Three of my are keynote speeches next week in Tulsa, OK; Hickory, NC and Denver, CO are about mobile. As I’m working on updating and re-polishing this popular presentation, I thought I would share with you 15 mobile statistics that help recruiters, human resource leaders and CEO’s understand how critical mobile is in recruitment and hiring strategies.

These are myths that are pretty standard in my conversations on mobile recruiting. Use these statistics to educate and depend your position when talking with your CEO, leadership team, hiring managers or recruiters who are skeptical about the benefits of mobile recruiting.

Mobile Job Seeker & Recruiting Myths

Mobile is everywhere. It’s now an integrated part of our lives. My mobile phone wakes me in the morning, it controls my roomba while I’m on vacation and my home lights and alarm with my automation system. My mobile phone is my office where I access spreadsheets, reports, respond to emails, texts and make the majority of my phone calls.

Chances are your candidates and job seekers are this way too. They rely on mobile for the majority of their life activities whether it’s social media communication, managing their work and personal calendars via their mobile device, or researching doctor appointments and other important information on the fly. There are more mobile phones than toothbrushes in the world. Mobile is our connection to everything in our lives.

Myth #1 – Mobile is Just Something for Millennials & Kids

• 71% of adults in the U.S. now own a web-enabled smartphone or other wireless device. 

• 54% of people aged 44-54 and 35% of people aged 55 and over use mobile devices to search for jobs.

• Fifteen percent (15%) of Americans ages 18-29 are heavily dependent on a smartphone for online access. Mobile use cuts across generations.

• 45% of 13-24 year olds are spending over 4 hours daily on their smartphones and tablets.

Myth #2 – Mobile is for the White & Privileged

Mobile smartphone adoption cuts across demographics, ages, and also income levels. For some demographics mobile phones are replacing desktop phones because of their multi-purpose, convenience and cost.

• 13%  of Americans with an annual household income of less than $30,000 per year are smartphone-dependent. Just 1% of Americans from households earning more than $75,000 per year rely on their smartphones to a similar degree for online access.

• 12% of African Americans and 13% of Latinos are smartphone-dependent, compared with 4% of whites. Mobile could be your best diversity recruiting strategy. 

Myth #3 – Nobody Responds on Their Mobile

I despise emails and ask who get my voicemail message who want a response to send me a text. The challenge with mobile is that we are always available combined with the fact that we are empowered to not answer the phone. I’ve been getting a ton of robo and telemarketer calls from mine which is why I typically let the call to go voicemail if I don’t know you. Here are some interesting mobile engagement and communication facts to consider.

• 99% of text messages are read and received within 90 seconds.

• App push notifications on mobile devices average 50-80% open rates. This is heads and shoulders better than the average email open rate of 18% according to eMarketer. 

Myth #4 – No One Applies with Their Mobile Device

Applicant tracking systems, and sometimes company career pages, don’t make it easy but mobile apply is on the rise. Since a growing number of us are on our mobile device for access to real time information, that includes visiting job board listings and company career sites. And sometimes, we even apply for jobs via our five inch screen which makes the candidate experience extremely uncomfortable and tricky.

• 90% of job seekers use their mobile device to search for jobs.

• 78% of candidates would apply for jobs on their mobile phone. 

• In 2015, the number of mobile searches overtook desktop search on Google.

Myth #5 – Mobile is About Apps

There are more to apps in mobile. In recruiting, there are five distinct categories including: 1) Social Media, 2) Site as in website, 3) Sourcing, and 4) Supporting. Mobile is a complicated space isn’t a channel but an important overarching part of your strategy.

• 48% of consumers start mobile research with a search engine. SEO plays an important role in all types of optimization online including mobile. Keep in mind that mobile search indexes video extremely high.

• Only a small percentage of talent acquisition teams have mobile apps. In 2013, I aggregate a list of 30 companies.

What myths am I missing? I’d love to give your myth a shoutout in one of my upcoming presentations and speaking. Leave a comment below.