INTERNET - Leveraging the Internet for College Recruiting: 6 Easy Tactics

Here is a great article from ere.com that tackles the topic of using the Internet to approach college students. Although I don't necessarily believe in cutting out visiting the campuses altogether, the points it delivers are strong. College students may spend more time online and may communicate more with their social networking sites and blogs, but face time is important. The job fairs are a chance to display your company in a way that can't be done online. Shaking hands and making personal connections are what help drive home your invitation to apply.

Here is the article:

http://www.ere.net/2008/08/28/leveraging-the-internet-for-college-recruiting-6-easy-tactics/

Monday there will be no post due to the holiday... unless I spot something... I really can't help but hunt for articles.

COLLEGE - Wooing Grads with Green

As a heads up, next week I plan to work on all college recruitment articles since it is the kick off of school starting up again.

Anyway, I found an article on ere.com talking about reaching out to candidates with green efforts. The idea behind it is interesting although I am a little sceptical over the results that will be seen. Towers Perrin is going to donate 100 trees to American Forests' Global ReLeaf program for each of the 50 career fairs it holds.

There is too much of a disconnect between the applicants and the company attending the job fair. It creates a feel good "green" atmosphere but it does not involve the potential candidates. It would be a stronger message if it were something like "For every employee hired this year we will donate 25 trees to the American Forests' Global ReLeaf program."

This way you involve your potential candidates with making a difference and you could add a little bonus like sending out certificates to the new employees stating that 25 trees were donated in their name. This ties into letting them feel like they and the company are making a difference together.

Here is the article: http://www.ere.net/2008/08/27/wooing-grads-with-green/

Thoughts on this?

HR PRACTICES - 50 GREAT RECRUITING IDEAS - For your Student Chapter

This post is short and sweet but rather filling on the student recruitment area.

If you haven't checked it out before, take a look at SHRM's list of ideas for recruiting to their student chapters. See how easy they are to apply towards your own student recruitment efforts?

What is your favorite one? Have you tried some of these?

What one worked and what didn't?

http://www.shrm.org/students/50ideas.asp

NON-TRADITIONAL - Serviceplan Hamburg Recruitment Posters

Serviceplan Hamburg urgently requires a graphic designer with IT skills.
via: http://www.adverbox.com/

Credits: Advertising

Agency: Serviceplan München/Hamburg, Germany

Creative Directors: Alexander Schill, Axel Thomsen

Art Director: Maik Kähler

Copywriter: Christoph Nann

Account Manager: Robin Ruschke

These are some rather non-traditional posters displayed on what looks like the regular posting boards at a college. When you are prepping to go to a college job fair this is a great way to announce that you will be there. Even better if you take a very non-traditional approach in shouting out to your candidates.

NON-TRADITIONAL - A note on text messaging marketing

This came up today between some of my friends the other day.

When it comes to cell phone marketing, especially for recruiting, you want to stay on your target's good side. A good way to do this is to let them come to you first. Use your open invitation to gain more information as a filter to eliminate all the uninterested candidates without drowning them in messages. Restraint is key and letting your candidates make the first move lets them be empowered by their decision to seek more information out on your company.

I will always endorse this approach over buying lists of numbers to randomly sending out messages. Yes this approach might yield some candidates but you also risk tarnishing the image of your company in the eyes of the demographics that don't care about the job and just had to fork over .25 cents to their cell phone carrier because they don't have texting on their plan. If their name gets on some list, those messages can begin to add up.

Thoughts? Comments? Let me know what you think and if you have ever been on the receiving end of unwanted cell phone marketing.

NON-TRADITIONAL - SMS Recruitment Text Messaging

In advertising, your goal is to reach out to your audience and engage them in an active dialogue that leaves them with a positive impression towards your company. SMS Text Messaging offers you an excellent connection and helps to kick start your conversation with consumers and potential candidates. This process is already strong in Asia and the UK and it's slow creep has started in America.

How does this process work?

1. You purchase a number unique to your company that mobile phone users can text to.


2. You then pick out key words to be texted to your number that kick off certain return messages. ex: "Job Fair" "Store 87" "Site 25"


3. Post this number and the desired key word on billboards, print ads and anywhere you are running placements.


4. When a candidate spots your message and texts the key word to the number they will receive an initial message. The messages usually run 140-150 characters long. This includes spaces! This is how all the shortened words showed up like THX (thanks.)


