3 recruitment marketing tips to overcome ‘The Great Resignation’

The mass exodus of employees started in early 2021 and began to pick up steam. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August 2021, a record-breaking 4.3 million workers (or 2.9% of the entire American workforce) quit their jobs. By November, an average of more than 3.9 million workers had quit their jobs each month, giving 2021 the nation’s highest monthly “quit average” on record.

Experts have various theories regarding what’s driving the trend, and most relate to COVID-19. But in the midst of the mass exodus, smart companies are learning that marketing is not just for selling widgets — it’s also for selling themselves as an employer of choice.

Here are three actionable tips for setting up your organization for recruiting success.

Tip #1

Create your employer value proposition (EVP).

A value proposition is a statement that answers the question “Why should someone buy our product or service?” An employer value proposition (EVP) is a statement that answers the question, “Why should someone become an employee of our organization?” and it’s the statement that should be the foundation of all your recruiting efforts. While “employer value proposition” might sound like an eyeroll-worthy buzzword, creating one is a critical place to start. In the process of creating yours, you’ll learn about the prospects you’re trying to attract — their wants, needs, fears and expectations; and you’ll think through all the features and benefits of working for your organization. The effort will pay off, as millennials, who now make up 75% of the workforce, want to work for companies that align with their values. If you nail this first step, the rest of your recruiting efforts will be built on a strong foundation.

Tip #2

Develop your ‘employer brand.’

“It’s beneficial to always be cultivating your reputation as a great place to work,” said Travis Ziemke, media director at Trilix. “It’s easier to attract the best people if they’ve already heard of you and already have a positive opinion of you.”

This practice of positioning yourself as an employer of choice is called employer branding. According to the LinkedIn Talent Blog, “You need talented, leadership-bound workers to drive your business forward, and the best way to find them is to cast the impression that your company is a great place to work. Everything from the salary and benefit packages you offer to advancement opportunities to weekly happy hours, the culture of an organization and the treatment of its employees can greatly impact the impression you’re trying to make on potential candidates.”

You can show off your employer brand in a number of ways. Develop the habit of capturing video or stills at company events and culture activities. That way, you’ll have engaging — and shareable! — content  to post on your social media channels. Another habit to develop? Giving your employees a voice. Capture the stories of those employees who have a true enthusiasm for being your employees. You can share their stories over your social channels, your blog, your newsletters and your podcast. (Don’t have a podcast? Here’s why you should consider one.)

Tip #3

Employ best practices in recruitment marketing.

While employer branding is about casting an impression to prospective employees, recruitment marketing is about reeling them in; it’s the combination of strategies and tools used by an organization to attract applicants. “Just like with any marketing campaign, we’ve found that a recruitment marketing campaign works best when a diverse set of digital tactics is used, including display, geofencing, geotargeting and search; in addition to social recruitment ads and more traditional mediums like radio, email and billboards,” said Ziemke.

Storytelling is another traditional marketing tactic that you can leverage in your recruitment marketing efforts. Not only does storytelling capture attention, but it enables marketers to forge an emotional connection with the audience. Ziemke continued, “We’ve recently seen success using a behind-the-scenes type of storytelling where we showcase what a typical workday looks like for actual employees. The employees share from their experience, and it’s really been resonating with the audience.” Video is an essential part of this campaign that provides an inside look at daily tasks, as it is for any storytelling endeavor. For another client interested in attracting applicants, we created a company culture/factory tour video. Having that intimate glimpse behind the scenes helped prospects see themselves as employees — and helped them make the decision to apply.

Be prepared for the ‘The Great Rehire.’

Many experts believe that The Great Rehire is already underway and that it will continue through 2022 and beyond. And because job seekers seem to be holding most of the cards in today’s job market, smart employers are doing everything they can to become employers of choice so they can attract — and retain — the best of the best. Brett Adams, Trilix’s chief marketing officer, summed it up this way: “Recruiting shouldn’t be approached sporadically, like a spigot that you turn on and off. It’s wise to continuously promote your brand as an employer. Not only will that strategy help you be top of mind for the top candidates, but it will also help you retain those folks once you bring them on board.”