Let’s make it rain resumes with employer branding.
By most ways to measure it, the nation is at full employment. That sounds great as a line on the nightly news, but for those of us recruiting and trying to hire and retain the best employees, it’s rough out there.
The Society of Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) LINE Report puts hard numbers to the things most business owners will tell you in more painful terms. Hiring rates across manufacturing and service sectors are expected to rise, while candidate sourcing becomes more difficult.
From small business to big brands, it’s tough to find quality talent these days. The best candidates aren’t looking. And unless your stellar employer brand reputation has people throwing themselves at you for the opportunity, it’s time to apply marketing principles to both consumers and candidates to make it rain resumes.
First, re-think your obstacles.
You have an employer brand, even if it isn’t formally defined yet. Sites like Glassdoor give applicants a look into your interview process, your pay structure and management style. But, employees in any industry know the ups and downs of working for specific companies because the word on the street is out there. Be honest about those, and start to address them in your messaging.
In a job market that isn’t so tight, employers were free to design application processes built to be comfortable to employers first. But in times of full employment, and especially when working with younger demographics, employers no longer have the luxury of multi-step, company-specific application processes that take hours for applicants to complete, only to get 20-seconds of consideration from the hiring manager in return.
Putting your best foot forward with candidates means shifting the conversation from:
- “What makes you the ideal candidate for our company?”
to - “Here’s why we’re the best place for service techs to grow.”
The power dynamic has shifted, but our recruitment marketing and processes usually lag. It’s time to update our perspective to match the reality of the job market.
Barriers to entry must be knocked down. Challenge yourself to require the least amount of information to make an initial decision about a candidate. You can always continue to gather information from applicants as you move through the hiring process.
Hey – look at me! We’re hiring!
Getting the attention of job candidates who aren’t looking is a challenge. But it’s the kind of challenge marketing professionals tackle with your customers. Engage the marketing department early and have them take the same process to reach candidates they would take with customers.
Marketing professionals regularly find customers who don’t know they need a product, present a compelling brand message and convert people from prospects to customers. This may mean you start using tactics more often reserved for customer acquisition, like display advertising, paid social targeting, and even radio and billboards.
Marketing for Recruiting and Hiring Needn’t be Complicated.
Optional: Marketing for Recruiting and Hiring Doesn’t Need to be Complicated.
Put yourself in job seekers’ shoes, apply marketing principles to both consumers and candidates and actively control your employer brand. Need a hand making it rain? Let’s talk.