Create More Compelling Job Ads to Generate a Wider Recruiting Funnel
Recruitment is the lifeblood of any organization, as it’s crucial to attracting, hiring and retaining the best people that will help your company grow and thrive. However, it can be challenging to generate a wider recruiting funnel and attract the best candidates. To successfully hire the right people, companies need to focus on creating more compelling job ads that stand out from the competition.
In this blog, we’ll explore best practices and trends in job ads, such as focusing on specific job requirements, highlighting strong employer branding and using video to captivate potential candidates. We’ll also look at optimizing technology solutions to automate the recruitment process and enhance the overall hiring experience even further.
What is the Recruitment Funnel?
The recruitment funnel is a process used by recruiters to attract, engage and ultimately hire top talent. Composed of a series of steps — each designed to move prospects through the hiring process and towards the final goal of making a job offer — the funnel is a strategic tool that helps organizations build a strong talent pool and ensure that they’re hiring the best candidates for their open positions.
The purpose and benefits of the recruitment funnel are numerous. One of the primary advantages is that it allows recruiters to create a consistent and structured hiring process. By defining each step of the funnel and ensuring that each candidate goes through the same procedure, recruiters can guarantee that they’re making fair and objective hiring decisions. In addition, the recruitment funnel can help organizations build their employer brand and attract the best people to their establishment. When candidates have a positive experience throughout the recruitment journey, they’re more likely to view the organization as a desirable employer and recommend it to others.
Hiring During Economic Uncertainty
Economic uncertainty can lead to a challenging hiring process, but it’s also an opportunity to attract top talent that may not have been available in more stable times. According to the Department of Labor, job loss during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was comparable to the Great Depression, and in 2021, only 60% of jobs lost had recovered.
One key difference in the recruitment funnel during periods of economic tension is the increase in passive candidates. This term refers to candidates who are not actively seeking new job opportunities but may be open to considering them. Randstad reports that passive candidates make up 75% of the workforce. This statistic means that companies need to focus on recruitment marketing to attract these candidates, rather than relying solely on job postings and active job seekers.
To successfully get the right person at each step of the recruitment funnel, businesses need to focus on several key areas. Firstly, hiring managers need to identify where to look for candidates. This may involve leveraging their existing networks, using job boards and social media or partnering with recruitment agencies. Company leaders should also focus on employer branding, highlighting the company culture, mission and values to attract candidates who align with these aspects.
Additionally, businesses need to adapt recruitment process to be more efficient and streamlined. Doing so may involve using technology to automate certain aspects of the funnel, such as resume screening, interview scheduling and sending follow-up emails. It’s also important to provide a positive candidate experience, communicating transparently and promptly throughout every stage.
Don’t forget to focus on developing your current employees and upskilling them to meet the changing needs of the business. This can help to reduce the need for external hiring and ensure that the company has a strong internal talent pool.
Creating More Compelling Job Ads
In a competitive job market, employers need to create job ads that stand out. To widen the recruiting funnel and generate more interest from potential candidates, there are several best practices and trends that hiring managers should follow to improve the effectiveness of their job ads.
Be specific about the job requirements and qualifications
Job postings with clear and concise language on qualifications and job responsibilities receive more applications than those without. This fact demonstrates the importance of being transparent about what the job entails and what qualifications are required. Are you tempted to use words like “team player” and “self-starter” in your descriptions? If so, then you may be unintentionally alienating qualified candidates who don’t feel compelled by the term ”dynamic” to apply. Canva, an online graphic design platform, completed a massive analysis and found that 38% of job postings contained confusing jargon.
Focus on strong employer branding
A strong employer brand can attract candidates who are passionate about the company’s mission and values. Today’s applicants are less likely to consider working for a brand with a bad reputation, even if the pay was incredible. This fact indicates that potential candidates are more likely to apply if they’re attracted to the company’s culture and values. So, add the right information regarding in-house culture and perks, include relevant press and provide helpful details to help capture the attention of qualified prospects.
Don’t underestimate social media
Social media has become the go-to platform for companies looking to find top-quality candidates. According to Zippia, 57% of job applicants use social media to actively find employment. But it’s also a feasible way to find talented individuals who may not realize they’re qualified for certain positions. It’s possible to reach an audience of millions with just a few well-placed posts.
Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook have millions of active users, making them ideal for employers to advertise job vacancies and connect with potential candidates. In fact, LinkedIn alone has over 875 million members, many of whom are actively looking for job opportunities. With the ability to target specific audiences and demographics, social media recruitment allows companies to reach a wider pool of contenders and find the perfect fit for their team.
Video can be a powerful tool
If you’re wondering if you should consider using videos in your job ads, the answer is yes. Video is an extremely effective means to captivate and recruit a job seeker, providing them with a better understanding of the company’s culture and working environment. In fact, CareerBuilder found that job postings with videos receive 34% more applications than those without. Make sure your videos are under 90 seconds long and explain job duties, qualifications and benefits in an entertaining way.
Stay on top of new trends
Using new trends in job ads, such as emojis, interactive content and virtual reality, can help job ads stand out in a crowded job market. Attracting potential candidates, especially Gen X and even younger millennials, who are looking for something different means offering something different. Some emojis mean distinct things to job seekers. For example, the purple unicorn, “🦄,” often indicates a search for potential candidate with unique abilities and skills.
Optimizing Technology to Enhance Recruitment
In today’s competitive job market, companies need to lean on technology to attract and retain top talent. Countless job applications are completed on mobile devices daily, making it more important than ever for companies to have a mobile-friendly recruitment process. Additionally, companies that use recruitment technology have seen significant improvements in their hiring process and combat the 60% of applications that are abandoned before completion, according to Linkedin.
One key technology solution for enhancing recruitment is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). An ATS can streamline the recruitment process by automating tasks like job posting, resume screening and candidate communication. This not only saves time but also ensures that no qualified candidates are overlooked.
Another important method for enhancing recruitment is a candidate relationship management platform (CRM). A CRM can help companies build and maintain relationships with candidates, even those who are not currently looking for a job. This allows organizations to build a talent pool of qualified prospects that they can reach out to when a position becomes available.
One example of a recruitment technology solution that incorporates both ATS and CRM functionality is ApplicantStack. ApplicantStack is a cloud-based platform that helps companies streamline recruitment funnels from start to finish. You can use it to create and publish job ads, screen resumes, communicate with candidates by text or email and start the onboarding process, all from a single centralized location.
Read more from the ApplicantStack blog to continue enhancing your recruitment process and start your free trial today. You can also view a demo to experience these features.
Making the Right Hire is Even More Important in a Challenging Economy
It’s a competitive market for top talent. Since our return to “normal” from the long-lasting effects of the pandemic response, the Great Resignation and other factors have created a hiring climate that’s more challenging than ever before. With 40% of employees still considering a move at any given time (according to McKinsey), it’s not solely about hiring top talent; it’s about retaining these staff members. It takes a lot more than an attractive salary to lure the right people to your organization. And that goes double in a downturn. The right talent acquisition strategy can help you find the best, skilled employees that will remain loyal to you for years to come.
What is Talent Acquisition?
Talent acquisition refers to the finding, recruiting and hiring of skilled individuals to fill open positions within a company. The aim is to ensure that you have the most qualified and skilled people on your team to enhance your organization’s performance and profitability. All of the activities involved in the hiring process, from sourcing and screening potential hires to onboarding and retention, are part of the talent acquisition process. How we hire talent has definitely evolved over the years, shifting from a passive hiring approach (think a hiring manager publishing a listing in the classifieds and waiting for possible candidates to walk in with resumes) to a more active one. Technology has played a big role in this evolution, and its bridge to social media, mobile apps and job boards helps you source, recruit, track and retain the best people for your company.
What’s the difference between recruitment and talent acquisition?
If you’re hoping to simply fill a position with a candidate that could do the bare minimum to get the job done, then you can refer to the process as “recruitment.” Your approach will be focused on the immediate need, with the candidate potentially being a short-term, temporary solution for a role that doesn’t require much specialization. Harvard Business Review reports that one-third of U.S. companies monitor their hiring practices to ensure they’re hiring suitable employees, with even fewer tracking metrics during the process. Talent acquisition is focused on hiring individuals with the skills and knowledge that will advance the organization and enable it to meet its goals and objectives. This includes staying abreast of hiring trends, setting up a dedicated team to oversee the acquisition process and creating a diverse pool of candidates from which to hire. In fact, diversity is a key area of focus for the best talent acquisition departments. Effective talent acquisition will also align hiring practices with market demand and economic conditions.
Does Talent Matter in an Economic Downturn?
