Recruit Like a Marketer: 5 #Marketing Hacks to Try

Jim Durbin said it best when he said, “Recruitment Marketing is the New Black”. We’ve got it down when it comes to making the applications roll in. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear about companies receiving hundreds of applicants per position. While this sounds impressive on the surface, recruiters know exactly how much work that means and how inefficient and inaccurate the process can become with that many applications, resumes, screens, background checks, feedback emails and interviews.

The sheer number of applications that come in introduces a whole new set of issues in recruiting. Durbin said,

“The new goal is getting in front of the right people at the right time, and that’s a marketing function. To be successful, it requires that every touchpoint (another marketing term) within your company be aware of how you hire and the best way to apply.”

Start Treating Candidates Like Customers, and Listings Like Products

Marketing 101 --you want the customer to think they are getting more value from this product than what they are spending. Everyone wants to come out on top; every candidate wants to know that they’ve made the right decision. Consider that piece of mind, the recruiter’s job. What selling points will lead the candidate to believe that they would be lucky to have this position? Those features are what you focus on in all communications, from the job listing to the offer.

Use Content Wisely

Creative content comes with a Swiss Army Knife of recruiting tools. Content can be shared across multiple channels almost without limitation. Whether you’re using video, images, testimonials, social networking or a blog, content is a fun opportunity to engage quality candidates in a way that not everyone is. Recruiting pro Dave Lefkow said,

“Blogs have the potential to take communicating with candidates to an entirely new level while driving business results. They can be one of the most effective tools in your recruiting arsenal.”

Social Recruiting is Really Social Media Marketing

Social recruiting is a great way to do exactly what Durbin defined as the goal, “…getting in front of the right people at the right time.” Yes, social recruiting does cast that wider net, but it reaches a more targeted audience. When the selling points of a job listing are shared with a relevant few, social media makes it extremely easy for those few to share with more like themselves. Get employees involved and watch the referrals roll in.

Stop Hiding Behind Stock Photos

They’ve caught on to the cheesy, fake career pages. Candidates are looking for an authentic experience at work, and they are no longer buying the stock photos and canned testimonials. The author of a Talemetry Today post said,

“Not only does authenticity resonate more profoundly with candidates and current workers, but it also acts as an effective screening mechanism when it comes to ensuring culture fit and meeting expectations set forth in the hiring process, leading to better quality of hire and, ultimately, retention.”

Market positions with actual employees, real information and an accurate depiction of the company and culture.

Lead Nurture Your Candidates

We’re great at generating leads, we’re not so great at nurturing those leads. Seeing the “sale” through to the end is just as important. Nurturing a candidate lead can entail personalized and frequent communication. Let your candidates know exactly what they can expect from you, the company and the hiring process. Nurture the lead as you go, and you can create a robust talent pipeline and a great employer brand.

Getting marketing minded means adapting those tips and tricks that marketers have been using for years. We’re all on the social and mobile bandwagon now, but marketers were there first. Marketing strategies cross over into recruiting in more ways than you probably thought possible. Sell the company to the candidate and sell the candidate to the company.

Do you have any marketing tricks you like to use in your recruiting process, or any that you have questions about? Please comment below so we can start talking! Read more...

Comment by Paul Alfred on February 19, 2014 at 11:40am: Great article Raj ... I use a lot of video as part of my Social Recruitment Strategy to engage candidates "Folks get tired of hearing " I have a job" what about ' Check out what we do for fun when we're not punching out code" ... It's a little unfortunate that the term 'Social Recruiting" is such a taboo topic amongnst popular readers of Recruitingblogs.com Perhaps 2015 might change a few more minds ...