With a HELP WANTED or NOW HIRING sign in every window, candidates have a multitude of options when pursuing a job. So many choices that the tables have turned. Instead of a candidate needing to convince a potential employer that they are the right person for the job, the burden of proof has shifted to the employer’s shoulders to convince the candidate that this is the right company. These days, hiring is less about talent and skillset and hinges more on aligning the candidate’s values and motivations with the employer’s.
That’s where recruitment marketing enters the picture. According to Lauren Shufran, Content Strategist, “What recruitment marketing fundamentally does is define and communicate the organization’s mission, purpose, and culture through all the right channels, creating awareness for talent who not only meet the role’s requirements but who also share the company’s vision and values.”
Candidates are totally psyched to find a like-minded employer. And companies cheer, knowing these well-aligned applicants, who also possess the needed skills, have the potential to become long-term team members—and possibly rising to the level of company ambassadors. When this kind of values-purpose-mission alignment happens, everyone wins.
What are the best recruitment marketing strategies to reach today’s candidates?
Obviously, driving people to learn more about your brand has to be front and center. Think LinkedIn and Glassdoor, where even passive candidates can get a glimpse of who you are and what you stand for and be nudged to inquire further.
Of course, social media will play a key role in establishing brand awareness, as it offers the perfect platform for demonstrating values via relevant, engaging content. In addition, followers and “likers” will get to know who and what initiates and stimulates the company’s driving forces.
Google should factor mightily into any recruitment marketing strategy, being the most popular search engine with a reach that covers over 90% of the worldwide market. Whether you choose the SEO or PPC approach—or a combination—generating traffic is the key to attracting best-fit talent via an online presence. Gaining success through either method or a custom combination requires an in-depth understanding of the strengths and limitations of each, enabling appropriate use of either strategy.
Gone are the days when only a time clock and a paycheck tethered the employee/employer relationship. Now, folks long to work for an organization with whom they can connect and relate on a deeper level. More than ever before, candidates will be on the lookout for clearly defined values and cultures so that it’s easy to determine those best-aligned connections. They will go the extra mile to gauge the level of care the organization demonstrates towards its employees. They will demand transparency about everything from benefits to job responsibilities to expectations. In today’s candidate-driven market, candidates will grasp the upper hand dangling in front of them and use it to their advantage.
So, let the experience and expertise of the ASJ Partners team help your staffing agency ramp up brand awareness with a comprehensive, customized marketing plan that will reel in the best-of-the-best. The ASJ difference can make your brand shine! Contact us today.
