It’s a brave new world out there, just as Aldous Huxley warned. Well, maybe not exactly that dark and ominous. Certainly, automation has made many tasks easier through emerging recruiting technologies.
But for every thing made easier, there is a new and different challenge brought on by the pace of change in technology and the sheer volume of knowledge and information available.
With every new technological breakthrough, no matter how far down the pike its promised impact may be, the soothsayers invoke it to push their new, bright, shiny objects.
“For only $10,000 a month, you too can have the technology that will solve all your recruiting, hiring, training, retention, and turnover problems. Yes sirree. We’ll deliver the perfect candidates, ripe and ready to work, right to your door! Just sign the contract, and life will change for you and your organization forever!”
After a little time passes you realize, however, that no matter how hard you work to justify these expenditures to your superiors, their bright, shiny claims just don’t hold water.
Forget the Bright, Shiny Objects
I mean, I get it. It’s tough out there, especially today. You have more jobs than qualified candidates. And like everyone else, you really want skilled and ready-to-run hires.
So in that dark, desperate moment of weakness, when the pressure to get that unit filled is at its highest, you cave to the sales pitch and bank on its magic-bullet promises.
Now, of course, not everyone is in the financial position to buy magic bullets. So if you’re one of those organizations that’s not — and even if you are but don’t like wasting your resources — the above was a roundabout way of saying “This message is for you!”
And the message is this: take your time, energy, industry, and money, and focus on doing the basic things well.
Do These 9 Basic Things Instead
So just what are these basic things in the world of recruitment marketing that you should be focusing on? So glad you asked. Here we go.
1. Develop a recruitment marketing plan.
Seek input from your stakeholders.
Seek feedback and analysis from those outside of your organization, such as friends, family, and peers in other industries, who can provide extra insight you may have overlooked.
Look to see what’s possible in your budget, and then make it happen. If you need help creating a plan, pay for it. It’s worth the investment.
2. Build an incredible career website or career pages.
This is where all your candidates enter. Whether they’re coming straight from a job board to see a job, finding you in a search, or off a piece of marketing material, this is where it all starts.
This is where they learn about who you are, what you have, and what you stand for.
This is where you tell your story. It had better be compelling. You only get one, quick shot at this. Use interesting images and tell interesting stories, about real people doing real work.
3. Fix your search.
Let’s be honest, an ATS is called an ATS for a reason. It’s built to accept and track job applications.
The focus has never been much on front-end candidate search experience.
Buy an overlay, and make search fast and easy. You’ll increase the number of jobs viewed as well as applicant flow.
Nothing makes a candidate drop off your site faster than a horrible search experience.
Most ATS searches end up hiding so many opportunities because of horrible keyword or filter-less searches, it’s not funny.
And if candidates can’t find your jobs, they can’t apply for them.
A quality search tool and your career site make all the difference in the world when it comes to candidate engagement.
Attract and engage. Great website, great search, happy candidate.
4. Make it mobile.
Everything. Make everything mobile. “Nuff said.
5. Make sure you have a solid talent community or career hub.
Provide those candidates who are interested but just not ready to commit, with tools that let them save and share jobs and job searches.
Collect job email that’s specific and relevant to them and just not a bulk marketing email from you.
Let them have space to provide you with contact information and a résumé.
Maybe they couldn’t find the job they wanted but would like for you to contact them if and when one becomes available.
Give them the tools they can use to communicate with you.
6. Communicate.
Candidates and applicants, in multiple surveys, repeatedly make clear that one of the most important things to them is communication.
If they inquire about positions, respond. If they apply for a job, respond with an email that indicates that you received their app and tell them what happens next, such as your process for interviewing and hiring.
Let them know whether you found them qualified or not. Don’t leave people hanging. Don’t waste their time.
Communicate!
7. Communicate some more.
You can’t present or post information on your processes enough. Put it on your web site, add it in job posts, and send it in responses to completed applications.
You can post and communicate this information 20 times, in 20 ways and 20 places, and I guarantee you, there will be someone who tells you that he didn’t see it, know it, or hear about it.
8. Communicate with your employees.
They are on the front line and need your help.
Let them know what you’re doing to find the right people to fill that slot beside them.
Market to them as you would candidates. Have them visit the website. Get them involved in your social media campaigns. Have them assist in promoting the departments or jobs in YouTube videos.
Get them to act as career ambassadors for your organization. Bring them your recruits, and let them turn on the charm.
9. Put a simple and easy-to-use employee referral plan in place.
For goodness sakes, this is a no-brainer. Good people want to work with good people.
Your employees are your greatest asset and sales people.
Write a plan, develop some referral marketing materials, and turn your employees into your recruitment staff.
Get the Basics Right And Skip the Dystopian Nightmare
The above list represents the basics. Those are the “gotta haves.”
Whatever you have to put into recruitment marketing, make sure you put it into the nine items above.
I guarantee you’ll be way ahead of those folks who spent their time and money on the bright, shiny magic bullets.
Leave a Reply