3 Steps to Freshen Recruitment, Hiring Processes (Sponsor Letter)

Sara Corman, Director of Marketing, Penmac Staffing Services Inc.

A co-worker and I recently drove from Springfield to Minnesota to help with a large client project. We made a game of counting how many “Now Hiring” signs we saw but quickly abandoned the game when we realized we’d be doing nothing but counting for the entire trip! The proliferation of “Help Wanted” ads isn’t a phenomenon limited to Midwestern interstates; 53.1% of Economic Growth Survey respondents plan to increase the number of employees in their business this year. This shift has affected hiring in all industries; employers are struggling to attract candidates from all generations and socioeconomic backgrounds for a wide array of positions – from entry-level to the C-suite.

If you’re an employer, you’ve likely felt the challenge of recruiting during this never-before-seen labor market. You are probably increasing your recruitment advertising budget and trying new tactics to get the word out about your company’s opportunities to a wider range of demographic groups. It’s important to know that there’s more to successful recruitment advertising than posting and praying. You can blanket the city with an engaging campaign, but if the next steps of your hiring process aren’t also carefully considered, even the best ads will fail. Here are three elements to consider when you’re building a recruitment campaign:

1. Make the call to action clear and relevant.

Keep the instructions for applying clear and simple. Spell out the exact steps you’d like the applicant to follow. Too many options can be confusing, so consider just giving one or two methods for applying.

Make the application requirements commensurate with the job requirements. If the position doesn’t require the ability to type and format a business document, requiring a perfectly formatted resume is likely eliminating some otherwise qualified applicants.

2. Simplify the application process.

Have you tried to apply for a job at your company recently? How long does it take? If the process is too long or complicated, you can turn away talented applicants who may fear everything at your company is outdated or tedious.

Is your online application easy to complete on a smartphone? Appcast, a global leader in programmatic recruitment advertising, found that over 60% of job applications were completed on mobile devices in 2020.

3. Follow up promptly with all applicants.

Update applicants throughout the process. Many job seekers are applying for multiple jobs, and you may miss your chance at a great candidate if your competitor replies to them before you do.

Communicate with all applicants clearly and in a timely manner. Even if you reject a candidate, if you treat them well, you may be creating a future customer or client.

If you are struggling to fill open positions, put yourself in the shoes of your job applicants, keeping in mind that most of them are from a different generation and background than yours. In this tight labor market, every candidate must be treated with the same care we give to any sales lead or customer. You wouldn’t spend money on a sales ad campaign, and then ignore customers when they walk in your door. Think through the end-to-end experience of job seekers and make the most of your recruitment advertising budget.

It’s what you don’t see on the “Now Hiring” billboard that will truly set your company apart from the rest.