5. After this initial message you can direct them to an additional number allowing them to receive extra information.


6. Sometimes you are able to then hold on to these numbers and send out additional texts with updates about positions open, new job fairs or updates to your website. The key is moderation; don't leave a bad taste in your candidate's mouth by bombarding them with repetitive messages. They are probably having to pay for each one you send.


7. Metrics and measurements of who is calling and from what area are occasionally available at the end of your purchase or throughout the life of your campaign. Take advantage of this and review where and when your hits are strongest. Consider this research when building for the next campaign.

Patriot has currently been developing quite a few of these campaigns and the requests for it continue to grow. If you have questions about the process, just leave a comment!

Have a great weekend!

VIDEO - What is LinkedIn?

This is a great explanation of the business social networking site known as LinkedIn.
Feel free to find and connect with our Patriot Advertising staff on there!



LinkedIn also offers great potential when reaching out to potential candidates and checking out references.

TRENDS - How to Avoid Eco-Fatigue

Gas prices have risen forcing many people to find alternative means of transportation, more companies claim to be going green and consumers are looking to contribute to the conservation efforts of environmental groups. Although this is happening now, how long will it last before the media and general consumers get bored and start looking for the new trends that spark their interest?

Although this article is aimed towards the perceptions and actions of general consumers the points are very easily applied towards current job seekers.

http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=130411

As for the 7 tips to avoid eco-fatigue, maybe relate them to your candidates like this:

1. Be remarkable. - Find a way to market your jobs so that positions actively participate in the "green" efforts your company is making. Make sure they are able to see or feel the difference they are making while they work.


2. Be green because it's something you value, not as a marketing gimmick. - If your company really doesn't do all that much in terms of "green" practices, don't claim to. Each company has their own unique selling point, if "green" isn't it, don't try to force it. If a candidate is searching for a "green" company and is truly dedicated towards that cause, they won't stay long if they see they were lied to.


3. Don't be bashful. - If your company actively persues "green" approaches, don't be afraid to display this to your candidates. If your company has received awards, proudly display them. They help you stand out from companies that make broad "green" statements and have nothing to show for it.


4. Make it fun and engaging. - Keep the message youthful and energized. Involve your candidates in your process and use it as a chance to develop your team's communication. Empower your potential candidates by letting them see the changes they can make.


5. Partner with an established nonprofit. - Take a look around and find groups that employees may be able to work with if they choose to. Who knows, a strong candidate may have ties to the nonprofit.


6. Invite consumers to join you. - Engage the community and allow for a chance to meet potential candidates. Invite local associations to take part in community events. Build your brand name with your involvement and caring for the community.


7. Move beyond green. - Don't bet everything on "green" campaign. Trends change and you never know how long they are going to last. You company was built around core principles, find a way to work them in with your "green" message so candidates are not just left with a fading fad but an integral message of what your company stands for.

GENERATION - Targeting Baby Boomers...

I spotted this article and thought I would share. It reiterates previous information noted in our postings but they are all very strong points. Something new that it does add is the reconstruction of the job design. Altering the requirements or tweaking them to better suit your target could help improve the appeal towards applying.

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blog/show?id=502551%3ABlogPost%3A235409

Don't forget to check out the reference to AgingWorkForce.US!

GOVERNMENT - RecruitMilitary Buys Competitor

RecruitMilitary, LLC released today that they purchased Landmark Destiny Group, their competitor. Combined, the two companies have over 500,000 registered users. (However, the users may overlap.) Although they may be weaker in comparison to Monster's Military.com, they have become quite aggressive on the Job Fair front, having held 64 this year.

For more information, check out ERE.net's article posting: http://www.ere.net/2008/08/18/recruitmilitary-buys-competitor/

Sorry for the short post, Patriot Advertising held a workshop today (that turned out great!) and I did not have much time to look around for the research I was hoping to write on today.
Look for a post on SMS Text Recruitment Messaging later this week!

