Recruitment Marketing: The Basics for Recruitment Professionals

462048891We have been feeling the effects of a skills shortage for some time now, and as candidates continue to have the upper hand, often the reasons a person picks one company over another is based on its brand and core values, and the emotional connection these elements evoke for the candidate.

When consumers loyally purchase the same product or post photos of the items they bought on social media, it’s usually because they have formed an emotional connection with the brand. The brand’s values align with theirs, and the product is a reflection of them. If a consumer purchases an organic skincare product and shares that information via social media, she is sharing that organic products and the brand match up with her values. So, why aren’t we approaching candidates the same way?

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Recruitment professionals shouldn’t be “selling” a company or position to a candidate; they must take on the role of the marketer and embody the brand. As the year progresses and organizations continue to battle to attract and retain the best talent possible, the role of a recruiter will have to evolve. Here are some tips on how to do so:

Brand yourself. A recruiter without a brand is not a recruiter at all. Successful recruiters know how to create a brand for themselves while also fully understanding their company’s brand and culture and the nature of the positions for which they’re recruiting. What are you an expert at? Whether you’re an expert at veteran recruiting, diversity recruiting, employment branding or candidate experience, make yourself subject matter expert on the topic. When you hone in and leverage your expertise, you can build your organization’s presence and deeper relationships with candidates.

Be a thought leader. To build on the idea of branding yourself, recruiters should take it a step further and become a thought leader on their area of expertise. The job of a recruiter can be demanding, with positions to fill and goals to achieve, but being a thought leader will help the pipeline of candidates. Recruiters who are in sync with their organizations’ marketing campaigns and play an active role in sharing that information will build a bigger network of interested candidates. Whether that means writing blogs or speaking on podcasts, being an advocate for your company and its industry is a must.

Utilize multiple channels. Focusing all of your energy and attention on one communication platform is a surefire way to miss out on top talent. Posting your positions and company information on social media will only expose a portion of candidates. And while social recruiting is necessary, so is having a presence on sites like CareerBuilder, Indeed and Glassdoor – because jobseekers often start here therefore you need the presence. While promoting various outside channels, don’t forget to spend time on your most important platform, your company’s careers page. This communication channel should be completely optimized, connected, easy-to-navigate, one-stop-shop for all of the information a candidate could want.

Use consistent messaging. In a growing organization, where there are a number of projects in progress, it can be challenging to be sure everyone is on the same page and core values are inherent in all messaging. It’s one of the most important aspects of effective recruitment marketing. All parties need to understand the strategy of the messaging whether they are speaking with candidates, partners or the media. The same message should be delivered to all audiences to ensure transparency.

Revolutionizing the way we think about recruiters’ roles has been part of our ever-evolving workforce. Candidates aren’t recruited the way they once were, and they aren’t working for companies for the same reasons they were years ago. Incorporating these recruitment marketing tactics into our talent acquisition strategy will change a reactive model to a proactive plan, and one that will differentiate the leading organizations from everyone else.

MORE: Branding in the staffing industry

 

Kim Pope

Kim Pope
Kim Pope is vice president of recruitment solutions, WilsonHCG.

Kim Pope

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