With job openings and recruitment marketing efforts at a record high and key indicators pointing to a looming Great Resignation, employers are facing a competitive labor market unlike any we’ve seen before.

For job candidates, the experience of the last year and a half has shaped a new set of needs and expectations, and these changes have sparked a reckoning of sorts, with recruitment professionals increasingly concerned that traditional approaches will be insufficient in this unique time.

Given this challenging environment, effective recruitment marketing is more important than ever. But too often we see companies embarking on campaigns that are generic, inauthentic or that target the wrong KPIs. These are the four elements we believe are essential to a truly impactful recruitment marketing campaign:

1. A Brand That Knows Itself – Authentic Recruitment Marketing

Especially now, companies need to adopt authentic and targeted values based messaging that resonates with the candidates who are right for them. A company can’t do that without a deep understanding of its own brand identity and of how its own employees view their experiences on the job.

For that reason, we view internal research as perhaps the most important ingredient of a recruitment marketing plan. It’s why we create a customized research plan with both qualitative and quantitative elements for every client. We interview employees across levels and across functions, and we also speak one-on-one to executives. To preserve a textured understanding of the resulting insights, we make sure that the same people running our focus groups are involved in the creation of the end strategy and campaigns.

Recruitment marketing campaigns that are driven by authentic, on-the-ground insights are more compelling to an organization’s ideal candidates. And candidates attracted by these campaigns are more likely to be satisfied by what they discover during the interview process — and ultimately accept an offer.

2. A Compelling Differentiator

There are some universal kinds of value that almost any employer can offer: the potential for growth, a sense of purpose, a way to create impact and the chance to give back to one’s community, to name a few.

In order to craft an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that actually works, we must look beyond those universal values to focus in on the unique story and particular opportunities that an organization presents to its current and future staff.

With some honest introspection, and the research mentioned above, it’s possible to understand what makes your organization stand out for employees. When communicated well, that unique value can spark pride for your staff, raise your standing in the labor marketplace, and help new hires hit the ground running, already aligned with your company’s goals and primed to accelerate growth.

3. An Employee Experience That’s More Than Aspirational

Many candidates are coming out of the pandemic harboring a sense of lingering dissatisfaction with their employers, and job seekers are more skeptical than ever of employer brand messaging. These candidates are making use of an endless array of digital platforms and informal networks to fact-check companies’ claims.

This makes it essential for recruitment marketing campaigns to include specific messaging and compelling proof points. (For example, DEI messaging should be accompanied by information on real accomplishments and details on affinity groups and other community resources available to employees.) Campaigns need to be based in real employee stories and should include authentic images — not stock photography.

The candidate experience is the first step in the employee experience that you need to show up with compelling action. Timely and transparent communication, on the channels that candidates want to engage on, demonstrate an organizations true intent about how it treats employees.

4. An Informed Media Plan

Too often, recruitment marketing campaigns are designed to increase the number of applicants — without enough attention to the quality of those candidates.

Instead, campaigns need to grow out of a deep understanding of a company’s target candidate and their job seeking journey. By taking a multi-channel approach to finding talent (leveraging programmatic, search, social and more), well-targeted recruitment marketing campaigns can spark engagement from candidates at key points in their journey. The balance between push and pull strategies will help to make sure your job postings are there when candidates are inspired to hunt for a new opportunity.

Campaign dollars must also be targeted toward the stages of the talent acquisition funnel that present the most opportunity. For this to work, the campaign must be customized according to the organization’s specific needs. An analysis of current and past performance can highlight whether, for example, a company needs to be focusing on employer brand awareness, SEO improvements, or a simplified application process. It’s equally important to take into consideration the actions of your recruitment team, their tools, and how your media plan can help them to focus on converting candidates into offers.

The Last Word:

Once you know who you are and have a clear understanding of what makes you uniquely desirable, you can ensure you’re providing proof of your value and craft a plan to reach the right talent in the way that serves your business.

That, in short, is how we help clients win at recruitment marketing.

Wondering how to best apply these principals while addressing the unique considerations of your business? Get in touch.

Blu Ivy Group is a global leader in employer branding, organizational culture, and recruitment marketing. We help organizations across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors build extraordinary employee experiences, magnetic employer brands and high-performance cultures.

From C-Suite to Employer Brand and Talent Acquisition leadership, we partner with our clients to transform their organizations and design the most compelling workplaces of the future.

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What Good Recruitment Marketing Looks Like