(By Rick Fink) It was just reported that Indeed, America’s largest online job board, was radio’s largest advertiser for the week. This isn’t something that happened overnight. Over the past several months they have steadily grown in the ranks. The question is, why?
Regardless of what part of the country you live in or what type of business you run, if you ask a business owner today what the most difficult thing about running a company is, they will tell you it’s finding good employees.
Finding people to work isn’t always the problem, but finding “good people” can be.
Fifteen-plus years ago this wasn’t the case. If you needed to add or replace an employee, you simply ran an ad in the classifieds of your local paper and boom, you had more than enough qualified candidates. That quickly changed and today there are very few job postings in the local paper. The current go-to source for employment is online job posting websites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Monster, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, and many more.
Do they work? Online job boards certainly work better today than the classifieds, but still, the reviews are hit and miss at best and they only work if the message or the description of the position is written well enough to stimulate, intrigue, and inspire the person that is looking.
I would bet that Indeed, America’s largest online job search website, is or was struggling to deliver as many “good prospects” to their clients as they hoped for. Radio to the rescue!
Gallup, the internationally recognized polling company, found that 70% of the population would consider a different opportunity if one was presented to them. That doesn’t mean they are actively looking, that simply means they would consider it. What it also means is that they are not 100% happy in their current situation, but not unhappy enough to actively seek a new position.
The problem with job boards is that they are only reaching the people that are actively looking. Gallup estimates this to be 51% of the population. They are the “job hoppers” and one would assume not as desirable of a candidate.
Most ad recruitment campaigns that fail to attract quality candidates do so because they didn’t make the job sound desirable. They made it sound, well, like a job. They probably listed the basics, the who, what, when, where, how much and how to, and what qualifications. But they didn’t list the most important things like the “Why” and the “What Else”! Why is your company a great place to work? Why is it a great opportunity? Why is there room for advancement? Why will you be happier here? What’s in it for me and what are the extras that make this the right place for me? People want to work for successful companies. Tell them about your past accomplishments, future dreams, and goals. Make them feel like this is a company they want to represent and one they will be proud to work for.
So, how do you reach these desirable applicants? Rule #1 – Convince them your company is a great place to work. Rule #2 – Don’t recruit where the “less-desirables” congregate. And, how and where do you do this? Radio!
Radio has a unique ability to serve as a recruitment tool for several reasons. Radio reaches the “passive” job seekers, the 30 to 50% of the population that might consider a better opportunity if one was presented to them. The passive job seekers aren’t looking at the classifieds or searching online. Indeed evidently understands this. They are now reaching the passive job seekers, via radio.
Radio reaches the passive job seekers’ “center of influence”; their husband or wife, mother or father, friends, co-workers, those that know they are passively looking. Indeed understands this and is now reaching these centers of influence, via radio.
Radio can tell a better story. Indeed can do this as well, but if you look at their website, it’s still the who, what, when, and where. Doesn’t sound real appealing to me! I might even suggest that if you are having trouble sleeping, go to the online job boards and read some of the postings. BORING!
If you would like to start having more success in recruiting GOOD candidates, here are 8 rules to follow:
Rule #1: Tell your Story. You must convince your potential applicants that your company is a great place to work. Even if the job is digging ditches, there must be something great about this job. If not, implement something.
Rule #2: Use a Recruitment Medium that will Reach the Passive Job Seekers. The “job hoppers” are looking at the classifieds and job boards. Consider using radio or TV and reach the passive job seekers, that 50% that would consider a better opportunity if presented with one. Your opportunity!
Rule #3: Don’t Make it Look or Sound Like a Classified Ad. If the recruitment ad simply tells the who, what, when, and where, it won’t work regardless of the medium used.
Rule #4: Call to Action. Recruitment advertising is an immediate need for most businesses. Use some type of an easy Call to Action, i.e. Walk-in Interviews Tomorrow and Wednesday; Drop off, mail or email your resume to…; Call now to set an interview time; Job Posting open until (date); Job(s) available until all positions are filled; Open House this Saturday and Sunday.
Rule #5: Confidential Interviews. Only the unemployed do not have bosses or managers. Nearly all other applicants have some level of fear that their current employer will find out they are looking. While it should go without saying that applications and interviews are confidential, stating it will put the job seeker at ease.
Rule #6: Reach the Potential Employees’ Center of Influence. By attempting to reach only the potential candidate, you are shooting at a very small target. Only an “Intrusive” medium like radio can reach a potential employee’s Center of Influence. The husband or wife, mom or dad, brother or sister, friend or co-worker that knows the person is potentially looking for a different opportunity. Note: You will never reach the Center of Influence in the classifieds or online job boards. Their friends and family are not going to search for them.
Rule #7: Don’t Sound Desperate, unless your company just won a large new contract and need to hire X number of people right away. In this case, you can turn it into a positive. Example: “WE ARE GROWING and need to hire X number of energetic, honest, and hardworking people right away”.
Rule #8: NEVER say Competitive Pay. If the pay is only competitive and nothing more, don’t mention it at all. To the potential candidates it sounds like, “we are average.” Remember, they are looking for something better. If it’s not the pay, what is it? Focus on that!
If you are not asking every client and prospect how their current employment situation is, start doing so today. It can be nice extra revenue, and more importantly, you’ll be helping your clients solve one of their biggest concerns!
Here are four criteria that will make your radio recruitment campaigns work effectively:
The Message. It must be appealing and sound like a great opportunity. If it sounds like a recruitment ad, only listing the who, what, when, where, and what else, it won’t work nearly as well.
High-Frequency Schedules. This is direct response, punch ‘em in the nose marketing. Minimal schedules won’t work nearly as well. Suggest 8-15 times per day per station.
24-Hour Schedules. Reach the radio station’s entire audience and their entire center of influence.
Early Week Schedules. S-M-T-W. People dislike their job the most on Sundays and Mondays. It’s a subconscious thing, but they hear the ads better earlier in the week.
I urge you to tell the story… classifieds and online job boards are passive media and reach only the active job seekers, or job hoppers. Radio is an intrusive medium that not only reaches a better-quality candidate, but also reaches their center of influence.
Indeed has figured out how to reach the attractive “intrusive” job seekers by using radio to drive these people to their websites. Don’t let them beat us with our own stick!
If you would like more help with creating a recruitment package and how to sell recruitment plans, feel free to reach out to ENS Media USA.
Rick Fink is President of ENS Media USA and business partner with Wayne Ens of Ens Media Inc. Rick can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
