Personalization: A Powerful Strategy In The Recruitment Process

Business leaders know that bringing in the right people is essential, but they might not realize how essential. Studies show that recruitment is the most critical human resource function in terms of return on investment (ROI). Companies with excellent recruitment have 3.5 times more revenue growth than their peers.

Better recruitment also results in better profit margins, employee retention, and morale. Also, you don’t have to spend the time and money it takes to rehire when you have to let a poor fit go.

Knowing the power of recruiting the right people is only half the story. The other half is knowing how to attract those people so they choose to work with you rather than a competitor. The key strategy you need is personalization.

Why Personalization Matters

Those days are long gone. Today, you can find tens of thousands of jobs in any field with a simple internet search. You can apply for work anywhere in the world and don’t need a robust professional network to find out about lucrative openings.

The battle for talent has gotten so challenging that many high-quality professionals find recruiters calling them, even when they are currently employed. Trying to lure top talent to your company is a high-stakes battle, and it occurs 24 hours a day.

If you aren’t already a highly desirable employer, how can you catch the attention of top workers and encourage them to apply to your company? It’s important to cut through the clutter, which means getting rid of generic ads and outreach strategies.

Instead, you need to focus on your desired talent the same way you do your customers. Understand what they have and what they still want. Reach out to them personally instead of as part of a group.

When you approach candidates as individuals and address their specific desires, you’ll find that your ideal employees are more excited about working with you than you expected.

Get to Know Your Candidates

Current technology gives you a significant amount of information about almost anyone. Does the person have social media accounts? Look at Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Look beyond the surface-level professional content and try to find something personal that you can key in on. Perhaps a candidate has a biography on the website of their current employer. It might mention a pet, a hobby, or other personal details.

Once you have some personal tidbits, weave them into your communication. You can mention that you, too, have a dog or have volunteered for a cause they appreciate. Don’t lie about these connections, but you should be able to find something authentic to relate with.

At the same time, make sure you avoid common social media mistakes, such as not having a profile for your company that the candidate can review. You should also post more than just openings — talk about what your company is doing and how they’re making a difference.

Think about what motivates your candidate. Perhaps their online profiles give some clues, or you might be able to guess from their generation, background, or education. Do they seem to favor opportunities where they make a difference? Are they looking for a specific location? Do they yearn for more flexibility or additional growth opportunities?

Think About Recruiting Like Marketing

A lot of the efforts you already put into your marketing campaigns can help you narrow down and address the needs of top candidates in your industry. The same marketing trends that make your customer acquisition successful will help you recruit the right employees as well.

For instance, you need to make an ongoing effort to promote your company — not just to consumers but also to job candidates. Applicants want to know what kind of culture you have, what you do to support employees, and the impact you have on your community.

Use video to give a behind-the-scenes look at how your company operates each day. This will interest and attract both employees and customers. Everyone enjoys exclusive access!

Use analytics to share messages on social media specifically with the types of people you’d like to hire. You can promote anything from a positive news mention to a video to specific information about your opening.

Finally, take advantage of less common recruiting techniques, such as text messaging. Texting is easy for candidates to access and can allow for very personalized communication. It’s quick and can briefly provide critical information.

Don’t Overlook Personalized Recruiting

Everyone, from consumers to job candidates, is tired of generic ads. We ignore them, scrolling by and hunting for something that captures our attention.

You can’t count on yesterday’s recruiting strategies to win today’s in-demand employees. Instead, you need to focus on people as individuals. Determine who they are, what they care about, and how you can meet their needs.

When you personalize your recruiting, you’ll build a stronger connection and give yourself a leg up on your competition. That can mean high-quality employees and a much more vibrant, profitable company!