Our talent columnist dishes out his firm's special sauce on how to engage happy and successful candidates and make them interested in working for your company.
Shane Ginsberg's recent article was quite insightful and it gave some fabulous advice on how interactive marketers can win the war for talent. Because hiring is such a bitter battle these days and we need all the help we can get, I decided to elaborate on Ginsberg's piece by providing some tricks of the trade.
Use internal resources
One of our larger clients requires its corporate recruiting team to meet with hiring managers every couple weeks to pick their brains for potential candidates. This system is extremely successful because good people usually know other good people. Also, since existing personnel embody the company's culture, they should be able to suggest individuals who possess the right type of personality. Don't rely on referral incentive programs; we need to be proactive to win the war for talent.
Always network
There are at least several events per month geared toward interactive marketing professionals so get out there and meet them. Conferences are especially effective for recruiting salespeople since so many are attending to sell their services. If you have an HR person or team, encourage those people to participate. I can only remember meeting one HR person at a conference and guess what: It has been two years since we met and that person's company still doesn't require our headhunting help.
Source your clients
The head of online marketing for a major consumer packaged goods company shared an interesting story with me. He was not satisfied with the work from his digital agency. When the vendor asked what it would take to please him (and salvage his business), he suggested he hire someone he worked with at a previous company. The agency was able to entice the candidate because of the client connection. That person now heads up the entire account and everyone is happy.
If you must post
Since our executive search firm is retained to hunt for people who aren't actively shopping new opportunities, we do not use job boards. If you are going to post your openings, put them where an interactive marketer (even those who aren't seeking) might see them. To shamelessly plug this publication, iMedia's Job Connection section is adjacent to its headline news. Someone can be reading about Google's next gizmo and be pulled away by the sign for a National Digital Sales Director!
Plant seeds
College recruiting is working great for P&G and News Corp. so there's no reason your company can't do it, too. My first job was with a startup in New York City and every semester we would call NYU's career services department to learn how we could get involved. For little or no cost, we were able to advertise in the school's directories and exhibit at its career fairs. If this initiative appeals to your organization, read "Recruit or Die: How Any Business Can Beat the Big Guys in the War for Young Talent."
Brandon Gutman is director of marketing & business development, Stephen-Bradford Search. Read full bio.