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Marketing ideas for your staffing agency

5 Staffing Agency Marketing Ideas that Add Value

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For the past several years staffing employment grew faster than the economy and employment overall. Here are five staffing agency marketing ideas that can help your agency stand out from the rest of the pack – and make it indispensable to your clients.

Add Value for Employers with Five Staffing Industry Marketing Ideas

According to IndustrySelect.com (and despite the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the U.S. jobs market in 2020) the forecast for the staffing industry is projected to be $126.1 billion in 2020. While this represents a 17 percent decline from the previous year, it is still 4 percent higher than the original estimate of $119B.

With the economic recovery of the last decade came opportunities for recruiters, temporary employment and staffing agencies to rebound, big time. Not only were more jobs available overall, but many employers, unsure of how quickly the recovery would happen and whether it would last, were hesitant to hire regular employees, and so opted for temporary workers instead. It is reasonable to expect continued opportunity for temporary employment agencies as the economy comes out of COVID-19 slowdowns and shutdowns, since employers may be uncertain for some time what their “new normal” number of employees and jobs should be, or to hedge against additional short term temporary closures.

5 Ways to Make Your Staffing Agency Indispensable

1. Look for value beyond the skill set

As a staffing agency recruiter, you (or your software) may scan hundreds of resumes relative to the skills, software, and specialties of candidates. Bring candidates to the table for temporary employment or temp-to-hire placement opportunities that have what it takes not only to do the job, but who will enhance the culture of an organization, and who may possess valuable skills beyond those specified in the job description.

The more often you place candidates that produce well, bring additional value to and fit well within an organization, the more likely it is that employers will turn to you when the next hiring opportunity arises.

2. Network to fill your back pocket

Hiring can be an expensive, time consuming process. Temporary employment and staffing agencies that network well can create a pool of individuals who, while they may not be actively looking for a new position, would be open to considering a change for the right opportunity.

Reach out to already-employed people, not just those who are actively looking! 35 percent of workers say they would change their field of work if they lost their job. That means that more than 1 in 3 people currently employed might be interested in changing jobs if they had an opportunity to do something they are more interested in doing, or which represents a better path for professional growth in the future.

Being able to serve up one or two quality candidates for potential openings immediately could easily make your staffing agency more valuable to employers when the need to fill a position quickly is paramount.

3. Write better recruiting copy

When you have an awesome job opportunity to fill or an outstanding employer to recruit for, why would you write boring, cliché, job description-like copy? Set your staffing agency apart by writing recruiting copy that engages top candidates and creates intrigue so that they want to know more. Plus, when you talk up the brand of an employer in creative copy, you are telling candidates that you think the employer’s brand is just as special as they believe it to be!

4. Soften your approach

If you only reach out to employers with sales calls and emails, you are doing it wrong. You might get lucky by hitting someone up at the moment they need to fill a position once in a while, but you may well turn off the vast number of contacts on your list.

Soften your approach with employers and think about nurturing relationships instead of pursuing accounts. Reach out with information that people can use to build their businesses – interesting articles about their industries, information about their competitors they might not be aware of, and so on. Become so interesting and helpful that your clients will welcome your phone calls and open your emails and will keep you top of mind when opportunity arises.

5. Specialize

Instead of casting a wide net, carve out a name and a niche for your staffing agency by identifying industries which are emerging or evolving, which are underserved, or even better understanding which industries your own firm’s expertise is best-suited to serve. When you become the “go-to” for certain industries or certain types of temporary job openings, you build top of mind brand awareness that is invaluable in providing your staffing agency with opportunity to get the first shot at filling opportunities.

Many past temporary hires turned into regular employees as employers developed more confidence in the economy. While the job market rebounds, competition will also increase among staffing and temporary employment agencies as well.

For staffing and temporary employment services firms, competition can be a good thing! Not only does it reflect more opportunity overall, but competition can light a fire when it comes to continuous improvement within a staffing agency. For temp services and staffing firms that want to create a competitive advantage, it is vital to identify areas where they can become indispensable to their most valuable clients.

