How to... recruit on-line

Mon 29 December 2008, Category: Online Recruitment

For many of us, as soon as we need something - whether it's a certain CD, a telephone number or details of the last train home - we go online. And so do job candidates.

According to Marco Bertozzi, director media and digital at recruiters TMP Worldwide, candidates spend at least 35% of their media time on the web.

Attraction

Online recruitment is an absolutely crucial part of attracting candidates directly. As Bertozzi points out: "It's important to think of your organisation as a brand within this context, rather than a prospective employer. How a company approaches candidates online influences how it will be perceived, and the internet helps position organisations as forward thinking and innovative.

"It also often provides a much more cost effective and higher quality route to reaching potential new recruits than using agencies."

Strategy

Strategy is key to any successful initiative. Before you implement online recruitment, you will need to decide why you are doing it, what you hope to achieve, and how you intend to achieve it.

Start by understanding your audience. Who do you want to attract to your organisation, and where are they likely to look for job information? Once they've reached your website, what do you want to do with them? Decide what information you want to give casual visitors to the site.

Should you provide online application forms, or simply a contact address for applications? And will you be providing feedback to applicants via the website?

Do you want to take it a step further and provide Facebook or Second Life groups for candidates and current members of staff to chat to each other online?

Get the basics right

As basic as it may sound, make sure that your website 'works'. Broken links, poor navigation and mistakes in the text will all cost you good candidates, and will cause damage to your brand that may be hard to repair. On the other hand, avoid gimmicks - these will irritate and deter the more serious candidates.

Use the data

Once your online recruitment system is up and running, use the information it yields. Bertozzi points out that it provides a much richer level of candidate information than more traditional methods. He says: "Do you know how many people saw your last press ad, and how much you paid for each 'eye ball'? Do you know how many candidates visited your website as a result, whether they applied, and how much that application cost you? This is the level of rich information and payback that online advertising can provide."

Having such information at your fingertips means that you can change your strategy as you begin to better understand your audience - and even your own recruitment needs. Take comments on board, and implement feedback. See online recruitment as what it is - a direct route to the best candidates.

Expert's view : Marco Bertozzi, director media and digital, TMP Worldwide

What are the biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge is the fear of the unknown. But online advertising can be straightforward. Start by placing simple ads on the major job sites. Also try 'search' - go and search for your company online in Google and see what you find. Do the results reflect your brand?

What should you avoid?

Don't do online advertising without tracking everything from first click through to completed application. This will open a new world of accountability, enabling reporting on every aspect of a campaign.

Avoid doing any advertising without a search campaign being live at the same time. Search engine advertising is crucial, and this is where the war on talent can be won or lost.

Allow a reasonable online budget to shape a proper strategy, including search, job boards, and visibility products. Give yourself a chance to do some good work, rather than using online recruitment as an add-on.

Avoid sending lots of traffic to a website that is not fit for purpose. If a candidate walked into your office you would not make them wait ages, send them through the wrong door, ask them to fill in forms and then throw these away. Your website is the first experience of you as a brand, so you need to impress from the start.

What are your top tips?

• Start with a great shop window - make sure your website is fit for purpose
• Track everything through to completed application
• Start simply, test the water and then expand.

If you only do 5 things

1. Have a strategy
2. Make sure your technology and branding work
3. Understand your audience
4. Use your web traffic statistics
5. Stay up to date.

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