“ABP”: A New Strategy to Recruit Top Talent
In the “old days,” job ads were posted selectively and each ad cost money. As a result, most of us still think about posting this way. We think about where we should post, how much it will cost, and we pray that we get at least a few positive candidates. It makes sense that we still adhere to this paradigm due to habit but there is a new strategy that you can apply that can dramatically change the overall success of your job postings program. It doesn’t have an industry name yet…at TalentCMO, we call it “ABP.”
ABP stands for “Always Be Posting” but it means much more than this. ABP represents a philosophical change in approach to the use of job ads. Unlike the old days, we now can post our jobs once and reach hundreds of additional job boards (syndication), our jobs can be indexed and intelligently presented to candidates (aggregation), and we can do this without paying for a single job posting (although some of these services do charge a relatively minor monthly fee). Additionally, we can post variations to our ads to test performance (search engine optimize) and extend exposure. For example, imagine you have an open sales role, consider posting it using multiple titles to see what works best (ex. Sales Rep, Sales Specialist, Sales Leader).
ABP also allows companies to move beyond on-demand recruiting (reactive) and into pre-demand (proactive) recruiting. Instead of recruiting for current openings, start recruiting for future openings too. This last point is critical. Top talent is not hanging out on job boards. They may have a bad day and take a look for what might be out there. If you aren’t recruiting on a pre-demand basis, your chances of getting in front of top talent with your message are statistically much, much lower. (Note: If a role is a future opening, it is important to identify it as such so that candidates are not confused).
To help visualize pre-demand recruiting, imagine a funnel:
TalentCMO's Pre-Demand Recruiting
If you consider implementing an ABP strategy, there is one more important thought to consider with respect how to manage the flow of candidates. ABP will result in many, many more candidates. Consider the use of a candidate self-screening strategy to complement ABP. At TalentCMO, we develop a series of self-screening questions for each job. Candidates receive a follow up email AFTER they apply and are asked the self-screening questions to determine fit and interest. The tone of the email is conversational and engaging. When given the choice, most candidates that are not a strong fit will self-select out of consideration. We have found this step to be critical to executing a strong ABP program.
In conclusion, an ABP program will reduce your job posting expense, increase the flow of candidates, and build your talent pipeline for future hires. When coupled with a candidate self-screening strategy, the net result will be less time screening candidates and an increase in top talent in your pipeline.
Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and CEO of TalentCMO.
For any comments or questions, please feel free to reach out to TalentCMO team or directly to Austin Meyermann at austin@talentcmo.com.
Links and Other Interesting Stuff:
There are variety of platforms and tools to syndicate your jobs. We use Jazz (which is also our ATS). Good stuff.
Have you heard about the “Consumerization of the Candidate Experience”? Here is an interesting blog post about how the act of applying to a job is VERY similar to the act of buying online.
Check out this sweet Career Showcase (a standalone microsite built for candidates….compare it to the Career page on most corporate sites!) that we just built for one of our clients.