1. What are the biggest blind spots in how companies approach recruitment marketing today?
One major blind spot for many in recruitment marketing today is the lack of
reliable, centralized data to measure performance—especially hiring data. Without this
data, companies struggle to assess and connect recruitment marketing strategies to
results. Fragmented and decentralized efforts across channels and departments further
compound the issue, leading to inconsistent messaging and subpar results.
2. How should employers rethink their recruitment budgets given current market trends?
Given the unpredictability of our current environment, employers should prioritize agility
and operational efficiency by using data to track ROI across channels. Long term
commitments hamper agility—work with partners who support the flexibility to quickly shift
spend based on changing labor market dynamics and role-specific challenges.
3. Are there industries where traditional recruitment marketing no longer works?
Traditional recruitment marketing—by which I mean recruitment marketing without the use
of data, performance visibility, technology, and optimization capabilities—doesn’t work in
every industry. Companies that are using data and technology to optimize talent acquisition
continue to find that job boards are a top source for candidates in all industries, with low
costs and high volume and quality, even in a constantly evolving talent marketplace.
4. How does pay transparency impact candidate engagement with job ads?
Pay transparency is generally popular among job seekers as it allows them to make
informed decisions. Analysis from Recruitonomics, a hub for data-driven research powered
by Appcast, shows that job ads containing salary information tend to have a lower cost-perclick (CPC) compared to those without salary information, indicating higher engagement
from candidates. However, if the company is paying below benchmarks, that transparency
can hurt job seeker engagement.
5. What recruitment strategies are underrated but highly effective?
Social media is often underrated in recruitment. While it may not always yield immediate
hires like job boards, it builds employer brand, attracts passive candidates, and boosts
long-term engagement.
6. How can employers tailor recruitment marketing for passive job seekers?
To attract passive job seekers, companies should invest in employer brand development
and activation with target candidates. Companies need to be where people spend time and
cater their strategy to what’s happening there—for example, on some channels video is a
must. Native lead capture within the feed helps you establish a relationship without pulling
the user out of the platform. Finally, having a strategy to nurture those passive candidates,
and convert them when they’re ready to apply, is key.
7. What’s one metric companies rely on too much—and what should they focus on
instead?
Companies tend to put too much emphasis on the total number of applications received
from a particular recruitment marketing channel, measuring success by volume. Instead,
talent acquisition teams should focus on the quality of applicants and the conversion rates
from application to hire. How can teams measure quality, you might ask? Agree on a
measure of quality with your recruitment marketing partner, and measure success based
on that quality flag. Then, metrics like cost-per-hire and quality applicant volume can
provide a more accurate picture of a given strategy’s effectiveness.
8. How do economic fluctuations affect job ad performance, and how should companies adjust?
Economic fluctuations significantly impact job ad performance. During the pandemic
recovery, demand in the labor market swelled and the supply of labor could not keep up.
This led to very high recruiting costs. As time went on and demand cooled in 2023 and 2024, recruiting costs eased; finding quality applicants became easier for most sectors.
During traditional economic downturns, there is a higher number of unemployed workers
who tend to apply to any open opportunity available. As such, there needs to be checks and balances in place to ensure that advertising spend isn’t focused on unneeded applications or applications from unqualified candidates.
It’s worth noting that some roles exist outside of the economic paradigm and do not swing
with economic shifts. Hard-to-fill roles, such as therapists or other healthcare roles,
remain a constant struggle for recruiters and often require dedicated resources and unique
strategies.
9. What role should employer branding play in recruitment marketing strategy?
Employer branding plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining top talent. A strong
employer brand helps build trust and credibility with potential candidates, making the
company more attractive to job seekers. It also enhances the overall candidate experience
and can lead to higher engagement with better-fit applicants.
10. If companies could make one change to improve their hiring success, what should it be?
If companies could make one change to improve their hiring success, it would be to
centralize their recruitment marketing efforts. A centralized approach ensures consistency,
efficiency, and better quantifiable insights, allowing companies to make informed
decisions and optimize their recruitment strategies.
