The human resources department has many various tasks from finding new recruits to making sure that the work environment is as good for everyone as possible. Having such grand responsibilities HR can surely use any help it can get. One crucial way to boost HR performance is by utilizing job postings data. Job postings definition includes everything from advertising on online platforms to posting jobs internally. Generally, it is any sort of advertisement for an open position within an organization. These advertisements create valuable data points that can be very important for HR professionals in their daily duties.
The information you can find in job postings
Today there are very many online platforms where companies can post job openings and contact interested talent. This is now a primary way to find applicants for many entry and medium-level positions, sometimes used for very high positions as well.
These online job postings carry a lot of information that companies can use for various purposes. Naturally, HR is the department that can benefit most from such data, as it directly relates to many of their daily tasks.
Some data points that are included in job postings are quite obviously useful, but it is also important not to overlook less prominent information. The data in job postings include but is not limited to the following types.
● Job titles and their descriptions.
● Proposed salary range.
● The skillset and qualifications expected from applicants.
● The months or years of experience in the field that is needed for the job.
● Other features that would be seen as advantages.
● Various information about the company and the workplace.
This is just what one can get from looking at a single job posting. But as the information from many such ads is aggregated, one can find out even more. For example, by checking how many ads a single
company has posted one knows how many open positions it currently has and in what departments it mostly needs new recruits.
Additionally, one can use historical data of the firm to see patterns in its hiring cycles. This type of information helps with firmographic segmentation, competitive intelligence, and various other fields of business intelligence.
Furthermore, job postings data can be used for general market analysis. Information about labor markets is crucial for understanding current macroeconomic conditions in which one needs to strategize for success.
However, naturally, it is within the duties of the HR department where a lot of utility of this data lies. Let us look at it closer.
Using data to improve posting jobs internally
Internal circulation of employees from one position to another is one of the most important things that the HR team oversees. People are more likely to stick with the company if they see clear career options within it. Even being informed about a different position at the same level is crucial for workplace morale. After all, many employees might want to have options to try something different and apply their talents to where they see themselves as capable.
Thus, posting jobs internally and presenting them correctly is something that a good HR department takes very seriously. Additionally, although in many regions there are no laws requiring posting open positions internally, it might be required by contracts with the union.
Therefore, it is important for HR to make these job postings as alluring as possible to keep the talent. Here is how external job postings data can help.
1) HR can inspect the best and most attractive job posting templates. The way the job information is presented and what parts are underscored are important in attracting precisely the kind of fit you want for the job. Thus, job postings data work as a learning experience for HR representatives.
2) Online job postings data also allows HR to see what the competition in talent recruitment is. When you know what you are going up against when trying to retain employees, you are able to present the open positions in a favorable light. By highlighting the advantages that other
companies cannot offer when posting jobs internally, HR professionals are likely to increase the rates of talent retention.
3) The best times for posting jobs internally can be determined. By seeing the patterns in when the busy periods in the labor market, HR will be able to choose the best time to post and repost open positions within the company’s network. This gives an opportunity to beat the competition in proposing a good deal for the employees in order to retain them.
Other merits of job postings data
Aside from the benefits it brings to the practices of posting jobs internally, job postings data can boost HR performance in other ways as well. Nearly all aspects of HR tasks can be enhanced by the insights from this type of data.
First of all, it can help to recruit new talents from outside the company. By analyzing what and how other firms are offering for the same positions, HR professionals may improve their own online job postings.
Additionally, they can see what works and what does not by looking at how fast the companies fill their positions. This information can be used for both posting jobs internally and externally.
Finally, by analyzing the job titles and descriptions, HR might brainstorm ideas for the internal structure of the company. Working with the management, the HR department would be able to find the most efficient way to divide the jobs that need to be done among the employees.
