In past years, job fairs have been on the decline due to overhead costs and the economic dip, but recently we have seen a resurgence in this method of recruiting, particularly in the healthcare sector. Unlike past events though, these new events are tightly focused on a theme and are accompanied by an informational microsite with the option to pre-register. Most recently we have worked with our clients on Environmental Services, Nursing (with specific specialties) and Administrative searches all of which have had great results.
The approach that makes these sorts of events so successful is a multi-targeted marketing strategy that ends with a defined action. We use radio, social media and more to drive candidates towards that action. In our case, we like to lead candidates back to event microsites for recruitment. By using these microsites, candidates can learn more about the company, but more importantly they can learn about the department they will be a part of and the job itself. Some key elements to an event-specific recruitment microsite include:
- Custom graphics
- Job descriptions
- Departmental synopsis
- Registration form
- Contact options
Custom Graphics
All recruitment microsites we create include custom graphics. Those graphics can be created by our designers or can be photographs of real people in the department you are recruiting for. Usually, it’s a bit of both.
Job Descriptions
Clear job descriptions that give the candidates a defined picture of the position are essential. Some outbound ads may not allow you to put a full description within them, so the microsite descriptions are basically “premium content” that a job seeker wants and needs to see.
Departmental Synopsis
There is no I in TEAM and there are very few positions where candidates won’t have to work with or for someone else. For that reason alone, it is very important to provide candidates with as much information as possible on what it is like to work in the department you are promoting. No one wants to apply blindly; show them the light!
Registration Form
Some of our clients want to have rosters of people who plan to come to the event and would like them to book time slots in advance. To assist them with that, we use forms on our microsites to allow applicants to pick a time slot and they are automatically added to a list that we can easily provide to the on-site recruiter closer to the event. The same form also automatically emails the recruiters individually when a candidate signs up. Pre-registration is a great way to plan ahead for your recruitment event.
Contact Options
Sometimes even if you attract the right candidate, they might not be ready to apply or commit to a time slot. That’s okay! They might just have questions. Make it easy for candidates to contact someone in charge of the search and make sure that person contacts them in a timely manner. In some cases, the right candidate may not be able to make the event, but still wants to be considered and you definitely don’t want to miss that.
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Do you need a recruitment microsite for your next hiring event? Do you have recruitment questions?
