¶ … Attract Candidates The fit tool is a neat feature. It is a slightly different way from framing the issue, which is ensuring that the right person applies for the right jobs. You are refining the search, but they frame it in a different way. All the boxes have a Windows 10 sort of look, which I'm not into, but I like the feature overall because they ask basic questions about what sorts of things you are interested in. While people sometimes lack the self-awareness to answer this accurately, it's a good idea that makes the applicant feel as though they are empowered in the situation. But as a tool from a human resources perspective, where effectiveness is important, I am less sold, especially because the version of themselves that people sell is not necessarily the version that is true. Especially with college students, somebody might have a vision of themselves as some sort of visionary, dynamic person -- this is who they would like to be, even though many people are not that. Only applicants who have a strong sense of self will be able to provide valuable feedback via this mechanism. But overall, I like the tool because it helps to guide people. In a sense this is silly -- a marketing student would probably just end up being told to apply for marketing jobs -- but it is possible that people would have their eyes opened a bit to different possibilities that exist. Plus it fits with their statement that they hire the person and not the position. I actually like that philosophy better than anything else.

The other feature I like is that the site engages people. I really get the sense that P&G wants visitors to feel comfortable and spend time on their site, and I can only assume that this is no accident. P&G has designed the site to convey that feeling for visitors, and the result is that I visit and wish to walk through the different aspects of the site. It may be the soft designs, the use of colors, or whatever, but it is a comfortable site on which to spend time.

As for features that I do not like, it is sort of the same feature. The fit tool ends up coming across as being a bit childish. To be certain, it has value, and conceptually I love it, but the execution to me comes across as overly childish and simplistic. Thus, the tool could use some improving, even though I like the underlying idea....

With improvements I just think it would be better.
The first thing that struck me about the Procter & Gamble website for recruiting was that they asked for a login right away, and I had to navigate around that. This is a huge negative -- I want to browse before I fill in a form. I was also not particularly drawn in by the site itself. The layout was bland, and the initial aspects of the site were simply probing me for information. This is not selling the company to me, but rather me helping the company out. I am more sold by a company that wants to sell me on its attributes, than a company that initially makes zero effort to draw me in and pique my interest.

The other thing that would enhance this site is better writing. Too much of what they are selling, in terms of the copy on the site, is cliche. This may not seem important, but when you are looking at dozens of websites a day (because you are looking for work), one thing you really want most of all is a company that stands out. It is clear that Procter & Gamble is trying to stand out, with the way that the site features work and its design, but the copy is so generic that I lose interest quickly. "The best brands start with the best teams," "making every day better -- for people and the planet" and "discover more possibilities" are particularly awful phrase, so generic as to say nothing at all to the job seeker. When a company wants to build an employer brand, it has to find an identity, and if there is one thing I really dislike about this site it is the lack of identity. This could be any company. There is nothing on here that tells me what P&G is or why I, as a job seeker, should care. There is no sense of employer branding.

To compare with Proctor & Gamble, I chose Johnson & Johnson. In a sense, their recruiting is a bit more dry, but it is also quite effective because it is forthright. The links from the front page of the recruiting page -- "discover our businesses," "understand our culture" and "learn how we hire" are not exactly inspirational, but they are very pragmatic. To be fair, that probably appeals to the talent they are seeking -- engineers, chemists and those types of professions. In that sense, they are maybe appealing a bit more to their target market. The downside is that there is very little emotional appeal,…