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Disclaimer: this is a long-read, like an online course.
In this article
What is Talent Marketing?
Talent marketing is the strategic approach that transcends traditional recruitment methods. It goes beyond posting vacancies and waiting for candidates. Talent Marketing includes everything from building a strong employer brand and understanding the target audience to leveraging various marketing channels to attract, engage and convert candidates into applicants.
A company with successful Talent Marketing therefore not only has a positive corporate reputation as an employer. It also has a deep understanding of candidates' wants, needs and expectations and therefore attracts candidates who identify with the company's values and culture. To do this, it creates relevant and engaging content that engages and informs candidates. Using different marketing channels such as social media, email marketing, events and SEO to reach candidates.
Finally, along with marketing, the recruiter is also actively involved in building and maintaining relationships with potential candidates, even if they are not applying at the time.
“The recruitment world is shifting from 'post and pray' to a more proactive approach, actively sourcing candidates through social media and other online channels.” ~Lori Sylvia, CEO of Rally Recruitment Marketing.
Today, more than ever, organizations must be proactive to attract top talent before their competitors do. Effective recruitment marketing can significantly reduce the costs of recruitment and selection. By building a strong employer brand, organizations can attract more high-quality applicants, reducing their dependence on external recruitment sources. Talent Marketing enables organizations to attract candidates who not only have the required skills, but also fit well with the company culture and values. This results in longer employment and higher involvement.
Organizations can use Talent Marketing year-round to create a pool of potential candidates, even if there are no immediate vacancies. For positions that are difficult to fill, it can be used to attract targeted candidates. In some sectors, such as tourism or retail, or at some recurring times there is a need for seasonal recruitment that can be optimized for these peak periods.
When an organization wants to reposition its employer brand or appeal to a new target group, Talent Marketing can also be useful.
Stakeholders when setting up a Talent Marketing campaign
A. HR and Recruitment Teams
These teams play a central role in developing and executing recruitment marketing campaigns.
B. Marketing Teams
Marketing professionals can help create compelling content and use effective marketing channels.
C. Employees:
Current employees are ambassadors of the employer brand. Their involvement can strengthen recruitment marketing efforts.
D. Executive Team
Senior management must recognize and support the importance of recruitment marketing.
The sum of all parts
Attracting the right employees remains one of the biggest challenges for managers in today's labor market. As indicated, posting a vacancy on your company website is usually not enough to attract suitable candidates. The question then is which recruitment channels are the most effective when you are looking for new staff? Where should you focus your efforts?
In the past, it was easier to advertise vacancies in newspapers or trade magazines because there was simply nothing better available, but the challenges of hiring new staff have changed dramatically in today's digital age. How about today?
Recruitment channels
LindedIn
Recent research by the Academy for Labor Market Communication shows that LinkedIn is still the most important recruitment channel for employers in the Netherlands. It also says that
"more than 74% of recruitment professionals surveyed cited LinkedIn as their most important recruitment tool. LinkedIn not only offers opportunities for advertising, but is also an ideal source for talent sourcing. Actively approaching candidates with the right skills via LinkedIn is considered very effective. "
"although other social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are also gaining ground in the recruitment strategy, they are generally (wrongly) regarded as less effective. LinkedIn remains by far the most important social media channel for recruitment purposes. Certainly now, with the most recent plans regarding the implementation of artificial intelligence to facilitate that process even better."
Personally I disagree and dare to say your channel depends on the profile of your ideal candidate, and where you can most likely trigger him to view your vacancy. From personal experience on both ends, it is safe to say LinkedIn has its flaws. (Which we might discuss in another article later.) But in the end, all you as, as a recruiter, want is that your most likely to be ideal candidate finds your vacancy, right?
Job boards
Although job boards are no longer among the top five most crucial recruitment channels, their perceived effectiveness remains high, particularly for certain well-established platforms like Jobat and VDAB in Belgium, as well as global players like Indeed and Google for Jobs. These platforms continue to be valuable tools in the recruitment process, offering a broad reach and a familiar interface for both employers and job seekers.
Job boards can be categorized into three main types: general job boards, niche job boards, and job aggregators. General job boards, such as those mentioned earlier, have a wide reach but are often less targeted. They are ideal for attracting a diverse range of candidates across various industries. On the other hand, niche job boards focus on specific markets, such as marketing and sales, IT, or emerging fields like Web3. These boards are more effective in reaching specialized talent pools, making them valuable for filling roles that require specific expertise.
Job aggregators function differently; they collect job listings from various sources, including company websites and other job boards, and compile them on their platform. This approach increases visibility for vacancies but also comes with some challenges. For instance, job aggregators may keep your job listing active longer than it is on your original site, simply to drive more traffic. This can lead to outdated postings, which may frustrate job seekers and reflect poorly on your brand. Additionally, job aggregators do not differentiate between identical job postings from different sources, which can result in duplicate listings for the same position. This can dilute your brand's messaging and potentially confuse applicants.
