Malaysian job seekers are slowly moving to mobile

Job seekers in Malaysia are increasingly using mobile to search for jobs, meaning local employers need to ensure their online job sites and application processes are mobile-friendly.

While the majority of local job seekers still look for jobs on their desktop (55%), a growing number say they are using their smartphones (42%) as well as their desktop. Just 3% only use their smartphones.

This is according to a survey by Hays Malaysia, which found local candidates are becoming more accustom to searching for jobs "anytime, anywhere".

However, once they find a job on their phones, they will often wait to apply when they're at a desktop computer.

“Job seekers are still submitting most of their job applications on their desktop computer as they have larger screens and keyboards than mobile devices, enabling the user to sit comfortably while applying online,” said Christine Wright, managing director of Hays in Asia.

“When job seekers find a job of interest on their smartphones, they will often wait until later to apply via a desktop computer. This is because one of the current hindrances to applying via a mobile device is that most people do not have a copy of their resume stored on their smartphone.

“Furthermore, many job seekers are deterred from applying for a job if a company’s career site or job listings are not mobile optimised.”

ALSO READWhy thinking 'mobile' is crucial for managing talentMobile HR technology is on the move

Despite this slow movement from desktop to mobile searching, companies need to ensure they have the ability to receive applications by mobile to ensure they are not at a disadvantage when competing for talent.

"Once job seekers believe it is no longer difficult to apply for jobs on a mobile device, searching and applying for jobs on a smartphone is likely to become the new normal."

Image: Shutterstock