Recruiting is a Marketing Problem

Many — maybe most — companies say that recruiting and retaining good people is their top priority and their key to growth. But you’d never know it from the way they market.

Start with the websites. For the vast majority, the only place on the site that refers to available positions is the “Careers” or “Jobs” page. Nothing on the home page, no buttons or call-outs anywhere else on the site.

And for most, the Careers page simply lists the available positions — and a handful include an online application. But little or nothing about why you’d want to work for this company. No testimonials —video or otherwise — from current team members. Nothing about values or benefits. Nothing about the brand or the future.

Think about that for a minute. If you marketed your products or services that way, you’d be out of business. You don’t just list what you offer. You sell it. You promote the benefits. You lay out case studies. You post testimonial videos. So if finding top talent — or even warm bodies — is truly critical, why treat that problem any differently?

Move over to social media, and the story is pretty much the same. Companies are using boilerplate language to promote available positions, without taking advantage of all the things that, done correctly, make social media so compelling. So each posting is just another job opening among many.

In fact, most companies would never consider using their normal marketing channels for recruiting. No digital campaigns or targeted direct mail. No email or outdoor. No point of purchase, either.

If recruiting the right people is the key to your company’s success, add these to your to-do list:<

1. Craft the message that will sell you as a premier place to work. Think of it the same way you would any of your offerings. What makes you special? What advantages do you offer? What’s your story?
2. Rethink your web and social content to reflect your need for people. What changes do you need to make so that every visitor knows you have great opportunities waiting.
3. Think about all the tools at your disposal. Which ones can you use for recruiting. Can some do double duty, selling both your products / services and your positions / career choices?

If you need people, make sure your marketing shows it. And if you need help doing that, call Idealogy at (812) 399-1400.