4 Inbound Recruitment Assets You Probably Forgot About Updating

By Jessica Miller-Merrell

Many recruiters are using marketing techniques and tactics in their jobs, and as I talked about in a previous post, we can use inbound marketing just as much as traditional marketing. In fact, I’ve always thought it was an incredibly valuable tool for our industry since it’s typically cheaper and less time consuming than many traditional marketing tactics. From optimizing your website and giving candidates a reason to stay to simply using more visual cues, a little effort can go a long way.

Since much of what we do in recruiting centers around communication, a big part of maximizing inbound marketing potential is based on the way we communicate with those candidates. And like anything else, those communications should be revisited from time to time to ensure that they’re not just updated but are the best they can be.

Take a look at these four often-overlooked areas you could probably improve with a few simple tweaks:

Candidate application acknowledgement email

You probably don’t give much thought to this communication piece, but you should be. Candidates have made the buying decision to apply to your company, and you have an opportunity to make them feel good about that decision and leave them with positive thoughts of your organization, whether they wind up working there or not. Use this as an opportunity to quickly reiterate why your company is an employer or choice and don’t forget to direct them to certain sections of your career site, talent network or social networks. Lastly, consider using an actual company email address without the “do not contact the recruiter” message on all your recruiting emails for a higher open rate.

Turn down email

Even if a candidate isn’t a good fit, you still want to make a good impression, as they’re likely to tell friends and family about a negative experience. Furthermore, they may be a good fit at a later date or for a different position. A template for this type of communication is a great way to help standardize the candidate experience while also ensuring they feel they had a fair opportunity to present themselves and were heard.

Job alert email

This is another piece that you may not consider because it’s so standard, but revisit it and evaluate whether or not it’s presented in the best way possible, ensure you’re taking advantage of employment branding opportunities and that it encourages job seekers to take action. This could mean applying for a position, or it could be that they join your talent network, ask a recruiter a question or download a resource through the email, such as a candidate job search guide that provides hints, tips and suggestions on how to best manage the job search.

Talent network welcome message

It’s important to take advantage of every email that your candidates receive, and your talent network welcome message is no exception. Step outside the box and set yourself apart from the competition with a video welcome message or a short video about the company. You can also include a photo of the recruiter they’ll be connecting with, both in this email and in other email communications.

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Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology anthropologist specializing in HR and recruiting. She's the Chief Blogger and Founder of Blogging4Jobs and author of The HR Technology Field Guide. You can follow her on Twitter at @jmillermerell.