Elissa Jannicelli, Author at SCG Advertising & PR

In 2018, recruiters need to act like marketers. Oh, really?

April 23, 2018

by Elissa Jannicelli Advertising Human Resources Marketing Recruitment Advertising

At the beginning of each year the recruitment pundits make their predictions as to the trends that will take place in the coming year. They are hoping to give recruiters a head-start in preparing and implementing new strategies. For the most part they are all interesting and informative.

Of course, in a recruitment marketplace that is showing great job growth (January-March had the strongest average monthly job growth since 1997) and extremely low unemployment (January-March holding at 4.1%), successful talent acquisition becomes a much more daunting task. Recruiters are looking for anything that will provide the edge they need. (For more information on why the market is tightening click here.)

In trying to digest all of the suggestions, I noticed that a great number of them were saying that in 2018 recruiters need to be marketers. Hmm. Good and very pertinent suggestion; but shouldn’t talent acquisition professionals always act like marketers?

The objective of a professional talent acquisition team is to identify, attract and onboard talent that will enable the company to meet and even exceed their goals. They strive to put together strategies that will bring the best and brightest to their team. That requires constantly selling the company and continually building the employer brand by consistently repeating the employee value proposition (EVP) – what the employee receives in return for the expertise brought to the table. That is certainly no different than a marketer approaches building their brand.

Below are some things that as a recruitment marketer you can be concentrating on:

Build a consistent employer brand
This will make the candidates predisposed to applying.

Gather market intelligence
This will help you to know your competition and where you can find your next superstar.

Put your advantages front and center in copy
This will help to attract more individuals from which to choose.

Choose your media wisely
There are so many channels out there they can be confusing or the perfect targeting tools. But it takes homework.

Don’t stop
No matter the job market’s supply and demand, always think like a marketer.

Of course, it would help to have a partner in your recruitment efforts with experience in recruitment and marketing such as an agency full of talent like SCG. At SCG, in our daily practice we use the Peso model (Paid, earned, shared and owned media) specifically designed for HR, shown below, as the center of our strategic planning to help you achieve your goals. Contact the SCG location nearest to you.

HR Peso Model

3 Ways PR Job Seekers Can Enhance Their Digital Footprint

February 7, 2018

by Elissa Jannicelli Advertising Human Resources Public Relations Social Media

You’ve heard it again and again — when applying for jobs and internships, make sure your social media and is pristine and appropriate. (You don’t want your Instagram or your digital footprint to speak louder than your resume.) This is especially true for aspiring public relations professionals: if you can’t manage your own social media properly, how can an agency expect you to manage a client’s?

This is why so many internship and job seekers are told to go through and delete any unsavory content, ensure their profile pictures put their best self forward, and make their social profiles private if necessary. Cleaning up your social media is a must, but with public relations positions as competitive as they are, there may be another step needed.

Take charge and create your own digital footprint: an entirely new online identity that focuses not on your crazy nights out, but who you are and what you bring to the table as a professional. You may not want potential employers to find your personal content, so provide an opportunity for employers to get a sense of who you are professionally.

Create a job seeking / professional social media account

Creating a professional Twitter or Instagram to demonstrate your social abilities can set you above the competition. You may be protecting yourself by making all your accounts private, but you’re also missing an opportunity to show how you’re able to manage social media profiles, stay in the loop about industry trends, and engage with brands. If that’s something you want to highlight, consider creating an Instagram or Twitter account specifically for that purpose. Retweet articles about industry trends, show off your amazing graphic design/photography skills, and show that PR is more than just a career for you – it’s a passion.

Online Portfolio or Blog

The reason many hiring managers research candidates is because they want to get a sense of the person behind the resume. What’s their personality? What kind of energy would they bring to the role? If you provide everything a manager could possibly need to know upfront and demonstrate all the creative ways you could contribute, they won’t have to look you up. So create an online portfolio or blog to show off your writing skills, share information about yourself, articulate your ideas and perspectives, and outline all the great experience you’d bring to an employer.

Leveraging LinkedIn

Every young professional should have a LinkedIn account. This platform has so many opportunities for those who invest time in using it. You can connect with those in your dream role, post relevant articles, comment on industry leader’s posts, and write/publish your own content. Being able to share an impressive and engaging LinkedIn profile with a potential employer is a plus.

So, once you’ve made sure your social media content is appropriate, consider creating an entirely new digital footprint. How are you making yourself stand out?

5 Reasons 2018 Is Going To Be A Battleground For Talent

January 9, 2018

by Elissa Jannicelli Advertising Branding Community Awareness Human Resources Recruitment Advertising

If you’re a recruiter, you can already feel it. The demand to fill a growing number of job openings is already here. Complicating things for your recruiting efforts is the fact that job seekers have more opportunities from which to choose. In short, you’re not the only game in town. Additionally, the improved job market has employees feeling more comfortable to move from passive to active job seekers.

If you are not yet a believer in the changing job market ahead and its effect on recruiting, here are five statistical trends that should change your mind.

Job Openings Continuing to Rise

The job openings trend across the nation has been steadily increasing since July 2009. From that time through October 2017 the total number of job openings has grown nearly 3 times larger. That means job seekers are looking at 6 million opportunities today when back in 2009 their job search would include just over 2 million jobs. That really puts incredible pressure on recruiters to differentiate their company as an employer.

The Quit Rate is Up

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people feeling comfortable enough to quit their jobs has nearly doubled since 2009. These individuals are quitting to accept a new position or feeling confident enough to quit without a new job on the horizon since there are plenty of job openings (as shown above) out there for them.

A Lower Participation Rate

Part of the equation for creating a sufficient talent pool to meet your recruiting needs is the number of individuals who qualify as a potential candidate but for one reason or another have opted out of the job market. In just the last 6 years, that number has decreased from 63.7% to 62.7%. Sounds like a small movement, but in combination with all of the other statistics discussed here, this has a big impact.

Lower Number of Layoffs and Discharges

There are always a number of individuals who are forced into the job market through layoffs and discharges. As the economy improves, the number of individuals affected is reduced. Hence, less talent is available for hiring in the “active” job seeker category. Unfortunately, these are what you refer to as the lower hanging fruit. This is a group that is much easier to recruit and makes your job all the easier.

Tax Changes Will Spur Pay Increases

Sometimes it just takes more money to entice individuals to stay in their current position rather than jumping somewhere else. With the newly implemented corporate tax structure companies are going to have more money to use at their discretion. Many times, they may have an opportunity to save an employee with a raise thus keeping that individual from entering into the job market.

If you want to see most of the statistics above in greater detail, go to the JOLTS Home Page on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

If you want more details on the 2018 job market and how you can conquer its massive challenges, feel free to contact SCG Advertising & Public Relations.