You might also like: Benefits of Factoring Staffing

 

5 Ways Staffing Agencies Can Cash In On Seasonal Holiday Hiring

5 Ways Staffing Agencies Can Cash In On Seasonal Holiday Hiring

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The coming holiday season promises another increase in consumer spending, and staffing and recruiting agencies can benefit as well as retailers. Here are five ways recruiters, staffing and temp employment agencies can get a piece of the holiday hiring pie.

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Hiring

Retailers, distributors and shipping companies are about to beef up staff, big time, in anticipation of another banner year for holiday ecommerce sales and many of them are going to turn to staffing and temporary employment agencies to get the job done. Amazon, Target and UPS will be hiring hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers this year.

And job seekers are interested, too. RetailDive reported “according to a recent Indeed holiday hiring survey, holiday job searches per million job seekers rose 11% in August from the year-ago period.” While some companies will create their own hiring systems, others will turn to temporary employment, staffing and recruiting agencies for help filling seasonal jobs.

5 Ways to Help Your Staffing Agency Grow by Satisfying Holiday Hiring Demand

1. Build a large pool of potential seasonal workers ahead of time.

Any of your current and past contacts could be looking to make a change or willing to take on a second job during the holidays, even if they are not technically looking for a new job. Reach out to your contacts now and ask for referrals as well.

Set up an online form just for people interested in seasonal work with a short application and create an expedited version of your normal recruiting and hiring process so that when opportunity knocks, you have a long list of potential seasonal workers who are ready to hit the shop floor – or warehouse floor – running.

2. Use invoice factoring to finance expanded recruiting and hiring activities.

Having a list of candidates who have already been vetted could give your agency a competitive advantage during the holidays that extends into repeat business next year. Job ads, background checks, time spent interviewing candidates and checking references – it all takes time. You might even need to hire your own seasonal help just to handle the increased workload it will take to build a large pool of seasonal workers.

Invoice factoring speeds up cash flow and gives you access to working capital that is tied up in client invoices; this is working capital that you can then deploy to ramp up recruiting efforts and develop a pool of seasonal workers who are ready to go to work immediately. Even if you are already factoring, we would be happy to provide you with a quote for staffing invoice factoring to ensure that you have the best cash flow solution in place for your agency.

3. Keep quality standards high.

Yes, you want to have a pool of candidates large enough to quickly meet employer’s demands for temporary workers during the holidays, but that doesn’t mean low-quality seasonal workers should get through the door. Your value as a temporary employer, staffing agency or recruiter lies in saving your clients time and money after the worker hits the floor. Any time a client has to deal with a less-than-stellar placement, the cost of using your services goes up, and your value to the client goes down. Don’t skimp on quality of candidates even during the holiday seasonal hiring rush.

4. Point out the value of getting a foot in the door.

If your initial call for seasonal workers doesn’t produce the number of potential placements you envisioned or you are looking to get a few really stellar candidates to consider seasonal work, remind contacts that the road to getting their dream job at their dream company might start by getting their foot in the door as a seasonal holiday worker.

5. Send out a packet of potential seasonal worker resumes.

You’ve got a pool of seasonal holiday hires ready to place; now what? In addition to reaching out by phone and email to clients, put together a marketing packet that highlights the number and quality of candidates that you have who are ready to rock and roll, by speaking to candidates backgrounds and experience, and using testimonials from their references – think of it as a holiday staffing catalog and design it accordingly as collateral that you can use throughout the holidays online and off.

4 Ways Staffing Agencies Can Attract Top Talent Online - Infographic

4 Ways Staffing Agencies Can Attract Top Talent Online – Infographic

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It’s not what you know or who you know, any longer, that gives job candidates the best chance of landing a dream job. Since job seekers say the internet is their most important resource, staffing agencies that want to attract top talent need to master the digital channels candidates are using today.

Internet, Not “Who You Know,” Best Resources for Job Seekers

Several years ago a Jobvite.com infographic featured by The Undercover Recruiter claimed that employee referrals dominated when it came to the channels job seekers found most effective in landing a new job. While career websites made the list of top five, twice as many attributed hires to referrals than career sites, and nearly three times as many said that having someone on the inside was more effective than job boards.

