A few weeks ago, we produced a special 2-part episode of Recruiter Fuel focused on recruitment marketing, but from the perspectives of Marketing Video Producer David Symonds and Marketing Manager Ian Hall. Together, they wrap up this segment with takeaways that nearly every recruiter can use to build their brand, modernize their recruiting strategies, and attract talent during the massive talent shortage that we face today.

What you’ll learn in Recruitment Marketing 101: Part 2

David couldn’t have said it better: “The whole point of recruitment marketing is to generate awareness and interest.”

Want to get a little creative? Give these takeaways a try.

Video, video, video

David really drives home the importance of promoting yourself as a recruiter, as well as the job and culture, via video. You don’t have to get crazy or spend a lot of money, either. Hello, you have a cell phone glued to you at all times. So, get out your phone and turn on the camera. Share a short bio, what you’re all about, the types of roles you recruit, and talk about the role you’re currently recruiting. Bring that role to life; heck, bring yourself to life. Put a face to your name.

You can also give a tour of the office space. Really get an inside look at the role so candidates can envision themselves there. If folks in the office agree to participate, pan over specific employees (or have them pop in the shot for a second) that embody the company’s purpose, culture, and environment. 

Video pro tips:

• Buy a microphone you can connect to your phone. You can get one on Amazon for $10, like this one here.
• Make sure the lighting is on point. Stand in front of a window for natural light and, for the love of all things, avoid fluorescent lighting. A solid background is better, too.
• Flatter yourself with good angles. Position the camera in front of you, straight-on. No downward or upward angles showing off the whole “I opened my front camera by accident, and now I look like a troll” thing.

Candidate lead capture forms

Lead capture form is just a marketing buzzword for collecting contact information (and any other useful info). They allow folks to express interest in a product or service, or in our case a job, without too much work. Only 10% of candidates actually become applicants. A big contributor to this is long applications, like the ones that demand your resume, but also require manual input of that same information.

So, let’s imagine this. Your lead capture form would pop up after an applicant clicks “apply.” It asks for their name, email address, and years of experience, for example; takes 2 seconds. Once they complete the form, they can move onto the actual application. That way, if the applicant bails midway through, you already have a means to follow up.

Look at the role like a product

In essence, recruiters sell roles. And part of selling is marketing; it’s seamlessly hitting objections or pain points before your audience (i.e., a candidate) has a chance to voice them. It shows that you know them; that you see them; and that you understand them, which is hugely important when you work to build trust and rapport. Market to those problems and serve as their solution. You can start this process before you even connect with candidates by reworking job descriptions.

Let’s say a role is out in the middle of nowhere, but the candidates you need to find, live and work in the city. Commuting isn’t ideal for anyone, and asking folks to move somewhere else when they’re used to a different lifestyle is a big hurdle. Nip this problem in the bud and sell the area a little bit. Or, if it’s a high-stress job, describe how the work environment is relaxed, flexible, and supportive. If you have a wellness program that reimburses employees for self-care, make that high priority on the job description. Got a commuter reimbursement program? List that, too.