INTERNET- Resolving The Loss of Brand Control Caused by Social Media

The following is an excellent article explaining the importance of staying on top of your brand in the social media of the internet. Although you might not have time to actively post and paticipate on the many social media sites that are popular, that does not bar anonymous posters from assuming your company's identity and posting for their own reasons. These social networking and media sites may not have the staff to maintain a constant review and verification of newly registered names among their domains and your company's name could very well be at risk of an unknown individual posting, with good intentions or not, without the approval of your company's departments.

Recently a page on Twitter was removed when someone posted as Exxon Mobile and chose to act as a voice for the company. At this time I do not know whether it was taken down by the individual or if Twitter removed the page at the request of Exxon Mobile. This article makes an important point about including a page on your main website or recruitment site that offers a listing or a official stance towards the social networking/media sites. This would allow all viewers to know exactly where the offical pages are and what are potentially misleading entries.

I believe the Twitter page was still up on Wednesday but it came down on Thursday. Check out the article; it makes some very important points that should be taken into account.
http://www.socialcomputingmagazine.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=571

NON-TRADITIONAL - NASCAR as a recruitment tool

Two years ago Congress required that 20,000 positions be filled for the US Border Patrol by 2009 and a Nascar Car #28 donning the logo and shield of the patrol was part of the campaign. In July the US Border Patrol was just 3,400 short of their needed goal. Taking an active approach of displaying your company among the sports and entertainment that your target candidates participate in is a great chance to boost brand awareness and help bolster the communication between your company and your potential employees. If you are a smaller community based company, don't forget about college team sponsorship and little leagues that are in the area. Developing a strong supportive presence in the community certainly helps with top of mind awareness.

Here are a collection of articles that have been written about the initiative taken by the Border Patrol in their use of Nascar to reach out to their demographic:

• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-border-jobs15jul17,0,624637.story


• http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/left-turns/left-turns/2008/07/kenny-wallace-takes-the-border-patrol-to-visit-our-friends-to-the-north/


• http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=61259&catid=2


• http://www.officer.com/web/online/Top-News-Stories/Border-Patrol-in-NASCAR-Fast-Lane/1$38025


• http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/127.html

PRINT - Unique Temporary Job Ad

Even if your medium is along a traditional path, like magazine print, by taking a unique turn in your presentation or offering a small slice-of-life segment you are able to stand out in a memorable way in your candidates eyes. The non-traditional presentations offer a youthful playfulness that shines on your company in a great light. How can you apply a simple presentation in the way you sell your positions you are hiring for?

INTERNET - A Definitive Explanation of Social Media

This simple post defines the three main areas of online social media and how they overlap at certain points. It is a nice overview of what is out there right now and what the capabilities are for the sites. It is a simple article that is straight to the point and clearly categorizes the various online sites.
http://www.mattjmcd.com/2008/08/a-definitive-explanation-of-social-media/

RECRUITMENT VIDEO - Recruiting Videos Allow Potential Candidates to Feel the Passion

ERE's Dr. John Sullivan has posted an extremely strong article on using recruitment videos to help attract candidates and convey the atmosphere of your company effectively.

Different types of branding and recruitment videos are listed and it might help when trying to figure out where to start. There is also a very well composed list of content to include in your video like mentioning your company’s technology, using employee generated videos and displaying the unique aspects of your work place.

They make an important point of including slight flaws of the company to help keep the image of the company grounded without inflating expectations. No company is perfect and by acknowledging this, it helps with the human connection between your company and your candidates. Let them know if something about the job might not be so pleasant, like long hours, but reinforce how employees are properly rewarded for their hard work and dedication.

I somewhat disagree with one of the last points about searching for negative videos and requesting that they be taken down. If an employee is posting a negative video on their blog or Youtube, yes you would be within right to ask them to revise or request it be taken it down but by doing so, it could work against you by appearing to be a company that heavily censors their employees. By at least matching the negative videos with your own, you are able to present many aspects of your company to potential candidates and with the information provided they are able to make their own judgments towards your company. One general company video versus an independent employee’s video may look like a valid statement and something to consider. Ten detailed employment videos over a broad spectrum of your company versus and independent employee’s video might cast the shade of a simply disgruntled employee. The information is out there and they are able to see the facts from both sides and they make their own informed decision.

