Applying is Buying
Cyber Monday 2016 sales have demolished online sales records, confirming yet again that we are in a world of online consumerism that’s not changing any time soon.
Traditional job advertisements have been online for the better part of the last two decades. But the tools and technology available to reach “consumers” of job opportunities have really exploded in the last few years, making finding, researching, evaluating, and applying to opportunities with one-click buying not only commonplace, but standard practice.
Candidates are consumers…and their job selection habits mirror their buying habits: they proactively seek out opportunity, engage with the brands, research company and culture, and then apply. With social media, savvy recruiters can push opportunity to the right talent communities or professional networks, initiating the same evaluation process.
To attract the best talent, companies are becoming more and more sophisticated in how they package their employer brand and engage with potential candidates. Everyone is in competition for the same talent...all the time. If you doubt this, just consider whether your most valued and loyal employees would take a call from a Google recruiter?
Speaking of Google, employment opportunity campaigns are on the verge of taking off in the same way ads for consumer products have. Machine learning and big data/algorithm-driven job boards are already serving up “like” job postings to on-line job seekers. It won’t be long before opportunities are served up to candidates wherever and whenever they are online.
It’s the next logical step…elimination of job boards in lieu of direct-to-consumer targeting through smart ads and advanced digital marketing options.
Recently I was in the market for an end table, so made the online retailer rounds. Now every website I visit reserves some ad space for Wayfair, West Elm, and Overstock. Just for me.
How long will it take for that Dream Job, that I didn’t know I was looking for, to find me while I’m shoe shopping?
Written by: Allison Small, Co-Founder, TalentCMO