Dive Brief:

• Social media and mobile devices are dramatically shaping the landscape of recruitment, meaning recruiters must think more like marketers today, says Samuel Greengard, who contributes to Workforce.
• Susan Vitale, CMO for applicant tracking firm iCIMS, says that, “HR professionals must start thinking about themselves as marketers and embrace the tactics used in the B2B and B2C spaces, “ adding that, “About 80% of recruiting professionals have said that their techniques have changed or evolved over the last three years because of the influence of marketing.”
• The iCIMS report Recruitment Marketing: Fad or Fortune? revealed that an overwhelming 90% of recruiters agree that “having a strong employment brand is more important today than it was five years ago.” Another 84% think that recruitment marketing is worth the effort, but only 48% have a plan to hire a social marketing professional to oversee things.

Dive Insight:

There is a strong case for building a brand that attracts passive candidates, rather than simply relying on old-fashioned job advertisements. Shaunda Zilich, global employment brand leader for General Electric Co., told Greengard, “We are not only selling products and services; we’re also selling opportunities for employment — and people now choose companies based on their lifestyles and interests. You have to catch them at the moment they’re receptive with the right message.”

Thinking like a marketer is something that is familiar for many recruiters, but the tools and resources for marketing to candidates is somewhat foreign. Fortunately, social platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and even SnapChat and Tinder are making it easier for recruiters to connect with talent in a more personal way while at the same time building brands online.

The iCIMS report does reveal that companies have to step up and hire social media experts to manage not only marketing aspects, but also recruitment efforts if they want to see any real results.