The purpose of a Career Site is to put your best foot forward and make a great first impression on talent. So why are so many companies throwing up a page that makes most of us want to scratch out our eyes because it’s so lame? Let’s discuss.

You have a career site that you direct candidates to ‘check out your jobs’, right? WRONG. What you have is a boring spot on the Internet that spews fluff and boilerplate language in the face of top talent. Not only is it boring, but it’s not appealing, engaging, attractive or fun. Sorry, but I need to see some fun before I decide to spend most of my days at your company. So, attention all in charge of Recruitment Budgets: LOOSEN YOUR NECK TIES OR PANTY HOSE AND GEN Y-IFY YOUR CAREER SITE.

Face it, Gen Y is cool, for the time being, until another generation comes along and pushes us out of the way. They lead society in what’s hot and what’s not. So even if you aren’t trying to just recruit Gen Y’s, you should act like you are. Believe me, the Gen X’s and Boomers I know, want to be hip. They know that aging isn’t fun and keeping up with younger folk lets them hold on to the last bit of youth that they can. Don’t deny it, you know I’m right. So at every opportunity, your Recruitment Campaign and especially your Career Site should be ‘in style’. Your company is doing it on the consumer side, so why can’t you?

First I’ll point out mistakes and lame excuses, then provide examples of the greatest Career Sites to date.

#1 “We are a blank company providing blank to our customers with over $100 million in revenue…” Really? You don’t say. Thanks for reiterating what I just read on the rest of your site, while I’m checking out your company.

#2 “We offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits” WOW…this company is so different than every other company out there! They actually pay money and give me health insurance. Oh My God No.

#3 “We’re a great place to work offering strong leadership and opportunities for growth.” Just because you say it, I’m going to believe it…sign me up! Puuuleeease.

#4 “We offer employment opportunities that will develop your professional and personal goals.” Um, hello? Shouldn't every employer do that anyway? No need to tell me you will, since I expect it!

The best of the best

Here’s my favorite. They target Gen Y’s, but the Boomers and Gen Xers that I had review the site thought it to be an innovative way to create stickiness and engagement on the site.

Microsoft

If you are a recruiter for a large organization, you’ll sure be jealous that your company doesn’t have something as cool as this. I came across Microsoft’s Hey, Genius Campaign a few weeks ago and have spent a number of hours on their site going through the Genius 2 Genius Forum, taking the Genius Quiz, and watching two guys sing on dualing pianos about Work/Life Balance. Needless to say, should I ever find myself living in the Northwest, I’m sure as hell going to be applying at Microsoft.

Here are some others on the top of my list:

Bank of America

State Farm

Starbucks

Now, is when you’d probably say, “Kristin, we don’t have budgets like those companies”. Then I would say, “Guess what pessimist…you don’t need to have a budget like theirs. They lead the industry, it’s your job to find what you like and make it your own. Your Career Site doesn’t have to be 10 pages deep or even 3 pages deep. It’s the rich content that is on the site rather than the amount.” Then you’d either kick me out of your office or invite me to tell you more.

If I see one more boring Career Site that an organization has created either on their own or with the help of their agency, I’m going to puke. Seriously, I will vomit. It’s not that hard people. Cut out the boilerplates, the boring pictures of your headquarters, the crap that every job seeker sees on every other career site and make it stylish. Incorporate new lingo, utilize your employees for testimonials, make it interactive. Then show it to 10 of your Gen Y friends. If even one says it sucks, buy them dinner and start over.