If you’re a recruiter, marketing your agency today is all about connectivity and engagement through reviews and applicant feedback. Gone are the days when a static website with a link to a rather sparse Twitter or Facebook feed is going to get you noticed.
Millennials already make up about 35% of the workforce and that percentage is only going to increase with each passing year. Millennials were born into the information age and they want engagement, genuine interaction and quick results.
If you want to attract more top talent into your agency pipeline and talent pool, you’ve got to focus on engagement and meeting candidates in their zone. And that all begins with having a quality agency brand.
Reviews and applicant feedback online are crucial
Of course it feels good to receive a call or an email from a candidate you’ve just placed thanking you for your efforts in helping them secure a new career opportunity. However, that’s not going to gain your agency any ground against your competitors.
What you need are good reviews and applicant feedback online, in the public domain, so that they become a real reference for your agency’s professionalism and credibility. More and more people today research a service provider or supplier online before they engage with them.
You want your agency to have a robust online presence with lots of good reviews and applicant feedback so that you can attract top talent and more clients. And remember, it’s not just candidates that check out agencies online, clients do it too. If clients see that your agency has plenty of positive reviews, they’ll feel more comfortable entrusting their placement requirements with you.
Your agency brand begins with the right website, but it’s more than that!
Start by spending some time figuring out what your agency brand actually is. Be honest; you don’t want to be part of the crowd, you want to stand out from it. What are your specialities, what type of clients do you want to attract and what kind of candidate do you want in your talent pool?
Gather your whole team for a brainstorming session and find your agency’s identity. That done, you need to come up with a marketing and advertising strategy that will put your agency out there so that you can start attracting more talent. This is where it can become more difficult though because you’re a specialist at attracting the right candidates to meet your clients’ requirements, not an advertising expert.
It’s at this point that you need to consult with an advertising agency that specialises in the recruitment sector. Don’t go it alone, you’ll waste too much time trying to work out what’s best. Advertising agencies already know what works and what doesn’t because they keep abreast of trends in the recruitment industry.
Once you’ve identified your agency brand, it’s time to get online so that reviews and applicant feedback can start working for you.
Steps to get reviews and applicant feedback online
Once your recruitment website is live, you need to expand your presence and engagement. These 3 steps will get you out there:
1. Create multiple spaces in which to interact with applicants:
Firstly, make sure that your website has an interactive feedback page. Also, create social media accounts that are linked to your site and post regularly to these accounts. If an applicant leaves a comment on your website or any of your social media accounts, whether negative or positive, respond as soon as possible – preferably on the same day, but at least within 24 hours.
This may mean constantly monitoring your pages through alerts but that’s the way business works today. Many social media sites list a company’s response time and you don’t want to be listed as having a long response time as it looks unprofessional.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore negative feedback – if you respond well, it can actually enhance your agency brand. If you’ve messed up, admit it. Offer an apology and a solution or a gesture of goodwill. Only responding to positive reviews and applicant feedback will cast a shadow that you don’t want over your agency brand.
2. Post valuable content:
It’s crucial that you keep the content on your recruitment website and your social media interesting and interactive. Add a blog to your site where you can post informative articles and link them to your social media accounts. Also regularly post and share interesting information on social media that will be of value to your followers.
If you only post open vacancies on your website and social media accounts you won’t gain a following. That’s what job boards are for. However, if you regularly post valuable content, you’ll attract followers. You could even attract passive candidates who aren’t active in the job market now, but who will trust your agency brand when they’re looking to make a change.
3. Ask for reviews and applicant feedback:
If you don’t ask, you won’t get! Many people intend to give a review but then time moves on and they forget. Don’t feel awkward about asking either a client or an applicant for a review or feedback.
If the candidate or client complies (and most will), respond immediately and don’t hesitate to share positive reviews or feedback on your social media accounts. There’s a growing need amongst people today for interaction and most people trust reviews.
Don’t hesitate to give good reviews first. If your clients have platforms where you can leave an honest and appropriate review, do it. You can also (with prior consent) congratulate candidates on social media for new appointments, achievements and promotions.
Don’t get left behind. If you’re still using old school recruitment methods, you’re not going to attract more talent. Seek professional advice to get your agency online and engaged, build brand loyalty and watch your talent pool grow.
