“If I knew then what I know now…” is something we’ve probably all at some point said.
As I made the transition from recruitment extraordinaire to successful digital marketer it is 100% a phrase I have used several times a day!
Yes I’m successful – my clients win daily – but I’m a huge advocate of #alwaysbelearning. I think that’s where a load of people typically go wrong. They get comfortable, complacent even.
“Recruitment? Invented it mate!”….but you didn’t. And you certainly are not RE-inventing it!
What you CAN do is think more outside of that old skool, KPI heavy box. That mind set does sweet FA to differentiate between you and most every other firm out there.
I’m talking utilising that wonderful thing called the internet.
As traditional print advertising (who?!) continues to slump off to the recess, recruitment digital marketing HAS to be a fundamental part of your sustainability or (preferably) growth plans.
Yes it’s fair to say that back when I started out recruiting the whole digital marketing thing was like a dark art black magic kinda thing, social media wasn’t about, and we had to do things the old way (the only way at that time!). So I guess it’s less a “if I’d have known then…” situation, more of a if I was starting out now situation.
I’m going to go ahead and stick my neck on the line and say recruiters these days have never had it so easy! There, I said it.
Newbies will never know the hardship of the good days when phone was king and social networking was taking clients out to strip clubs!
Where they absolutely do have the upper hand is online marketing. These younger recruiters have often time grown up with an iPod or iPad (other handheld devices are available) in their hands and using it and social media are second nature, they don’t even have to think about it.
Of course it’s not all about those just entering the profession.
Established firms and solos also have the same toolkit available to them and it’s great to see so many agencies getting involved and being present cross platform.
With all of the tech out there and the growing use of AI (artificial intelligence – a post on this coming soon) there has never been a better, easier an more effective time to be a recruiter.
If your agency is just starting to click in – kudos – but you need to ramp it up.
If you work for a firm who won’t or isn’t able to adapt – GET OUT. Controversial? Perhaps. But you’re in recruitment to make paper right? See the pound or dollar signs? I’m here to tell you that isn’t going to happen if the people you work for refuse to adapt. Their agency will die and you’ll end up having to go elsewhere anyway!
Gen Z are here and studies support the fact that they are the most tech reliant, relationship-centric group of people on the planet.
This generation IS the future of the Labour market. If you don’t operate in a way that is wholly congruent with their workings, they’ll just partner with a firm does.
The implications of a non-digital, non-social strategy are wide reaching. I bet you don’t use a roller-deck anymore – so why aren’t you utilising digital?
So, back to the context of the title of this post…
If I was starting out now, I would 1000% have a well thought out, well researched, expertly executed digital marketing strategy from the get go.
It would be my main consideration. I would create a personable approach and market myself as the brand, not the firm I worked for.
I would be savvy, and keep up with not just the most recent recruitment trends, but also social media marketing trends, the latest SEO tips, how to dominate PPC and how to do basic web development.
Then I’d realise there literally not enough hours in the day – so I’d definitely partner with someone like my current self, someone who knows recruiting and digital marketing. If he could dance he’d be a triple threat!
If you know someone who needs to see this hit share.
Happy to answer any questions, drop me a line at dj@kaizen-digital.com.
Thanks for reading!
D