Review the article and let us know your thoughts.

http://www.ere.net/2008/08/11/recruiting-videos-allow-potential-candidates-to-feel-the-passion/

MEDIA - Ad spending forecast to shift more to direct marketing

USA Today posted an interesting article on research projecting the movement of media and how spending will fluctuate until 2012. They have a nice chart displaying the growth and recession of different media outlets including Radio, Mobile, Cable & Broadcast TV, and Newspapers. Private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson pulished the study in their latest Communications Industry Forcast.

Take special note of the bullet about newspapers and their main problem of losing classified placements.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2008-08-04-media-forecast_N.htm

NON-TRADITIONAL - A Warning for Cinema Recruitment Advertising

I saw Batman: The Dark Knight opening night and as the pre-movie ads were rolling, a beautiful spot for an offshore oil company came up. I’m going to give a run down of the spot.

The shots were absolutely beautiful and they did a great job displaying the diversity of the work force. It was catchy and up beat and very much like a music video. They developed a very strong feeling of what it was like to work for the company and it was obvious that quite a bit of money was spent on the production of this spot. They had wonderful shots from the water looking up at the rig and shots taken from all around the platform. Rich navy and sky blue colors really enriched the shots and the sharp camera work was perfect. As the quick moving shots continue and the music builds in the background, it comes to a final peak and they display the company logo, contact information and website… for about a half a second before the next commercial started.

My eyes had enough time to read “Experience a career wi-“. No where, throughout the entire initial video and music collage, was the company name ever displayed and because of improper timing that was a commercial budget wasted.

Cinema recruitment commercials offer a chance to show passive and active candidates a great video and photo montage of your working environment and to get candidates energized and pumped about wanting to work for your company. You have them held at attention, just make sure you message reaches them.

Suggestions?

• Don't make candidates wait to find out who you are. Display the website along the bottom of the video for the majority or entirety of the commercial. Give candidates’ eyes something to shift between that directly connects to your company. Awesome footage, wigetjobs.com, awesome footage, wigetjobs.com. Suspense is great but if they only see you name for a few seconds, the chances that they will remember you after a 2 hour movie are slim.
  

• Account for human and technological error. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The very beginning of your video and your tail end of the video are at risk for being chopped to meet time requirements. Your final splash page may have all the information you could possibly need but if that gets cut short and you make no mention of the information elsewhere, your entire spot has become worthless.

Cinema recruitment advertising gives you a chance to display interesting and energized work environment details to an active and passive audience. Even if they aren’t looking for a job you have a chance to brand your company.

INTERNET - Blog Post: 10 Tips for Improving your Recruitment Blog

Here is a great article about improving your recruitment blog or at least tips to keep in mind when starting to develop your own.

Some of the key points he mentions include honesty about the job positions and work environment, keeping the entries as informal conversations between you and your candidates, responding to those that comment and staying consistent with your postings while keeping them relative to the time they are posted.

The post also makes an important point about revealing a little of yourself on the blog to help make a much more human connection between yourself and the potential talent reading through your blog.

http://albuquerque.jobing.com/blog_post.asp?post=10224

PRINT- Let your print ads interact with their surroundings

Contemplate creating memorable ads that will stand out in your candidate's mind by utilizing and ad's environment in innovative ways. Here is an example from the UK Army that uses the fold in the middle of a two page spread. It is certainly different enough to cause candidates to pause and receive the message and stands out enough they might mention it to someone, hopefully bolstering word of mouth and general top-of-mind awareness.

NON-TRADITIONAL - Using your recruitment ads as candidate screening tools

Not only do ads that call out your applicants from the crowd help to differentiate yourself from traditional recruitment placements but they can also act as a screening tool by weeding out the candidates that are unable to successfully decipher your message.

Creating placements like this may be a little harder to develop but they stand a chance at cutting down your hunt and effectively eliminating those that do not have the skills you need to perform the job.

MONSTER- More Wrong Job Campaign Pieces

Here are more placements that run on Monster's global "Wrong Job" campaign.

This was a great campaign that is easily adaptable to all markets and many of the pieces are very memorable. This should wrap up the last of the Monster campaign postings for a while.