Recruitment Marketing 101

Recruitment marketing is the secret weapon of the well-funded and brand name powerhouses of the Bay Area. Too often, start-up recruiting relies heavily on early-stage employee networks and employee referrals. Growth spurs the on-boarding of a good headhunter who solves the immediate problem but does nothing to proactively build for the future. Internally, Human Resource professionals often lack marketing expertise or can’t execute on employer branding as they are tasked with a myriad of responsibilities.

Gone are the days of posting an ad and making a hire. Employers need to proactively utilize every possible tactic to succeed. Enter the wave of the future, recruitment marketing!

What exactly is recruitment marketing?

Recruitment Marketing is every tactic (think content marketing, advertising, video, social recruiting, mobile recruiting, career site, SEO, employee referrals, talent networks, employer branding, recruiting events) used to find, attract, engage and nurture job seekers before they apply for a job.

Why should I care about recruitment marketing?

The Bay Area’s unemployment hit a record new low in December 2016. With unemployment rates this low the San Francisco Bay Area is fully employed. Expansion plans from large employers Google, Facebook and the like mean you will be fighting for the attention of every applicant. Recruitment marketing is your opportunity to educate job seekers on your value as an employer.

Where to start?

The basics of employer branding- a modern, informative website coupled with a voice on a social channel and a positive online presence.

  • A modern website, mobile optimized. Is your website mobile optimized? Have you viewed and used it as an applicant would to ensure that all features work correctly?
  • Do you have a career page on your website? If so, when was the last time you updated the content?

ERE Media notes that your career website is the most important recruiting channel. In fact, in a report shared from the Talent Board after surveying 100,000 candidates from among some 200 companies, company career sites turned out to be the most valuable resource candidates use when looking into a company. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of candidates listed it among the five most valuable resources. That was not far off from job notifications or agents (twice the next most mentioned resource). Notably, applicants want to see company values, employee testimonials and why people want to work there. Connect this to a day in the life via video mentioned below under bonus points.

Social media

Social media and online reviews will work hand in hand. Applicants want to learn as much about a company as they can before deciding IF they want to apply. Find an outlet and promote your business. The key here is consistency and content. You don’t have to tackle multiple channels all at once. Start with one and build a following. If you aren’t sure where to start, research your closest competitor and see what you find.

Online presence

Review everything that can be found online about your company. A lack of presence is considered negative. Applicants will scour the internet to learn about you. Claim your business on popular sites like Google, Glassdoor, Indeed, etc. Respond and reply to employee and customer reviews. Knowledge is critical. Know what your applicants know.

A plan:

Create a marketing plan complete with your objectives, costs, and audience. Without clear goals (unsolicited applicants applying for future openings, increasing applicant flow, headhunting passive talent, creating user groups) you can’t create a road map. Here is a great blog to help get you started.

Bonus points!

  • Keep it real. Overly stylized and produced content isn’t what people want to see. They want a glimpse into the company and the culture
  • Try video. Interview an employee about a day in the life, live stream employee team-building events on Periscope or create a YouTube channel using your smartphone.

As a recruiting partner, Menlo Partners Staffing starts every search assignment with an intake meeting to learn your story, company, and culture. We want to represent your employer brand in a manner that is consistent with your own messaging. Contact us today to see how we can assist you with finding top talent.

 

 

 

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  • Thanks for helping me learn more about recruitment marketing. I appreciate that one of the things you mentioned that could be beneficial when starting this process would be to make sure that the website you have is optimized and can be used on mobile. With how often people use their mobile devices, it definitely makes sense to keep up with the trend and make sure that the site can be viewed by anyone.

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