In an increasingly difficult environment to find and retain talent, implementing the right strategies is crucial. Not only is most of the coveted talent passive, thus not actively seeking a job, studies by Bersin by Deloitte show that top candidates only last on the market 10 days, while the average recruitment process takes about 52. Hiring companies compete in a market in which demand has far exceeded its supply. It is therefore critical for organizations to showcase themselves as much as possible if they wish to hire top talent and maintain a competitive advantage.
What is Recruitment Marketing?
Recruitment marketing is the strategic process of building and communicating a company’s employer brand to attract and drive job seekers to apply for a position. Awareness, interest and active search are the three pre-applicant stages of talent acquisition and constitute Recruitment Marketing. Potential candidates rely on these steps to learn about an employer, and to decide whether or not to apply to their company.
Top talent has many options to choose from when it comes to deciding where to work, similarly to the options customers have when choosing what goods/services to purchase. Implementing marketing strategies to recruitment is what Recruitment Marketing is based upon. Hiring companies treat potential candidates as a company would it is loyal customers, branding, messaging, engaging. The objective is to showcase an organization and attract top talent.
Employer Branding is the most important part of Recruitment Marketing. It is a never-ending process displaying everything candidates should know about a company. Job seekers look for information on company culture, career growth opportunities, benefits, employee value proposition… Having a strong employer branding strategy is an unprecedented advantage. A study by LinkedIn shows that 75% of candidates research information about firm reputation before applying. Moreover, 60% of candidates would not accept a job in a firm with a bad reputation, even when jobless. Employer Branding should provide answers to the basic questions job-seekers may have: what is it like to work in this company? What does it look like day-to-day? How do workers interact? What events take place? Are there trainings? What would I gain from working in this company?
What techniques can be used to improve Employer Branding?
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Inbound Recruiting:
Inbound Recruiting is used to increase Employer Brand Recognition and expand talent pools. The goal is to attract and engage talent through targeted, informative content. Content marketing, social media marketing and search engine optimization can be used for inbound recruiting.
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Candidate engagement:
Candidate engagement is similar to the marketing technique of building customer loyalty. By communicating achievements, job openings, career opportunities, potential candidates can feel treated and valued, and thus be more engaged. Encouraging candidates to subscribe to newsletters, blogs and social media is a way to build a relationship with them and retain them.
The goal is to connect and create a community, and social media is a brand amplifier tool. It enables companies to be easily located by talents, reaching unprecedented audiences. Additionally, it allows companies to communicate their company culture, interact with candidates and maintain high visibility.
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Data-Driven Recruiting for HR analysis:
Our era’s technological advances are used in virtually every industry, including HR. Every step of the talent acquisition process can be traced and evaluated. This use of data enables recruiters to make better, more informed decisions. Through the tracking of elements like website visitors, applicants, application process and performance, companies can collect significant insight into what works and what needs improvement.
What are the benefits of Recruitment Marketing?
Recruitment Marketing is used to overcome the challenges of the current labour market. Companies with strong Recruitment Marketing strategies are more likely to attract talent, just like companies with strong marketing strategies are more likely to attract customers. Candidates become aware of employers through social media, reviews, and what they learn about a company’s culture, mission and other factors can influence their decision to apply for a job.
Recruitment Marketing is a continuous process that should be considered as part of an evolution, with constant improvement. Every recruitment marketing strategy has 4 goals. First, to make potential candidates aware of a company. Second, trigger their interest. Third, drive them to believe the company is the best possible fit for them, and finally make them to apply to open positions.
