People run their lives from their computers and their phones. Whether it’s email or social media, we live in a connected, digitized world. Why should job-hunting be any different? The truth is that effective talent recruiting must include a digital component to attract the best pool of applicants — that’s where career sites come in.

Career sites are exactly what they sound like. They’re a website, separate from your company’s website for the general public, that speaks specifically to potential applicants about job opportunities at your company. Job-hunters can access your site easily and read up on your organization and its available positions.

However, a career site seems like it could entail a wide variety of things. In a way, it should — your career site should be a reflection of your organization. That being said, there are some key guidelines that every career site, regardless of the nature of the firm, should follow.

Be specific.

Is there anything worse than trying to determine your future career with vague, wishy-washy information that doesn’t really tell you anything? Career sites that are specific about what positions they are offering and what those positions entail will help job seekers immensely. Microsites, for example, are one great way to ensure helpful specificity. As the name implies, these are smaller sites that branch off of your main career site that speak only to one position (e.g. engineering or marketing), so that a visitor can easily learn about what they are most interested in.

Be unexpected.
While it’s important to have certain components across the board, you also want your career site to be unique to you. Adding unexpected and fun elements can differentiate your organization while also engaging any visitors even more. Something like a shared Spotify playlist builds community in a creative way. The inclusion of social media like Instagram that displays aspects of company culture can be similarly valuable. Don’t be afraid to branch out and make your site your own!

If you’re interested in learning more about career sites, you can download this free e-book guide to best career sites here. It includes far more tips like the ones above, as well as some more must-have components.  Good luck!