Want to beat the competition and snag the best candidates in town? It’s all about that powerful marketing strategy!
Get ready to redefine your recruitment game and leave your mark in the market. How? By nailing your corporate brand and rocking thought leadership like a pro – especially online! In this blog, we’ll spill the beans on why your online presence is key and how to amp it up for your staffing success.
The Need to Be Seen: How a Well-Defined Online Persona Attracts Talent
As of May 2022, there were 11.3 million open jobs in the United States alone and the voluntary quit rate was 25 percent more than pre-pandemic rates.¹ Employers and staffing firms need to find the right candidate who understands the value of the companies they’re hiring for to fill these vacancies and retain employees.
But that’s not all! A 2017 McKinsey & Company report found that although business leaders understand the value of talent, a significant 82 percent of companies think they can’t find the right people. And only 7 percent of organizations think they can. What’s more alarming is that only 23 percent of senior executives and managers active in talent-related discussions believe their strategies for acquisition and retention are working.²
That’s why establishing your brand identity through a kickass online persona can help you attract and retain the right people. Show the world who you are and why you’re the bomb. Here’s why it’s a win-win:
- It can help your brand stand out against the competition.
- It can build your reputation by sharing your values with your audience.
- It can engage candidates and other industry leaders.
Optimize Online Persona: Recruitment Strategies That Work
Building your online persona should be based on your brand’s values, what your audience seeks, and what goals you want to achieve. Here are some steps you can take to elevate your brand’s presence in digital spaces.
1. Establish your corporate brand through thought leadership.
According to Gallup research, only 4 out of 10 employees know what their company stands for and what sets it apart from competitors.³ It’s time to change that!
Thought leadership is the key. Share your brand’s values and story through epic content that adds value to people’s lives. Show them what sets you apart from the competition and the benefits you can offer to the people around you.
But it’s also important to keep it real. No need to jump on every trend. For example, if you want to be seen as professional or authoritative, then TikTok dances might not be your thing. Instead, stick to data-driven blogs on your website that offers solutions and resonate with your personal brand.
Related Reading: Lead the Pack: The Benefits of Thought Leadership for Staffing Professionals
Ready to rock your online presence? It’s all about knowing your target audience and engaging them right where they’re hanging out.
Social media platforms work differently when it comes to helping you establish your brand. For example, if you’re looking for candidates actively seeking new employment or thought leaders who are looking to discuss industry innovations, LinkedIn may be one of the platforms you can leverage.
If you plan to showcase what your work culture and office spaces are like, you can try out Instagram and Facebook pages to highlight your teams’ photos. This can attract people who crave a healthier workplace!
Related Reading: 5 LinkedIn Recruitment Marketing Ideas
3. Make your job ads clear and accurate.
Did you know? Most job ads miss the mark. According to Gallup, only 5 percent of hiring managers and recruiters strongly agreed that the company’s job postings accurately reflected the roles’ actual job demands.⁴
Here’s how to fix that. First up, get your hiring team on the same page. Make sure your team knows what they’re looking for in a candidate. Talk it out with department leaders and managers to nail those qualifications and experiences.
And don’t forget to jazz it up! Make your brand persona shine in your job ads. For example, want to promote your friendly brand? Be warm and engaging in your post. Hook those candidates with a dose of personality!
4. Make the most of niche job boards and online groups.
Niche job boards and online groups are gold mines where the best of the best hang out. For example, you can find tech candidates on Dice. Meanwhile, creatives and design candidates congregate on Dribbble.
You can also try posting in Facebook groups specific to certain industries. Participate in chitchats, challenges, and trends. It’s the perfect way to attract candidates!
5. Look at candidates as if they’re your customers.
Just like customers, candidates can make or break your reputation. So, it’s important to treat them with genuine care and respect.
For example, you advised an applicant they’ll get an update about their application status in three days. Make sure to that time frame. Be on top of your game and keep your word.
It’s also important to make yourself available to them. Offer your details or a helpful contact to answer their questions promptly. If your candidates have a great recruitment experience with you, they can recommend your staffing firm to others and say good things about your team even if they don’t land the job.
6. Create an employee referral program.
Referral programs can improve your reputation while finding you the best candidates. Think about it, people are more likely to trust you when they hear good things about you. And they’ll be more eager to submit their applications to you through an employee they know.
On the other hand, you can trust your employees to refer people whose work ethics they’re already familiar with. This gives you a better idea of how well they may fit within your teams.
7. Harness Applicant Tracking Systems.
Having an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can make your hiring process run smoothly for both your hiring team and the applicants. An ATS can help you screen your candidates accurately and in a shorter amount of time using the resumes candidates submit. This way, you can focus on engaging better-qualified candidates.
Your candidates will love it too! It involves less time and more updates. They’ll be in the loop at every step, and even get instant feedback if things don’t pan out.
8. Remember to stay connected with past applicants.
Don’t forget about your past applicants! You’ve already screened them, so you know what they bring to the table. You can always tap them in the future for job openings they’re more suitable for.
Let them know they matter to you by regularly connecting with them. You can add them to your email database and send them employment-related resources or invite them to your job fairs and other career events.
Your online persona can draw you closer to the best candidates.
Take care of your persona in digital spaces by being strategic with your posts and how you engage your audience. Show that your brand has value, and your offerings are relevant by genuinely understanding the people you want to reach.
BOOST YOUR MARKETING STRATEGIES WITH ALLIED INSIGHT
If you’re on a quest to find the perfect candidates but need a boost in your marketing strategies, Allied Insight is here to save the day! We’re a rockstar team of marketing wizards, and we’ve got just what you need! From cleaning up your brand cohesion to analyzing your competition, we’ve got your back.
Need help with your online persona and reputation? We’ve got the solutions you’re looking for! Let’s chat and level up your hiring game together. Get in touch with us today so, we can discuss how to improve your online reputation.
References
1 McKinsey & Company. “The Great Attrition is Making Hiring Harder. Are You Searching the Right Talent Pools?” 13 July 2022, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-great-attrition-is-making-hiring-harder-are-you-searching-the-right-talent-pools.
2 McKinsey & Company. “Attracting and Retaining the Right Talent.” 24 Nov. 2017, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/attracting-and-retaining-the-right-talent.
3 Musser, Chris. “One Employee Question That Leaders Can’t Afford to Ignore.” 27 Sep. 2019, Gallup, https://www.gallup.com/workplace/267014/one-employee-question-leaders-afford-ignore.aspx.
4 Barry, Kristin. “To Recruit Top Talent, Rethink Your Job Postings.” 14 Oct. 2020, Gallup, https://www.gallup.com/workplace/321638/recruit-top-talent-rethink-job-postings.aspx.
