Recruitment Advertising: How To Get A Leg Up In The War For Talent

Exclusive interview with Kyle Mitchin, Chief People Officer, Forward Air

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What do candidates seek from employers today? What are the factors that play a key role in making a company an 'employer of choice'? Please elaborate.

Kyle: In the U.S., there are currently 10 million job openings and approximately 6 million unemployed people to fill those jobs! With millions of roles unfilled, the war for talent is real – it is critical for employers, and recruiters, to focus on attracting and retaining the right talent. These labor shortages have a huge impact on companies across industries, and have particularly affected the trucking industry, which is estimated to need more than 160,000 drivers in 2023.

Top candidates across industries are looking for companies offering fair compensation and total rewards, opportunities for growth, positive company culture, work-life balance, and supportive leadership. As Chief People Officer of Forward, I have witnessed the first-hand result of prioritizing empathetic and proactive leadership in making Forward Air a great place for current and future teammates. These efforts have resulted in a low driver turnover rate of only 30-40% - which is considerably lower than the industry standard of 90%!

Even if a company checks every box for what candidates are searching for in an employer, those factors are not helpful if the company is not effectively broadcasting its offerings. To ensure they are attracting the highest level of talent, companies must consider the following:

 

1. Ensure competitive compensation: Top candidates often look for employers who offer competitive salaries and benefits packages. At Forward, we benchmark our positions on an annual basis to ensure we remain market competitive, or better, on pay. Over the past two years, we have increased compensation by 20% or more for many of our positions – especially on the hourly workforce side – to remain competitive in key markets. Though pay is an important catalyst for attracting and retaining top talent, it is only one of the many factors employees are measuring when considering joining or leaving an organization.
2. Offer great benefits and total rewards: Essentially, when pay is equalized, these benefits attract and keep top talent. Forward continues to make substantial investments in this area. We fight to keep our employees’ share of benefits premium expense extremely low, while offering premium benefits coverage. Forward covers up to 90% of the insurance premium expense for our teammates. Additionally, we made significant enhancements to our paid time off (PTO) packages in 2022, awarding most of our people an additional 5+ days of paid time off per year. 
3. Provide career growth opportunities: Candidates want to work for companies that provide opportunities for professional development, advancement, and learning. We do all we can to develop our teammates to be all they can be in their current role and best prepare them to grow into their next role. 
4. Live your company culture: A positive company culture is important to top candidates, and embodying that culture is even more critical. People want to work in an environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, and inclusivity. Our culture is everything to us at Forward. Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, where employees feel valued and respected, can make us an employer of choice. In all areas, but especially this one, it is important to ‘walk the walk,’ and not just ‘talk the talk’.
5. Champion work-life balance: Candidates seek employers who support work-life balance and offer flexible work arrangements. The Covid-19 pandemic taught us a lot about the effectiveness of people in a remote fashion. It also taught us about the importance and impact of face-to-face interactions on the culture and engagement of our people. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here for employers. For us, a balanced hybrid approach was the right answer. We provide our teammates with maximum flexibility when possible and require our teams to be in person for critical engagements. 
6. Meaningful work: Many top candidates want to work for companies that have a strong mission and make a positive impact in the world. We strive to ensure our people understand our strategy and mission and know the important role they play in achieving them. We have reinforced this behavior by using our human resources information system (HRIS) to cascade our management by objectives (MBOs) from top to bottom, properly aligning goals to incentives. Additionally, we have a strong commitment to social responsibility and making a positive impact in the world through our environmental, social and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) efforts.
7. Supportive leadership: Candidates look for leaders who are approachable, supportive, and invested in the success of their teammates as well as the success of the company. Having effective and supportive leadership that supports collaboration and encourages employee feedback can make a company a much more attractive place to work. We strive to be all we can be as leaders at Forward and conduct bi-annual upward feedback surveys to ensure accountability in leading the right way. 

At Forward, we are focused on tapping into 100% of the talent pool. Attracting a diverse workforce can be challenging for any employer, but having a robust advertising strategy will help employers attract and build a diverse pipeline of talent.

Q: What are the advertising strategies you adopt to build a steady pipeline of talent? Which is the most effective mode and why?

Kyle: It is important for companies to stay up to date with the latest recruiting technology and use it effectively to attract top talent. Here are some talent advertising strategies to consider:
 

1. Employer branding: Developing a strong employer brand can attract top talent by communicating the company's values, culture, and mission. Companies can showcase their employer brand through their website, social media, job postings, and other marketing materials.
2. Job postings: Creating job postings that are clear, concise, and appealing to candidates can help attract top talent. Companies should focus on highlighting the key responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits of the position.
3. Employee referrals: Encouraging current employees to refer to their network can be a cost-effective way to attract top talent. Companies can offer incentives to employees who refer successful candidates. At Forward, this is the most effective form of advertising – especially with the driver community. Nothing against our internal talent team (they are awesome!), but some of our best recruiters are our drivers. They receive our benefits firsthand and are the best spokespeople for sharing our competitive offerings to similar candidates. 
4. Social media: Leveraging social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, can help companies reach a wider audience of potential candidates. Companies can create engaging content, participate in industry discussions, and connect with potential candidates.
5. Career fairs and events: Attending career fairs and hosting events can help companies connect with potential candidates and promote their employer brand. In-person opportunities offer a more candid dialogue – we can learn more about what candidates want and tailor our offerings to their needs.
6. Recruitment advertising: Companies can use online job boards, recruitment agencies, and other advertising platforms to reach a wider audience of potential candidates. It is important to target the right audience and use engaging visuals and messaging.
7. Employer review websites: Candidates often use employer review websites, such as Glassdoor, to research companies before applying. Companies should actively monitor and respond to reviews to promote a positive image.

