Global ethnography of hirers' job posting preferences, needs, and behaviours
Client
Seek
Timeframe
January 2024 - April 2024
Role
Principal
Engagement
24 online interviews and quantitative survey (n=436) across 4 markets
“Sure, dedicated hiring platforms like Seek are important. But sometimes, we hire solely through platforms like Facebook. Or we may publish an Instagram or WhatsApp story. It all depends on what type of role we're trying to fill.”
— Research participant
Objective
To understand the expectations and requirements of hiring managers in small-to-medium enterprises towards the job advertisements they post, to support the creation and delivery of more responsive hiring products.
Methodology
Our mixed-methods approach combined qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys to capture a comprehensive view of hiring practices.
Phase 1: We conducted 24 in-depth interviews with hirers across Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines to explore their expectations, behaviours, and decision-making processes related to job postings. This helped us identify shared mental models and factors influencing hirers' choices.
Phase 2: Building on these insights, we surveyed 436 hirers from SMEs in the same markets. The survey validated our qualitative findings and measured interest in 28 potential new features for the SEEK platform, revealing which features were most desired in each market.
Phase 3: We analysed the research data to shape recommendations for SEEK to enhance the job posting experience of SME hirers. Our recommendations encompass product improvements, marketing and value propositions, and new technology integrations.
Outcome
Our research provided insight into how SME hirers, across multiple markets, craft job ads to appeal to candidates, their expectations for platform features, and desired improvements in UX. We confirmed SME hirers' processes (and under which hiring conditions) and how they collaborate with others to craft job ads.
By delivering detailed archetypes and market-specific data, we enabled SEEK to tailor hiring products and experiences to meet the needs of the various SME hirer segments. Specifically, it added context to the emerging needs of hirers as AI, LLMs, genAI, and other technologies find a foothold in this industry.
By focusing on SME hiring managers' real-world practices and preferences, we delivered practical guidance for creating more effective and user-friendly hiring solutions.