Simply listing the qualification criteria in the job advertisement is not enough to charm the candidate; companies should also share their values, describe their corporate culture and explain why the job is meaningful. Being memorable and making a good first impression are extremely important, not only in dating but also in working life. In an article in Kauppalehti Optio, Nicholas Boothman, expert in first impressions, argued: “When we meet someone new, we make the decision of what we think about them within the first few seconds. People do this naturally, and there is no way to prevent it.” The same analogy is also true in recruitment – the job advertisement creates the first impression of the company, painting a valuable image of the corporate culture.
The same can be asked when reading job advertisements. Today, it is not enough to only describe the open position. The job advertisement has the important task of building the employer image, which is why its content and the way of presenting it are so important. Just as in dating, being genuine, courageous and open are sought-after qualities, not forgetting a good sense of humour.
However, companies cannot find their match made in heaven simply by writing a good job advertisement. They must know where the talented candidates, both passive and active ones, are. Successful recruitment marketing uses the necessary channels efficiently, side-by-side. Traditional online labour market sites should be complemented with visibility on digital channels. Everyone uses social media in recruitment nowadays – and it is the best way of reaching experts who are not actively looking for work.
In order to function, social recruitment needs the right audience, because the recommendation or information on the job comes from the candidate’s network, friends and other contacts. Motivated and engaged employees are the ambassadors, as long as the message they spread is inspiring and reflects the true corporate culture. However, the message must be authentic, as no-one wants to seem like a fool who shares pointless content.
Targeted marketing on social media is a cost-efficient and convenient way to reach new experts. Recruitment on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter has become the norm, and nowadays, paid advertising is also available on Snapchat. Personally, I am excited about the more widespread use of these non-conventional social media platforms in recruitment. Unfortunately, LinkedIn has updated its policy concerning updates shared by employees, giving them less visibility than before. However, LinkedIn offers many other ways of finding potential employees. Visibility can be increased through sponsored content and inmail, and the best thing is, it can be targeted at the right target group.
Unprejudiced, bold recruitment on multiple channels brings the best results. So don’t be afraid to try something new to find the best talent for your position. It is important to remember that targeting and other recruitment measures should also be measured and tracked. When we renewed our recruitment media channels, we also developed our systematic tracking system and succeeded in finding the best candidates for the position.
Author: Johanna Leskinen
