Recruitment marketing. You’ve probably heard the phrase, seen it trending on your favorite staffing blogs, referenced offhandedly in a marketing email with no context. But is it more than just a buzzword? Simply put, “recruitment marketing” refers to strategies used by staffing agencies to proactively find, attract, engage and nurture talent before they’ve even applied for a job. It’s become a critical component of talent acquisition, as the methods of finding and approaching candidates continually change due to robust competition and a shrinking talent pool. But here’s the question: how does a recruiter effectively deploy these tactics in order to make a positive impression and get their agency on a candidate’s preferred list? Or more simply, how does a recruiter improve their recruitment marketing?
Company Branding
Company branding is crucial when it comes to a candidate’s decision making. During a typical job search, candidates will consider who and who not to work with based on the number of positive impressions generated through a series of multiple interactions and touch points. Perhaps the candidate came across one of your agency’s videos, or maybe even visited your website. Regardless of the medium, it’s important to remember that even if every contact doesn’t yield an immediate placement or meeting, establishing cumulative positive touch points is key to any successful recruitment marketing strategy. With many firms vying for the same rare talent, recruiters must find ways to set themselves apart in the eyes of the candidate. According to a recent report published by LinkedIn, 75% of candidates consider a company’s brand reputation before even applying for a job. Positive associations with a brand improves candidate’s InMail acceptance rate (a LinkedIn direct message sent to a user you aren’t connected with) by 31%. Creating an attractive brand image is equally important to day-to-day operations.
Social Media and Digital Advertising
LinkedIn and Facebook pages can raise a company’s online profile by providing their audience with relevant news and information at no added cost to you. Furthermore, taking advantage of digital advertising tools on these platforms is an effective way for recruiters to expand their company’s reach, find talent, and match them with new job openings. Google Ads will allow your company to rank at the top of search engine results for keywords finely tuned to your desired audience. Additionally, digital and social media platforms can be used to drive both candidates and end-clients to your agency’s website. Sources like LinkedIn and Facebook are also good places to establish effective two-way communications with your targets. Such platforms provide recruiters with a means to listen to and understand potential candidates, allowing them to refine their recruitment marketing efforts over time.
Diversifying Your Content Marketing Efforts
Social media has become ubiquitous, and has been adopted by businesses across industries as a way of establishing their brand image. Content marketing, i.e. producing and sharing original content including articles, infographics, videos, etc. is a great way of cultivating your brand image. By continually putting out valuable content, recruiters can position themselves and their firms as industry thought leaders, raising both their individual status and their company’s profile. Proving yourself to be a credible, reliable source through your content is critical to recruitment marketing. The more quality content you publish, the more confidence you instill in your audience, and the more likely candidates (and hiring managers) will want to partner with your firm. Even if a candidate isn’t actively looking for a position at that particular time, they will be more likely to reach out to you when they begin to look for new employment opportunities. It’s a long-term strategy and you won’t see immediate results, but investing in quality content marketing elevates the perception of your firm, and leads to more placements down the road.
Crafting an Engaging Job Description
Whether on a job board or your company website, job postings with an enticing and a precise description are far more likely to attract quality resumes and can better help filter talent for a particular role. The job search can often be a difficult process, so if someone is in the market for a new opportunity, the clearer, more direct job descriptions instantly become more appealing. This process has the added benefit of creating a sense of trust in potential candidates, as they can be assured that your firm knows the role and the end-client. Additionally, it cuts down on the time a recruiter has to spend educating talent on the expectations and responsibilities of any one position. In a sense, a good job description simplifies the hiring process, drawing more candidates into your recruiting funnel, and solidifying your marketing efforts. It should also be added that your website must be mobile friendly, making it easier for candidates to link their social profiles and upload necessary documents. A clunky mobile site doesn’t bode well for a creating positive brand image!
These are but a few ways staffing companies can elevate their branding and improve their recruitment marketing efforts. It’s important to remember, whether we’re using social, original content, advertising, or good old fashioned job descriptions, you must add value to your candidates’ lives. If you add value, you create a positive impression in their minds and lives. Stringing together these impressions and creating multiple touchpoints is essential, as recruitment marketing plays a vital role in staying connected with candidates for future job placements.