The threat of an economic downturn often persuades organizations to take a more cautious approach to new hires. But even in times of uncertainty, talent is still very much needed to ensure business continuity and ongoing success. When you have skilled talent at the forefront of your business team, they’ll be better prepared to handle any bumps in the road, weather any condition and continue to reach success regardless of what the economy might throw at them. The goal is to restructure your talent acquisition strategy to match the current economic climate, not to become so rigidly structured that it hinders your ability to adapt to changing business needs. When economic conditions are uncertain, hiring the right talent actually matters more. How so? Hiring from the top of the talent pool when times are tough will:
- Save money on hiring costs and competitive salary offers
- Decrease the risk of turnover
- Provide access to a more specialized workforce due to highly-skilled candidates entering the job market due to layoffs
- Build a more resilient team of employees that appreciate your organization for helping them out of tough times
- Put your company in a position to win the war and come out on top when conditions improve
So why does hiring the right talent really matter more in times of uncertainty? Companies can lose almost $15,000 for every bad hire, according to CareerBuilder. And when your company is struggling to make ends meet, the cost of hiring the wrong person for the job is much more than just money. It’s your reputation, your relationship with customers and your overall market share that is on the line. Getting the best people into your empty chairs will open up more time spent on tasks that generate revenue, increase overall employee morale and create a more productive and profitable company.
5 Tips to Effective Talent Acquisition – No Matter The Economy!
Now that you’re committed to making smart hires, let’s talk about the best ways to find the right people. The following five tips will help you attract the best candidates and find your next star employee to help you thrive in any condition.
Don’t always post positions internally first
Posting a job opening from within first can often be expected as part of your standard hiring procedures. It can potentially save you time and money otherwise spent on advertising, recruiter fees, extensive interviewing, onboarding and more. It also promotes loyalty and gives employees a greater sense of purpose. However, it can lead to a lack of diversity and new ideas, while perpetuating bias and a stale company culture. When you want the best fish, it’s always best to cast a wide net.
Consider remote interviewing
One of the most time-consuming part of the hiring process is conducting interviews. The pandemic opened up new avenues through remote recruitment and screening that can continue to save valuable time. Whether or not you promote a work from home culture, choosing to conduct interviews remotely expands your pool of talent and eliminates some of the common barriers to hiring. It also increases efficiency by allowing for more rapid decision-making. With virtual interviews, candidates often feel more relaxed – meaning you’re more likely to get a true picture of their suitability for the job.
Metrics and analytics are key
There are a number of ways to measure the success of your talent acquisition strategy. These include:
- Cost per hire
- Time to fill
- Offer acceptance rate
- Diversity and inclusion
- Vacancy cost
Tracking metrics during the recruitment process can help you identify which areas are working well and which ones need improvement. When you take the time and integrate the best tools to collect the data, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions about your hiring strategy and candidate experience. While these methods may require a little extra work from your talent acquisition team, the results will help you refine your strategy and ultimately improve your hiring outcomes.
Leverage a talent acquisition specialist
While human resources (HR) departments can play a vital role in talent acquisition, there are times when a dedicated talent acquisition specialist can be more effective. An outsourced professional can focus on your strategy, offer a higher level of skill and expertise and dedicate more time to finding the best practices that will increase the number of qualified job candidates. They can even be leveraged to help train and educate your existing HR team on the latest trends and techniques in talent management.
Hire for culture fit
Skills and experience are certainly important, but building a team with a shared vision, core values, and passion for the work is crucial to a successful talent acquisition strategy. When hiring, it’s important to look for individuals who are also a good fit with the company culture. You can spend time using personality tests and other methods to see how an individual will mesh with the rest of your team. Remember, you can get the best potential candidates through the door but it’s the right company culture that will make them stay.
Add ApplicantStack to Your Arsenal
Technology has become a major player in the world of talent acquisition. Your talent acquisition manager can use software to source and screen candidates, review resumes, interview job seekers and track multiple people analytics to ensure your strategy is working. There are several different types of software that can help you optimize your talent acquisition process, including applicant tracking systems, social media management software, background check tools and more. ApplicantStack can help you streamline the hiring process and build a strategy that yields results. Our Applicant Tracking and Recruiting software becomes your talent acquisition partner, letting you find and reach qualified candidates where they are – on their phones, through text messages. Everything you need in the talent pipeline, from job creation, postings, pre-screening, scheduling and communication is all in one place. Get more time back to spend on the things that matter. The right recruit is out there; let us help you find them. Start your ApplicantStack free trial now and see how we can help you build your dream team.
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