There are so many factors that can influence your response and overall results, a well structured advert that has been written to be search engine friendly will perform better than an advert that has been thrown together or simply pasted in from the clients job spec without any consideration as to if it will appeal to the candidates.
It amazes me how hard recruiters work to pick up vacancies and then when it comes down to recruiting for the they don't put the time or effort into their advertising or process, why?
Stuck in the moment or past
I have been speaking to SME recruiters often over the past couple of months and it seems to be a real problem that many have not caught up with how things have changed and some are still relying on the local newspaper, which is expensive and limited to say the least, that said I believe that a recruiter should use all weapons in his recruiting arsenal if he is going to be victorious over his competitors, with approximately 75% of jobseekers now looking online and the proactive nature of the job boards it makes sense to advertise online and get the most out of your advertising spend.
Eggs in one basket
There is always going to be the debate who is best, what job board performs consistently well over all industries? Well speaking to recruiters all day long I can tell you it seems to come down to habits rather than performance that dictates which job boards they use, day in day out I hear Monster, Monster, Monster as branding goes these guys have it in spades, performance is up for debate.
Some recruiters only advertise by niche or seniority, and this trend seems to be continuing, I agree that this is a good way as if you get responses they tend to be relevant, that said the main generalist boards have been working hard to combat this shift with various smart tactics and further strengthening of their cross posting networks, the key as I see it here is that everything on the internet is about traffic and the big boys have lots of it, along with huge candidate databases that cover most sectors.
If you post on to one job board and are reliant on that board to fill your vacancy you may well be disappointed, as with everything job boards all have good days and bad. -Who is looking at the time? -What competing adverts are you up against? -What time of year is it?
These all have an impact on your responses, the larger recruitment companies have long understood the benefit of Multi-posting their vacancies to several boards to ensure they give themselves and their consultants a fighting chance of filling the job.
Right or Wrong?
What I am not saying is that you can't fill vacancies through one job board, but imagine if you got a better selection of candidates in a shorter time, this can only translate into a better service to the client and an improvement on your competitive edge.
More Interviews = More Placements
Or as one of my old managers used to say - "Activity Breeds Activity"
The Recruitment Mix
From my experience a comprehensive approach to marketing your vacancies is the best and most effective. Ideally you should target Generalist, Niche, Regional and Newspaper audiences, along with building your company brand and career-site.
Author Resource:
A great resource for job seekers and recruiters alike, the UK's first all-in-one job post platform, the best job boards and multipost from one site. http://www.recruitersite.co.uk
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Author Resource:-> A great resource for job seekers and recruiters alike, the UK's first all-in-one job post platform, the best job boards and multipost from one site. http://www.recruitersite.co.uk