Welcome to the war for data and tech talent. Well actually it’s been going on for long time, and so have the tactics to search and hire them. So what’s new, right? – Lots.
First, let’s establish some known statistics. 80-85% candidates are passive job seekers – which means only 15-20% of candidates are active at any given time. This is paramount to understand before we can look more closely at how this affects strategy.
How and where do I find candidates? Searching a database is the traditional approach. And when that doesn’t work, let’s supplement with recruiters who attempt more of the same, basically.
The problem with this approach (besides cost) is that it’s inherently flawed from the start. It might feel nice to take some control by going on a crusade to find them. However, searching resume databases usually doesn't meet the need consistently nor oftentimes even contains the right candidates. Why is that? In order for a job seeker to register for a site's database, they will likely need to be in active seeking mode (which is only 15-20% of the talent pool).
Additionally, resume databases quickly become outdated, and anyone who has paid access will be contacting the same candidates. Works sometimes, yes, but not that often really.
So isn’t it time for change? – Yes, and the evolution is underway right now regardless of one's awareness. Let’s take a look at the new way of thinking.
Build your employer brand and tell your story through the written word or with rich media. Post jobs in smart ways, and use a cohesive strategy that blends your job content, with content marketing and display media.
Become a thought leader and add value that will attract the talent you seek through content marketing. This strategy unlocks the pool of the passive job seekers who are reading value-add, thought leadership content and who are open to listening to your brand’s story.
Why this works is in all in the content itself. Content adds value, provokes engagement and builds credibility and depth for an organization. It positions your company uniquely and opens up the frame for storytelling.
It's like the movie business and concession sales in that you’ll consume massive amounts of popcorn while engaging movie content, but hold your hand up to a guy selling popcorn on the street while walking to work. The win is in the engagement – the storytelling. That which paints a picture to attract your target audience to listen. And then to act (convert) on their own free will. Some might call this the law of attraction in talent acquisition.
Where does social fit? Oh, it does – very much so. Though, it’s really just a spin on engaging content. And it does not take the place of deeper storytelling since social media can be so inherently fleeting. Remember, we live in an era of social media saturation, and to such an exponential level it’s difficult for social strategies to become very sticky. Social sites like LinkedIn are very strong in networking, but when it comes to engagement, they can show some weaknesses due to content saturation.
In order to tell the organization's story – leverage content marketing into your strategy. You will build equity in your employer brand over the long-term which will attract talent. That’s the type of solutions we offer here at icrunchdata in our talent acquisition products.
We’ve evolved to become a content-forward organization that offers engaging, cohesive content which blends jobs with news, thought leadership and perspective. For employers in particular, this creates access to incredible pools of untapped passive job seekers.
Content really is still king – especially in talent acquisition.
Article written by icrunchdata
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