Staffing Agencies –  Master Digital Hiring Strategies to Attract Top Talent Online

More recent data published by The Boston Consulting Group and Recruit Works Institute on staffingindustry.com says those numbers have flip-flopped, as more candidates not only use the internet to find new jobs, but rank it as the most effective job search channel as well. When asked which channels they used to find a new job, candidates listed the following:

  • 55% – Internet job sites
  • 36% – Paper media
  • 33% – Referrals from people they know
  • 24% – Direct inquiry
  • 20% – Public services
  • 17% – Permanent placement employment agencies
  • 17% – Temporary placement employment agencies
  • 9% – Alumni networks
  • 7% – Job training programs

It’s no secret that people who are serious about finding a new job or just casually looking around to see what type of opportunities are available use the internet to discover position listings. While having someone on the inside who is willing to recommend you to a hiring manager is certainly a plus, data shows that a majority of candidates are uncovering and landing new jobs on their own. In the U.S., candidates said that the most effective channels in helping them obtain a new job as:

  • 35% – Internet job sites
  • 20% – Direct inquiry
  • 19% – Referrals from people they know
  • 9% – Paper media
  • 4% – Temporary placement employment agencies
  • 3% – Permanent placement employment agencies
  • 3% – Public services
  • 1% – Job training programs
  • 4% – Alumni networks

When it comes to getting a job, it turns out that it’s not who you know, it’s what a talented candidate knows how to find online that matters most. Staffing agencies can improve their ability to land the talented candidates they need to compete and grow by reaching the passive talent pool as well as those actively seeking new opportunities and by mastering use of the same digital channels job seekers are using to uncover job openings online.

Looking for Top Talent in All the Wrong Places?

While fewer than 20 percent of those in the job market (either currently employed or looking for a job) are engaged in a proactive job search, the real size of the talent pool is much, much larger. Jobvite’s 2018 Job Seeker Nation Study indicated that as many as 82 percent of employed workers were open to new job opportunities.

Presumably, the internet will continue to be main a go-to resource for candidates, and especially for candidates who are just exploring the job market in a more passive way, and who might not want colleagues to know that they are considering other opportunities. Not only will they use the internet to uncover open positions, they will also use the internet to research companies where they want to work or who have listed job openings that interest them.

Recruiters, staffing agencies and temporary placement firms that get top talent on-board – whether they are actively looking for a new job or just testing the waters – have an advantage when it comes to persuading hiring managers to take a look at their candidates instead of conducting their own recruiting and hiring process. Here are four digital channels your staffing agency should master in order to engage active and passive candidates, earlier in the job search process.

4 Ways Staffing Agencies Can Attract Top Talent Online

1. Optimize Your Agency’s Position Listings for Online Search

Staffing agencies should optimize their own position listings just as if they were web pages designed to get found in local search. Instead of thinking about the listing in terms of the position’s responsibilities or candidate skills and abilities desired, content should be written to make it more likely for the listing to be discovered by potential candidates in an online search.

  • Include keywords and phrases that job candidates would be likely to type into a search browser
  • Use keywords in meta titles and descriptions
  • Use headlines with keywords to help get found in search and draw the site visitor in when they land on the listing

2. Write Like Marketers, not Hiring Managers

Be interesting!  Candidates might read hundreds of position descriptions in the course of a job search. Write your online content so that it is engaging and memorable – or even entertaining. Send the message that the company you are representing is a great place to work and build a career. Talk about the organizational values that would make candidates a good fit for the employer. Create intrigue and interest.

3. Think Long Term Instead of One-and-Done

Build for the long term and get the opt-in.  Make sure there’s a way for site visitors to subscribe to updates about a position, even if they are not ready to submit an application. Keep it short and simple so that you can build your contact database and engage with local talent via email so that when they are ready, they turn to your staffing agency for help.

4. Use Social Media to Expand Reach

Social networks like LinkedIn are not just great channels where staffing agencies can publicize openings, they can also be used to network with both active and passive candidates. Building reach on social networks comes down to increasing numbers of social followers for recruiting and staffing agencies as well as individual recruiting professionals themselves. In addition to posting engaging content, staffing and temp employers can also sponsor posts and social media ads to increase their ability to attract talented workers.

