Recruitment marketing is becoming more critical in today’s job market. As companies compete to attract top talent, their recruitment branding and marketing strategies must be well-defined and executed. However, the question arises as to where the responsibility of recruitment marketing should lay in an organization. Should it be a function of the recruiting team or the marketing department?
In this blog post, we will examine the pros and cons of both approaches and provide insights into making the best decision for your company.
Marketing to candidates is very different from marketing to potential clients. Recruiting is about telling the story of what it’s like to work at the company, what the culture is like, the benefits of working there, and the job opportunities. Marketing to clients, on the other hand, is about selling products or services. Therefore, some marketers may not understand the nuances of recruitment marketing. If your marketing department does not have a deep understanding of the recruiting process or the candidate experience, then it may not be the best place for recruitment marketing.
Additionally, sometimes marketing does not have the bandwidth or doesn’t place value in recruitment marketing. If this is the case in your organization, it should have an owner with a vested interest in success. The recruiting team has a vested interest in sourcing the best candidates, and recruitment marketing is a vital aspect of that. In most cases, the recruiters can work with the marketing team to align to branding guidelines, messaging, and best practices, but ultimately, the recruitment marketing should be owned by the recruiting team.
Where do we go from here?
Recruitment marketing is an essential component of any company’s success, but the answer isn’t a straightforward one. It depends on your corporation’s structure, objectives, and priorities. If you have a large organization or access to specialized marketeers then having this service in-house will be beneficial; however if your company is smaller scale or doesn’t possess these resources than keeping recruitment tasks solely within the domain of recruiters could prove more advantageous.
Whether together or separated, recruitment marketing should work closely with the marketing department to align to branding, messaging, and other key initiatives. The tone of voice of the messaging should reflect the company culture, and all marketing materials, from job descriptions to social media posts, should be consistent across all channels. Therefore, communication between the recruiting and marketing teams is essential to ensure that branding and messaging align.
Recruitment marketing is too crucial to be overlooked. A well-executed recruitment marketing program can differentiate your organization from the competition and attract top talent. The decision of whether recruitment marketing should sit with recruiting or marketing ultimately depends on your organization’s size, structure, and resources. However, regardless of where it sits, recruiting and marketing must work closely together to establish branding guidelines, messaging, and tone of voice. With communication and collaboration between the recruiting and marketing teams, your company’s recruitment marketing efforts can yield positive results.