Recruiting marketing for SMEs: a new way of thinking and acting

A phenomenon that even organizations are experiencing where distinct and independent profiles and functions find themselves having to collaborate and, in some cases, to merge with each other in order to better face the so-called war of talents.

Acquiring talent is today’s real challenge, a comparison that will become increasingly competitive given the current projections on the contraction of skills that the market will be able to offer in the coming years, compared to the growing demand for specialized profiles.
For this reason, in recent years we have started talking about recruiting marketing. Now, more than understanding and discussing the correct definition of this new discipline, we find it useful – for those working in the HR field – to explain what the reasons are that led to a radical change in the way of thinking and acting.

First of all, it is a market change. We have always been used to seeing a clear distinction between the B2B market and the B2C market; a separation that is failing today: the market is flattening the differences creating a new scenario.

If we think of the banking and insurance sectors, online, large-scale retail, retail, personal services, professional studios etc. the consumer is a potential candidate but above all each candidate becomes a potential consumer.
With this in mind, marketing and recruiting must work together and merge into a single activity: recruiting marketing.

Let’s take a few examples to make the option concrete. We plan to thank a candidate who entered our talent pool and participated in a series of automated selection steps (such as video interviews, verification tests on soft and hard skills, language tests) but was not considered suitable. If this candidate automatically received a small voucher to spend in the same chain, we would generate a double positive effect: a candidate who is still satisfied – if not suitable – because he receives timely feedback and thanks for the commitment shown, but above all a potential customer which, in all probability, will be led to spend more than the value of the voucher.

In this case, recruiting marketing not only involves the marketing department and the HR department, but also the sales department will probably be involved.
This demonstrates that human capital is the success factor of every organization and it is necessary to make the most of its potential.

Recruiting marketing actions must not be addressed only to candidates in acquisition (new leads) but also, and above all, to the profiles with which we have already come into contact: passive candidates.

Employer branding activities are recruiting marketing activities which must always fall within a strategic and continuous planning.

It goes without saying that recruiting marketing and employer branding actions are more effective if supported by adequate tools.

Thinking of being able to implement strategic policies, especially on large volumes, in a manual way risks generating more work, and costs, than the real benefits.

It is necessary to have software such as ATS or, even better, modern AI software recruiting – defined as Applicant Ranking System – that allow HR departments to approach digital transformation processes effectively and efficiently. it deals with solutions that not only provide functional tools such as multiposting tools, video recruiting and AI matching but which are based on recruiting analytics, because only by analyzing real data can we measure the effectiveness of our KPIs and better structure our recruitment strategy.