We all know what it’s like to apply for an open role. Whether it’s through LinkedIn, a head hunter, or DMing your resume on Instagram, the process is often at least a little bit painful. On the flip side, employers looking to fill open positions are feeling the pain, too. From finding someone with the right skill set to making sure your brand is attractive to candidates, recruiting can be tough. And while online hiring platforms like ZipRecruiter and Indeed can be a quick and cost-effective way to fill immediate openings, a full-scale campaign becomes necessary when there are dozens or even hundreds of roles to fill. 

“A recruitment campaign is an investment in your future workforce. If you anticipate growth or have specific skill gaps, it's worth the upfront cost to ensure you're attracting the best talent with the right experience, rather than relying solely on job boards.” - Carly Johnson, Group Account Director

A recruitment campaign can do the heavy lifting when it comes to strategic hires and building a strong employer brand. It can lead to some other nice perks, like brand awareness and differentiating your company. Here’s when we recommend launching a recruitment campaign.

1. You Have Niche or Specialized Roles to Fill

For brands that need to fill a highly specialized position, such as a senior executive or a technical expert, a job board might not reach the right audience or attract enough qualified candidates.

Rosendin, one of the largest electrical contractors in the United States, values a certain level of experience niche to their market. They also wanted the opportunity to educate a new target audience on the skills of the trade, a component that was intended to attract a new audience for their workforce. After working with O.H. Partners to launch a new recruitment campaign, Rosendin has received 6 and 10 qualified applications per day over the course of several months.

2. You Need to Hire Multiple Full-Time or Seasonal Roles

If you're expanding rapidly, opening a new location, or need to fill seasonal roles, a recruitment campaign can help you attract more candidates.

 

The holidays are a time of increased consumer spending, leading UPS to launch a social-first campaign focused on part-time opportunities to supplement its hiring needs. For those looking for longer-term opportunities, UPS highlighted the fact that 37% of its seasonal hires turn into full-time positions with benefits. 

3. You Want to Increase Brand Awareness

If you're competing for talent, a recruitment campaign can raise awareness about your company’s culture, values, and benefits, as well as overall market awareness.

O.H. Partners worked with the City of Phoenix to launch the "Do Work that Makes Phoenix Work” campaign. This campaign heroizes employment with the City of Phoenix by implying the direct impact every employee can make while instilling a sense of pride and community. Ultimately, this campaign led to an increase of 15,000 applicants, 32% more than the year prior.

4. You Want to Build a Long-Term Talent Pipeline

A recruitment campaign can help you create a pipeline of potential candidates, even if you're not hiring immediately. 

The FTI-BOLD “Why Compromise" campaign leveraged its distinct heritage as a local consultancy and its merger with FTI Consulting 2021 to separate itself from the competition. Instead of positioning the firm as a large firm or boutique firm, FTI-BOLD found an ownable space where applicants could have the best of both worlds.

5. You’re In A Competitive Hiring Market

A recruitment campaign allows you to proactively showcase your company’s advantages and actively compete for the best talent.

BMW adopted a strategic approach in a niche market by utilizing geographical targeting and emphasizing key benefits, such as the "enhanced quality of life at a BMW plant." This focus enabled them to achieve remarkable success in just a few months.

Building a Campaign that Attracts

A one-size-fits-all approach won't suffice for a brand’s recruitment campaign to truly stand out. Instead, it's essential to delve into the unique challenges of your business, industry, and market while gaining a deep understanding of your target audience. 

“Based on a firm foundation of strategy, we can identify authentic ways to connect a brand's distinct attributes and benefits with the talent they are looking to attract. When executed thoughtfully, a creative recruitment campaign can inspire action and drive remarkable results.” - Matt Carson, VP of Creative

An effective recruitment strategy and campaign can significantly enhance a brand's appeal in the market, position them as desirable employers, and ultimately attract top talent. However, a campaign built without strategy is likely to fail. With such high stakes, especially in today’s competitive job market, it’s crucial for companies to stand out to job seekers in unique ways. Hiring a creative agency can make a significant impact by incorporating firsthand input from real employees while adding a creative spin to the messaging.

Partnering with agencies that have expertise across diverse markets not only enhances recruitment efforts but also ensures a deeper understanding of consumer dynamics, helping organizations achieve their unique goals.

Before you launch a campaign, recruit an agency to supply creative based on strategy and make the most of your advertising and recruitment budget. Contact us today to get started.