Last year, the U.S. unemployment rate was the lowest it has been in fifty years. This means that there are more jobs available than there are qualified personnel to meet it. As with the law of supply and demand, it puts the reins of power squarely in the hands of job seekers. We are in the middle of the new phenomenon of the candidate-driven market.
A candidate-driven market means that companies must compete to gain the attention of top talent. This is where recruitment marketing comes in. When done properly, it elevates your company (in the minds of your optimal candidates) as an employer of choice.
What is Recruitment Marketing?
Things have never been better for candidates. They have more flexibility in terms of their job selection. Thus, employers must work hard to gain their attention. Recruitment marketing uses marketing strategies to attract top talent and nurture positive relationships with them as well.
Leveraging The Power of Social Media
The vast majority of candidates (a whopping 60%) are researching potential employers before they put in an application. This in an to ensure that their potential employers are personable, transparent, and relevant.
This is why your social media presence and reputation are of utmost importance. Let’s take the after-interview phase of the application process for example. Although candidates have the upper hand in the job market, many companies still treat them with a surprising lack of respect. In fact, almost 80% of job applicants don’t hear from the company after putting in an application.
While this was acceptable a few short years ago, candidates nowadays consider this to be bad form and are highly likely to voice their disapproval, whether in person or over the internet. This bad press can destroy both your recruitment efforts and company’s reputation in one fell swoop.
The good news is, communicating with candidates isn’t the complicated, time-consuming task you might think it is – especially when you leverage the power of social media. For instance, you can optimize your profiles (and employer image) by regularly sharing relevant and timely content.
You can also use social media to:
- Communicate with candidates in real-time
- Post quick updates
- Start a conversation
The lack of qualified personnel is an issue of the past. A proactive approach, using innovative recruitment marketing strategies, will boost your employer brand, making it easier for you to attract the best talent possible.