Today’s job seekers have more information than ever about a company and a position at early stages of the job search process. This is according to new research from ManpowerGroup Solutions, the world’s largest RPO provider, part of ManpowerGroup. 

A global study of nearly 14,000 job seekers – The Rise of the Well-Informed Candidate shows a shift in the balance of power from employer to candidate. In India, 752 candidates were surveyed about their preferences. 

Before making career decisions, job seekers are informing themselves on the details most important to them. The survey results show what really matters to candidates in India and what they want to know: 

• Type of work (57%), opportunity for advancement (48%) and Brand/reputation (44%) of the company are the top three important draws for prospective candidates in India. 
• Opportunity for advancement (23%) and benefits offered (16%) is the key consideration for job changers.
• Candidates in India (46%) state lack of information about growth industries as personal Career challenge. 
• 43% of candidates state applying jobs online via laptop/desktop as the most preferred job search method. 68% of candidates use company website as the source of information about the job opportunities with the organizations. 
• 25% of Indian candidates are more likely to say that current employees of the company are a reliable source for information about the company’s brand. 
• Top Job search sites visited by India candidates include Naukri.com (74%), TimesJobs (52%), Monster (51%), LinkedIn (48%) and shine.com (41%). Top social media sites include Facebook (94%), Google plus (66%), LinkedIn (56%), Twitter (53%) and Instagram (35%). 
• In India, 46% of candidates prefer in-person interviews with the hiring manager and 35% of candidates prefer full-time work. 
• In terms of employer brand attributes, top three most important aspects of an employer’s brand for a company that candidates consider are - Employer-employee trust (80%), transparency (64%) and organization’s reputation as an employer (63%). 
• There is increasing transparency on compensation globally. Nearly half (44%) of candidates know compensation details before applying. In the five markets with year-over-year data, this number has increased by more than 10 percent, which suggests this is a trend on the rise. 
   

“People with in-demand skills are making different career choices today based on lifestyle preferences and beliefs, amid the talent crunch; understanding candidate preferences is critical, “ said AG Rao, Group Managing Director of ManpowerGroup India.

“Candidates today want to be able to visualize themselves in an organization. They want to know about compensation and benefits offered. They are more focused on their career graph than simply their next job. They are looking at prospective employers in a very different way. Candidates are driven by a very different set of needs and desires and want to make full use of their skills, it is very important for a company to be more cognizant of what they want. They like to stay ahead of the curve and they believe a changing work profile or tasks beyond their profile contribute to their growth as professionals,” added Rao. 

In The Rise of the Well-Informed Candidate Study, ManpowerGroup Solutions also shares strategies and tactics for companies to attract top talent in the information age.  

Knowing what matters most to today’s job seekers, some of the practical advice by the Group include the following: 

• Reach the right talent where they are. Candidates consider company websites to be the number one source of information. Employers must recognize the importance of the content on their website and the potential of their HR portals to build employer brand and increase access to the information candidates are seeking.
  
  
• Be open to new conversations and new ways of having them. To meet the information expectations of candidates, employers should consider being open to sharing more information about their company. This includes more transparency around compensation.
  
  
• Monitor the buzz. It is important for organizations to understand how they are being talked about and perceived on channels they do not own – like social media and employer review sites like Glassdoor. While control is limited, there is always an ability to respond and often, educate.