When it comes to creating a recruitment strategy for the future, look to icebergs for inspiration.
Yes, we’re talking about that kind of iceberg.
What we see of icebergs is only a fraction of their actual size. As anyone who has seen the film Titanic knows, there’s a lot going on under the surface. And that’s how your recruitment process should work: You should strive to create an always-on approach that engages your applicants throughout the year—not just during your peak recruitment season. The end result? You’ll recruit top diverse talent, surpass your goals, and create an unparalleled candidate experience.
Always-on recruiting is particularly important given the strength of the labor market— the Bureau of Labor Statistics pegged the October unemployment rate at 3.6 percent—and as Gen Z and Millennials continue to become a dominant force in the workplace. To hire the best candidates, you need to keep them engaged and nurture them even when you’re not actively hiring.
Here’s how you can create an always-on recruitment process that sets you apart from the competition.
Like Obi-Wan Kenobi after Darth Vader strikes him down in Star Wars: A New Hope, great employer branding can make your early-career recruiting more powerful than you could ever imagine. Branding creates incomparable brand equity for your organization—and drives potential applicants.
We’ve seen this firsthand at WayUp: Our custom employer branding campaigns drive an average 35 percent increase in qualified candidates for partners and clients. That’s not the only benefit employer branding provides your organization, though. According to LinkedIn, organizations with a strong employer reputation see their cost-per-hire decrease by 43 percent compared to their competitors.
Here are three steps you can take to shift your employer branding into overdrive:
● Create video testimonials of employees describing what it’s like to work at your company.
● Write articles highlighting projects your team is responsible for.
● Take pictures of team functions and post them on your website to showcase your company culture.
These tips are just the, well, tip of the iceberg for your always-on recruiting strategy. There’s another critical component you need.
Once you create brand equity, you need to leverage that to attract jobseekers throughout the year. One way you can do this is to keep passive candidates engaged.
You should notify potential applicants of what’s happening at your company through emails or newsletters. Your organization also should utilize social media channels to showcase company culture—using any of the above content types. Potential candidates who follow you on these platforms will receive alerts about your latest updates.
Engagement is important for multiple reasons. With strong competition for qualified candidates, you can turn passive jobseekers into active ones. Plus, top early-career talent may already be employed, so you need to lure them away from their current employers.
Consistent outreach to potential applicants also builds your talent pipeline. This pipeline provides you with qualified candidates for your organization’s future roles—and reduces your time-to-hire.
One major benefit of always-on recruiting is an efficient recruiting process. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the current cost-per-hire for companies that utilize on-campus recruiting is $6,110.
If your organization aims to attract qualified candidates all four seasons instead of only during fall and spring semesters, you can employ a more cost-effective strategy. You can use methods like digital job sourcing platforms (like WayUp!)—and only spend $1,533 on your cost-per-hire, per NACE.
As the labor market rapidly evolves, you need any trick at your disposal to attract—and hire—top early-career talent. Always-on recruiting helps you do that effectively and efficiently.