Despite these challenges, job aggregators can still be beneficial, especially when managed carefully. They amplify your job postings' reach, often utilizing different business models like pay-per-click or subscription services. To maximize the benefits while minimizing the downsides, it is crucial to manage your vacancies proactively. Ensure consistency in your job descriptions across all platforms, regularly monitor where and how your vacancies are being published, and be prepared to update or remove outdated listings promptly. By doing so, you can leverage the extensive reach of job boards and aggregators while maintaining control over your brand's recruitment strategy.
Employer Websites
The websites of employers themselves are also still important for job seekers. Employers should therefore not throw the baby out with the bathwater and, in addition to external sources, should also pay attention to their own website, which conveys the culture and values of the company and can thus serve for employer branding.
See the article: "How to Create a Recruitment Website That Connects"
Referral recruitment
Did you know that your own network plays an increasingly important role in the recruitment process? According to research by The Academy for Labor Market Communication, referral recruitment is now ranked as the second most important recruitment channel, underscoring the value of personal connections in hiring.
Employers are increasingly encouraging their employees to recommend candidates from their own networks. This approach, known as referral recruitment, leverages the trust and relationships employees have built, often leading to higher-quality hires. Companies are not only incentivizing these referrals through bonuses or rewards but also by offering clear career prospects and opportunities for advancement. By fostering a culture where employees feel their growth is supported, they are more likely to spread the word about open positions within the company, helping to attract like-minded and qualified candidates.
Several specialized platforms have emerged to facilitate referral recruitment, making it easier for companies to tap into this valuable resource. Providers like SocialSeeder, Hunterz, Jobylon, Employbrand, and Sprad.io offer tailored solutions to enhance and manage referral programs, often integrating with existing recruitment systems to streamline the process. These tools allow companies to track referrals, manage incentives, and measure the effectiveness of their referral campaigns.
Moreover, many general Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are also incorporating referral recruitment features. These systems have built-in referral tracking capabilities, enabling employers to manage referrals within the same platform they use for other recruitment tasks. These integrated systems simplify the recruitment process by allowing HR teams to manage everything from job postings to candidate referrals in one place, providing a seamless experience for both employers and employees.
In addition to filling open positions, referral recruitment also supports internal promotions. By anticipating potential promotions and career advancements within the current workforce, employers can proactively plan for internal vacancies. This not only helps in succession planning but also boosts employee motivation, as they see tangible opportunities for growth within the company. Encouraging referrals and promoting internal mobility can create a virtuous cycle, where employees are more engaged and invested in the success of the organization, ultimately leading to a more robust and effective recruitment strategy.
Talent Sourcing
Talent Sourcing already came close to Talent Marketing and can therefore certainly not be ignored in this piece. Talent Sourcing is the art of actively searching for qualified candidates, even if they are not actively looking for a new job. It's about finding top talent, both inside and outside your organization, and building a relationship with them before they even consider applying elsewhere. The goal of talent sourcing is to create a pool of potential candidates who are ready when vacancies arise.
To source effectively, recruiters must develop skills in identifying promising candidates, approaching them appropriately and building long-term relationships. This is done by using advanced tools, networking, through a proactive and personal approach and by creating talent pools in which qualified candidates are kept track of for future opportunities.
Talent Marketing is therefore a strategic approach that is the sum of all parts and enables organizations to have continuous access to high-quality candidates. It goes further than simply waiting for a vacancy to arise or hoping that the right candidate applies. It requires creative innovation and skills to execute the strategy. An effective Talent Marketing campaign starts with thorough preparation and strategy.
Six important steps in setting up an effective Talent Marketing campaign:
Define your objectives
What do you want to achieve with the campaign? Do you want to build general awareness, fill specific positions or address a new market segment?
Identify target group
Understand who your target audience is and what motivates them. This includes demographics, psychographics and behavioral characteristics.
Building employer brand
Make sure you have a strong employer brand that appeals to your target group. This includes defining your organizational culture and values.
Develop Content Strategy
Create compelling and relevant content that appeals to candidates. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, webinars and more.
Choose the Right Channels
Determine which marketing channels are most suitable to reach your target group. This could include social media, email marketing, career sites or even live events.
Measure and Optimize
Use analytics to track the performance of your campaign. Adjust your strategy based on what works and what doesn't.
Practical examples
I previously mentioned the campaigns of Bol.com, Coolblue and Deloitte. Let's look at some more examples of companies that have used creative Talent Marketing campaigns to address specific recruitment challenges.
For example, in 2018, Google wanted to attract engineers to work in their cloud computing department. The company created an interactive “Get Your Google On” campaign with puzzles and games, aimed at tech-savvy candidates. The campaign challenged candidates to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and offered them the opportunity to contact the hiring team directly.
Another giant, McDonald's, needed an efficient way to quickly recruit applicants for their restaurants in 2017. They launched the “Snaplications” campaign, where applicants could submit a job application through a Snapchat filter instead of a traditional resume. This allowed younger candidates to apply for jobs in a familiar and fun way. It became a great success and the campaign went viral.