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Where job seekers are looking for jobs online - infographic

 

post-it note that states we are recruiting, for recruiting ideas article

3 Innovative Recruiting Ideas for Staffing Agencies

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The recruiting and staffing landscape has never been more competitive. Agencies that want to land the best candidates need to stand out from the rest; these three innovative recruiting ideas for staffing agencies can help.

Innovative Recruiting Ideas for Staffing Agencies Can Set Your Services Apart

You aren’t likely to come across a job posting from a company or a staffing agency that says “ho-hum candidates wanted.” Without an innovative approach, however, your staffing agency runs the risk of looking just like all the rest, and that “rest” is growing quickly. The staffing industry grew by 4 percent in 2018. With the economy at full employment – and more job openings than jobs – the recruiting competition for staffing agencies in 2019 is tougher than ever before.

You might be concerned that your agency will have to spend a lot of money on advertising or gimmicks in order to become more successful at attracting top candidates. However, these innovative recruiting ideas for staffing agencies can help set your services apart, and they don’t have to break the bank to deliver a big return on investment.

3 Low-Cost Innovative Recruiting Ideas for Staffing Agencies and Recruiters

1. The Power of a Voice

Today’s technology makes it easy for everyone to see information all the time, but at the same time makes swiping information and updates away or deleting information from an inbox equally easy and immediate. Within seconds, people decide whether to read an update, comment or click on an image. Sites like LinkedIn make it possible for prospective candidates to find and connect with company and agency recruiters instantly; indeed, it’s not uncommon to see updates about position openings throughout the news feed on LinkedIn and other social platforms.

All of these voices have power, especially when updates come from people a prospective candidate knows personally, or when a “real employee” lends their voice to the recruiting effort by sharing a job post or positive reviews about what it’s like to work for their employer.

When information comes from a reputable voice a candidate will be more likely to click on the content, which then takes them to a company’s job posting or career site. The power of a voice – a real employee’s esteem for the organization they call home, can play a critical role in helping to engage and attract top talent to impact the future of the company.

2. The Impact of Personal Stories

For every job opening there is an employer, title, description and salary. While all of these can get the attention of talented candidates, it’s the culture of the organization, the growth opportunities for an employee, the neighborhoods where they might live or work, and the added perks that make life a little bit sweeter that truly engage.

Many companies recognize this is an advantage to gaining top talent, and so seek to engage candidates using short funny or inspirational videos in order to give prospective hires a peek behind the curtain. Although professional video production can be expensive, the cost to make your own short videos runs the gamut from free (using a cell phone, webcam or owned equipment) on up.

Amazon has released many videos that give candidates insights as what it’s like to be a part of the culture and what they to expect working at Amazon on a daily basis, such as this one titled What is it like to work at Amazon: Go Beyond the Badge with Janna.

This video was published in May of 2015 and since then has garnered more than 18,000 views. Another Amazon example is a video that talks about Seattle, where the company is headquartered, focusing on the e-commerce giant’s relocation package and why Seattle is a great place to live.

3. The Prove It Test

A “prove it test” is any type of test a recruiter might use to determine whether an applicant has the skills needed to succeed in a given role. When you combine the idea of a prove it test with a personal challenge, you create intrigue that can motivate ambitious, talented candidates to take action. Think of this as one of the few times “if you build it, they will come” might actually work.

In one example, when Google was recruiting engineers they put up billboards that simply had a white background with an algorithm listed. Those who responded on their website with the correct equation and then succeeded in additional problem solving online were then redirected to a final recruiting page. Giving proof to the message displayed to those who reached the final recruiting page that “One thing we learned while building Google is that it’s easier to find what you’re looking for if it comes looking for you,”

Google has continued to use unconventional recruiting techniques in order to attract the uniquely talented employees they are looking for. In another instance, the MGM hotel in Vegas put together their own version of the reality show Iron Chef to test the mettle of applicants for a top chef job at one of their best restaurants (MGM and Iron Chef Contest).

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