With the recall of leisure, hospitality and restaurant workers leading to a reduction in the state’s jobless rate for three consecutive months, Michigan’s latest employment numbers may be a sign of brighter days ahead. A February study from the ASE, Michigan’s largest employer association, found 23.6% of employers plan to increase future hiring efforts compared to the past six months.
But with job fairs and other in-person events still suspended, business leaders are reassessing how they attract, recruit and retain talent – with many going virtual. According to Insights from LinkedIn, 81% of talent professionals believe virtual recruiting will continue post-pandemic, with 70% saying it will become the new standard.
For businesses looking to acquire top-tier talent, amplifying virtual recruiting efforts starts with maximizing your brand’s digital presence. According to industry research, 75% of job seekers consider a company’s employer brand before applying, and 52% of candidates seek out a company’s website and social media channels to learn more about a prospective employer.
For any company look to enhance online recruiting efforts, there are three important things to keep in mind:
Update Company Profiles
The first critical step in this process is ensuring your company’s key social channels and recruiting profiles on platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn are up-to-date. One industry survey found 48% of respondents used Glassdoor at some point in their job search, with nearly half using the platform before they apply for positions to narrow down potential employers.
Simply maintaining some sort of active presence on these platforms poses a big opportunity for employers to gain awareness among job seekers. Look for needed updates to profile fields like your mission statement, locations, website and logo, as well as additional opportunities to insert details, such as your company’s history or core values to further showcase your brand identity.
Maintain an Active Presence
Glassdoor research finds 75% of active job seekers are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand. This includes actions like maintaining an updated profile, sharing updates on their culture and responding to reviews (more on that later).
For platforms like Glassdoor, post at least once every 30 days to keep content active on your profile. For platforms like LinkedIn, inserting recruiting messages regularly in your channel’s content is a great way to support an optimal publishing cadence. Utilize photos of your team on-the-job or employee spotlights to humanize your feed, as well as updates on your organization’s philanthropy efforts to help illustrate company culture.
Generate Good Buzz
Glassdoor reviews, good or bad, pose an opportunity for employers to promote transparency and amplify jey messaging. According to a Glassdoor U.S. Site survey, 62% of job seekers say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.
Responding to negative reviews in a non-defensive tone empowers businesses to amplify their messaging to numerous key stakeholders, such as current and future employees, investors and customers.
Glassdoor recommends establishing an easy-to-reference process for deciding how to reply and which reviews warrant a response. When drafting replies, look for opportunities to show your company’s values in action with stories or examples of actual behavior within your organization.
Don’t forget to utilize your employee network to generate positive reviews. The previously mentioned survey found almost half of respondents would only take into consideration reviews written in the last six months when deciding whether to apply at a company. Encourage your team to share feedback at least annually and remember to never incentivize leaving reviews (it’s against Glassdoor’s policies to do this). Platforms like Glassdoor offer numerous free templates for requesting feedback.
In 2021, attracting top talent starts online. Need help amplifying your brand’s digital presence? Contact us to learn more.