Employers and recruiters have access to a range of tools and platforms that can help them reach a wider audience of potential candidates and streamline the recruitment process. Mobile accessibility for candidates is the lynchpin to maximizing engagement. People want to search for jobs, research the company, apply and onboard all in the palm of their hand. Make it easy for candidates to engage with you, and you will see a great boost to your candidate pool.

Q: What role will technology play in recruitment advertising? Please elaborate. How will recruitment advertising evolve in the coming years?

Kyle: While internal employee referrals are still effective, thanks to technology most traditional methods have been replaced with newer, more effective, processes. Here are some great ways that technology is used in recruiting advertising:
 

1. Job boards: Online job boards, such as Indeed and LinkedIn, allow companies to post job openings and reach a large audience of potential candidates.
2. Applicant tracking systems: Applicant tracking systems (ATS) allow companies to manage the recruitment process, from posting job openings to screening resumes and scheduling interviews. This technology can help streamline the recruitment process, increasing efficiency and efficacy.
3. Social media: Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, can be used to promote job openings, connect with potential candidates, and build a strong employer brand. A standalone Facebook post about a job opening is a light attempt at recruiting. Now imagine that same Facebook post, among a backlog of content-sharing insights into company culture, leadership and benefits. That post suddenly has supporting evidence – active, meaningful, and engaging content builds upon itself and elevates critical posts.
4. Video interviewing and virtual career fairs: Video interviewing platforms, such as Zoom and Skype, allow companies to conduct remote interviews with candidates, which can save time and reduce travel costs. Virtual career fairs allow companies to connect with potential candidates online and showcase their employer brand, without the need for physical events. In a nationwide corporation, these tools help bridge the gap between recruiters and candidates.
5. Artificial intelligence (AI): AI-powered tools, such as chatbots and screening algorithms, can help automate certain aspects of the recruitment process, such as initial screening and scheduling interviews.

From our perspective, traditional recruitment advertising methods are on life support. Print ads, state/local employment agencies and temp staffing are a thing of the past for us. The only traditional method that we still employ, and do so strongly, is internal employee referrals. 

Q: What are the challenges you face with traditional recruitment advertising methods? How do you overcome them?

Kyle: Some additional challenges with traditional recruitment advertising may include:
 

1. Limited reach and diversity of candidates: Traditional recruitment advertising methods, such as newspaper ads, job fairs, and flyers, have limited reach and may not reach a wide pool of potential candidates.
2. Costly: Traditional recruitment advertising methods can be expensive, especially for small businesses with limited resources. Advertising costs can quickly add up, making it difficult for smaller organizations to compete with larger companies.
3. Time-consuming: Traditional recruitment methods can be time-consuming, especially when it comes to reviewing resumes and scheduling interviews. This can lead to delays in the hiring process, causing frustration for both the hiring manager and potential candidates.
4. Lack of targeting: Traditional recruitment methods often lack the ability to target specific demographics or job seekers with certain skills or qualifications, resulting in a pool of applicants that may not be the right fit for the job.
5. Limited candidate Interaction: Traditional recruitment methods may not provide candidates with a clear understanding of the company culture, job expectations, or growth opportunities, leading to lower job satisfaction and higher turnover rates.

In the new norm of modern recruitment advertising, our biggest challenge is social media saturation. I do not know about you, but my LinkedIn mailbox is overflowing with InMail requests. For years, LinkedIn has been the most reliable and cost-effective source to find salaried talent. We have seen a significant drop-off in candidate engagement recently and believe this is due to marketplace saturation. 

A few suggestions to overcome this challenge from my point of view:
 

1. Think outside the box: People are receiving hundreds of InMail requests, so your message needs to stand out from the crowd. 
2. Follow-up: Most people are terrible at following up, yet most engagements happen after several follow-up attempts.
3. Get old school: I hate to age myself, but very few people pick up the phone and call a prospective candidate. You will surprise yourself with how effective this can be.

Recruitment advertising will continue evolving in the coming years, driven by advancements in technology, changes in the job market, and shifting candidate expectations. 

Q: What are the new forms of recruitment advertising that will make an impact in the future?

Kyle: Want to stay ahead of the trends and diversify your efforts to attract the industry’s top talent? Consider the following areas that may help recruitment advertising evolve in the near future: 
 

1. Increased focus on diversity and inclusion: With the growing importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, recruitment advertising is likely to place a greater emphasis on attracting a diverse pool of candidates.
2. Greater use of AI: As AI technology continues to improve, recruitment advertising may increasingly rely on AI-powered tools, such as chatbots and screening algorithms, to automate certain aspects of the recruitment process.
3. Greater use of social media and online platforms: As more candidates turn to social media and online platforms to research companies and job opportunities, recruitment advertising is likely to place a greater emphasis on these channels.
4. More targeted advertising: As advertising technology continues to improve, recruitment advertising may become more targeted and personalized, based on candidate data and preferences. (Think geo-fencing on steroids.)
5. Increased use of virtual recruiting tools: With the shift towards remote work and virtual events, recruitment advertising is likely to increasingly rely on virtual recruiting tools, such as video interviews and virtual career fairs.

As the pandemic so directly taught us, you cannot predict the future. You can, however, be built to last and equipped to adapt. Recruitment is not a one-way road, rather, it is a complex conversation. An employer that is not regularly assessing candidate and employee needs is already falling behind. By listening to candidates, meeting their needs, and diversifying how you advertise the benefits and offerings of your company, your recruitment team can get a leg up in the war for talent. 
 

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