying via a mobile device doesn’t change the importance of optimizing your resume.
"If you understand your chosen career and want to excel in it, then you already know what the right keywords are — and you should already understand what a hiring company is looking for," says Thorn, adding that creating a fully keyword-optimized application can give job seekers a leg up on the competition. "Not enough job seekers are thinking this way," she says.
To give yourself the best shot at securing an interview, Thorn suggests seeking advice from professionals. "Consult an expert who can help you optimize your resume so that it is filled with the necessary [information and keywords], or do some online research for job search blogs, tips and advice," she says. "It's important to understand the application process."

Image: Flickr, Alexander Rentsch
One of the most important questions job seekers and employers alike want answered is whether or not applying via mobile device speeds up the hiring process — ultimately, candidates want to get hired and recruiters want to fill open positions as quickly as possible.
Ultimately, the answer isn’t clear. Smooke leans toward yes: "If a company accepts mobile applications, their recruitment strategy is ahead of most companies, including most Fortune 500 companies. Companies that ‘get' recruiting respond to top talent the same day a candidate applies, reply to all rejected candidates with an invitation to connect on LinkedIn or Twitter and close all interested talent within two weeks."
On the other hand, Thorn says that hiring managers still need to adapt to the speed of improved technology. "Unfortunately, on the other side of the application, the process is the same. You may or may not receive feedback quicker," she says. "I can tell you this –- if a company has a robust mobile-application process, chances are they are doing pretty darn good at updating their process, which means a faster, better experience for all. And isn’t that what we are all striving for?"
One thing is certain: As we become more attached to our mobile devices, organizations will adapt their processes to capture an audience, and this will include recruiting. Organizations that want to hire the top talent will likely move their hiring practices to the platforms on which great candidates are spending their time.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
The Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have selected a few job opportunities from the past two weeks to help get you started. Happy hunting!
Website Creative Services Manager at Thomas Publishing Co., LLC in New York, N.Y.
Director of Social Media Strategy at TNA Entertainment in Nashville, Tenn.
Agile Coach at American Express
Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR, CPLP is the HR Bartender, whose blog is a friendly place to discuss workplace issues. When she’s not tending bar, Sharlyn is president of ...More