5 Ways To Improve Your K-12 Careers Page

I completed a project for my boss who was interested in seeing how we could improve our careers website. I evaluated and scored different school district career pages based on their Content, Layout, Engagement, Accuracy, and Reward (CLEAR). I did this in order to organize my thoughts and figure out areas of improvement for our page, figure out what I liked, and what I didn’t like. I thought that it could be helpful for me to write this “blog” and share my findings to help others with their career pages. 

1 .  Content

First up on the evaluation is content. This includes job openings, how to apply, position information, salary, and benefits. When looking through all of the different career pages very few sites actually had a link to their benefits or salary schedules. I think this is an important feature to have because many applicants want to know what pay is like and what benefits are offered. It is also beneficial to have job descriptions posted along with every job. This ensures that the applicant knows what they are applying for, and they won’t waste any time applying for a job they really won’t like or be able to do. 

2. Layout 

Layout of your career page is especially important because it attracts candidates. Layout includes how your page looks (colors, themes, etc.), how easy it is to use and navigate, mobile friendliness, and overall organization. It is important that your site is mobile friendly and that applicants are able to apply on their phones. This is important because many people are very busy and they are looking at job openings over their lunch break, while commuting, and at the coffee shop. Consistency is important because you do not want to give applicants the wrong impression or confuse them. After looking over many different career sites, what I found that I liked most is that the organization had a career/job opportunities tab on the top of their homepage. This made it very easy for me to find and I didn’t have to go searching for it. 

3. Engagement 

This may be one of the most important features to have on your career page. Many people are looking for a way to connect with your district and a way to ask questions before applying for a job. One feature that I found to be beneficial on the career page is a chat bot. When going through the different districts career sites there were a couple that had a chat bot automatically pop up when you go to their career page.  This feature is helpful because it was easy to ask a simple question about openings and get an immediate connection with the district. Another feature that I found to be great was a section with testimonials/blogs. These would be beneficial to potential candidates because they will be able to get insider comments about the school district and it's a great promotional tool. Another important feature to have on your career page is social media links. This is a great feature because candidates can go to your sites and see more about what the district does and how they get involved in the community. Social media is a great platform to give attention to students sports and club activities, and also a great way to recognize staff. 

4. Accuracy 

Accuracy is very important, especially for a school district. When there are grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors many candidates could be turned off and may become uninterested. It is also important to ensure that all links are working and that your information is up to date. It is good practice to check your website regularly to ensure everything is up to date and all links are still active. It is also critical that all information on the page is cited and verified to ensure accuracy. Many career sites that I visited had no problem with accuracy, which was great to see, but be sure to keep updating your site with correct information. 

5. Reward 

Having your rewards listed on your site is beneficial for the candidates. These rewards include perks of working for the district, helpful tips, employment brand, and uniqueness of the district. Some tips to include in your careers page would be tips on how to apply, interviewing skills, what to wear to an interview, and how to complete a follow-up after interviews. Some candidates may not have been interviewed before or they haven’t interviewed in a long time. Giving them some tips can ensure they are at their best. Giving additional perks of working for the district can also be a great attraction point for many candidates. This will show them additional benefits of their job, and it shows that the district cares for its employees. Lastly, a great thing to add is why your district is unique and how it stands out from other districts.

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