The goal of recruiting employees isn’t just to fill job openings but to attract workers that are enthusiastic, dependable, and most of all, qualified. You need a solid recruitment marketing plan in place to attract candidates who meet your candidate profile. Here’s how to get started on a strong hiring stint along with some real-life examples for inspiration.
recruitment marketing defined.
Recruitment marketing encompasses the strategy that attracts job candidates to your open positions. The definition is straightforward, though putting it into practice can be easier said than done. Recruitment marketing is a business practice you absolutely want to get right. A lacklustre recruitment campaign can result in a lack of candidates and/or underqualified applicants. The end result is hirer’s remorse and high turnovers.
While it varies between industries, the average turnover rate for UK companies is about 15% annually. Depending on the size of the workforce, this could be a large number of employees you have to replace every year.
recruitment marketing agency strategies.
Consider the following recruitment strategies and collaborate with your HR team to flesh out each of these parameters.
define your hiring goals
Your hiring goals should be more detailed than just filling vacancies. More specifically, what do you want out of your candidates? Hiring goals may include:
- Get X% of applicants from social media
- Get X% of applicants with specific qualifications
- Get more candidates with a master’s degree or above
define the ideal candidate profile
The candidate profile typically goes beyond the applicant’s work-related qualifications. The profile includes characteristics that are common among the demographic drawn to your position, such as:
- Key values you would look for them to demonstrate
- Geo-location
- Past experience and skills
Having a detailed candidate profile will assist you in your recruitment outreach. For example, if you identify that the hiring demographic is generally exuberant and outgoing, then your hiring ad can mention company-sponsored social events like karaoke or game nights.
define your value proposition
What can you offer candidates besides a steady paycheck? Most applicants are seeking a career and not just a job. The former entails a long-term and rewarding place to work. What benefits do employees get from being a part of your company roster? Outline the value proposition in your hiring ad. This may include:
- Career advancement opportunities
- Comprehensive health and dental insurance
- Company dinners and corporate events
- A hybrid in-office/work-from-home environment
- A spacious office environment with complimentary refreshments
publish career-related content
Optimise your career page the way you optimise your product and service pages. There should be more than just a form for the applicant to fill out. There should be content that makes applicants want to apply and cross their fingers in hopes of getting a callback. Career-related content can include:
- Photos of current staff having fun in their work environment
- A downloadable guide or brochure outlining career opportunities
- A detailed value proposition of job vacancies
- Links to career-related blog posts
recruitment marketing examples.
The following are real-world recruiting marketing ideas put into action. These are more on the creative end. Your approach doesn’t have to be this out-of-the-box, but it illustrates effective recruitment marketing once you have your blueprint fully mapped out using the above strategies.
volkswagen
The German automobile brand Volkswagen held an innovative hiring campaign for mechanics. The company determined in their candidate profile that qualified applicants are those with professional auto maintenance experience. To recruit the most qualifying candidates, the company distributed faulty VW cars with a hiring message located in the car’s undercarriage. Getting under the car is not something the average car owner will do, so only the mechanically inclined will spot the message.
ikea
Upon examining their candidate profile, the furniture company Ikea identified a common trait among job applicants: most of them were Ikea customers. In response, Ikea decided to tap into their customer base by including hiring offers tucked in the instruction packet of their furniture. The customer would come across these as they assembled their recently purchased sofa or desk. Responses were in the four-digit range, and the company was able to fill close to 300 job openings for a new store in Australia.
marriott
The mega hotel chain Marriott illustrates perfectly the value of having a strong career page. For starters, the company updated the site with fresh content at least twice a day. Some of the content included inspirational stories from current employees, such as how they moved up the career ladder. The career page also has a chat window where potential employees can ask questions. Current staff members have full access to the chat and can answer questions and provide personal insights.
revolutionise your recruitment marketing with hireful.
Putting these recruitment marketing strategies into practice takes a lot of work and organising. hireful’s applicant tracking system makes this task much more manageable. Save time with automated solutions that filter qualified candidates through the recruitment process, from the initial application submission to onboarding. Schedule a 15-minute introductory call today.