HubSpot, a software company, also wants to attract not only technical talent, but also people who fit their corporate culture. They published their "Culture Code" in the form of a SlideShare presentation and shared it online. This allowed potential candidates to not only see the job openings, but also understand what it's like to work at HubSpot. To this day, it appears to be an effective formula for attracting qualified candidates.
These examples illustrate how companies have used creative approaches to address specific recruitment challenges. They have applied marketing principles to target and engage their target audience, leading to successful recruitment campaigns.
Talent marketing is a powerful tool in the modern recruitment arsenal. Organizations that are able to develop and execute effective Talent Marketing strategies have a competitive advantage in attracting top talent. By building a strong employer brand, creating relevant content and using creative approaches tailored to their ideal candidate profile, organizations can achieve their recruitment goals and make a lasting impact on the job market.
The Ideal Candidate Profile: Find, Don't Invent
Use Data Analysis
Modern recruitment software uses data analysis to identify trends in candidate profiles. By looking at what skills, experience and personality traits successful employees have in common, you can get a more accurate picture of the ideal candidate profile for your organization.
Keep Interviews Informative
Ask structured interview questions aimed at assessing required competencies and skills. This minimizes the influence of biases and ensures that you select candidates based on objective criteria.
Use Behavioral AssessmentS
Behavioral assessment Tools such as personality questionnaires can provide insight into how well a candidate fits in with the company culture and team. This can help identify candidates who not only have the right skills, but also fit well into the team.
Stay Open to Diversity
The ideal candidate profile should be inclusive and embrace diversity. Diversifying your workforce brings different perspectives and ideas, which can lead to innovation and improved performance.
“The future of recruitment will be about using data and analytics to identify and attract the right candidates. Organizations must embrace technology to stay competitive in the job market.” ~Josh Bersin, Global Industry Analyst at the Josh Bersin Academy.
To conclude this chapter, I would also like to add a word about diversity and inclusion (D&I). This has become essential in the search for top talent. Companies that embrace diversity not only have ethical benefits, but also a competitive advantage.
Diverse teams tend to be more creative and innovative because they represent a wide range of perspectives and ideas (Harvard Business Review).
Companies with diverse leadership and human resources teams perform better financially (McKinsey).
An inclusive culture attracts talent and ensures higher retention rates (Deloitte).
Companies should therefore proactively work on creating an inclusive working environment, taking into account diversity in its aspects during the recruitment process, from preparing vacancies to selecting candidates.
Shrewd recruitment skills
The talent acquisition landscape is constantly evolving, driven by technological advances, changing demographics and the demands of an increasingly complex labor market. In this chapter, we'll examine the future role of hiring managers and identify the top five skills they must possess to thrive in this rapidly changing environment.
The traditional role of hiring managers involved posting job openings, reviewing resumes, and coordinating job interviews. However, in the future the responsibilities will become much broader and more strategic.
Recruitment managers will increasingly rely on data to substantiate decisions. They will use advanced analytics to understand recruitment performance, candidate flows and market analysis. Building and maintaining a positive employer brand also becomes crucial.
Recruitment managers can therefore be involved in defining the organizational culture and communicating that culture to potential candidates. At the same time, people will have to develop marketing skills to present their organization as an attractive employer. Promoting diversity and inclusion should be central to creating an inclusive work environment.
Finally, in the age of digital transformation, hiring managers should stay abreast of emerging technologies, such as AI and automation, that are transforming the hiring process.
The Top Five Skills for Recruiters
Data Analysis Skills
Marketing and Branding Skills
Technological Competence
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Diversity and Inclusion skills
Conclusion
The role of hiring managers is facing significant changes as candidate expectations evolve and technology transforms recruitment processes. Possessing the right skills is essential to stay relevant in this dynamic environment. Data analytics, marketing and branding skills, technological prowess, interpersonal and communication skills, as well as diversity and inclusion skills, are at the core of the successful hiring manager.
The ability to develop and apply these skills will determine organizations' success in attracting top talent and building diverse and inclusive teams. The future of hiring managers will be characterized by a holistic approach to recruitment, where data and human interaction go hand in hand to attract and retain the right candidates.
Good luck,
- Author
Sources:
Harvard Business Review. (2013). How Diversity Can Drive Innovation.
McKinsey & Company. (2020). Diversity wins: How inclusion matters.
Deloitte. (2017). Diversity and inclusion at work: The business perspective.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). The Employment Situation - August 2021.
LinkedIn. (2021). LinkedIn Workforce Report | United States | August 2021.
Deloitte. (2020). Global Human Capital Trends 2020: The social enterprise at work.
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LinkedIn's rapport over Global Recruiting Trends
Onderzoek van De Academie voor Arbeidsmarktcommunicatie
Intelligence Group's onderzoek naar wervingskanalen van werkzoekenden in de ICT-sector.
Google Blog
McDonald's Newsroom
HubSpot Blog
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