Over the past few years, HR trends have shifted focus to creating a positive candidate experience, strengthening employer branding and embracing social recruitment. Each year, slight variations to these trends emerge, proof that not only are they effective, but becoming increasingly important to HR departments and the C-Suite alike.

2020 trends continue to focus on these essential elements for successful recruitment in a candidate-driven market, with a new, all-encompassing phrase that sums up these efforts: recruitment marketing. While recruitment marketing may be the number one HR trend for 2020, others are making their debut as complementary tactical elements.

1. Create a consumer-level experience

When you treat potential candidates the way you would your best customers, you are on the right path to creating an optimal candidate experience. The candidate experience should be strategic and thoughtful from the very first interaction with your brand, be it your website, careers page or job board. Consider how candidates interact with your brand in terms of technology and content. Is information easy to find, is the application process user-friendly, do they connect directly with someone from your team for a personal interaction?

Make sure that technology integrations are helping, not hindering, applicants. Are you job posts and application optimized for a mobile experience?  Many candidates apply for jobs directly from their smartphone, so make sure the process is specifically designed for this experience. Use technology as part of your interview process to make the process work for a candidate’s schedule, especially if they are currently employed. Consider video interviews or set appointments via text message. Small changes that add to the consumer-level experience will go a long way in the mind of the candidate.

2. The employer brand

It is safe to assume that this trend is here to stay. As recruitment marketing becomes the new norm in hiring strategy, a strong employer brand is even more essential. Evaluate your current employer brand to assess if what you stand for clearly comes through in your communications. The new year is a prime opportunity to start fresh with refined messaging and a more authentic approach to engaging with your customers, and potential candidates.

Additionally, it is important to understand the changing demographics of your potential talent pool. Today’s candidate isn’t focused solely on compensation but looks for a good cultural fit and aligned values. Make sure that you are partnering with the marketing department to develop campaigns that showcase the workplace, your people and leadership.

3. Texting

Texting with candidates has become increasingly popular, and will continue to serve as an alternative, immediate form of communication for HR managers to use during the recruitment process. With over 90% of Americans using smartphones for day-to-day interactions, messaging, news and basic communication, it makes sense to meet candidates where they are. However, it is important to maintain professionalism despite the often-casual nature of text messaging.

Additionally, using a visual job description like VIZI for initial recruitment via text message will help to increase interaction and click throughs.

4. Inbound Recruiting

Inbound recruiting is focused on proactive and continuous attraction and engagement with the goal to make passive candidates consider you as their next employer. Using common marketing tactics and tools like social media, digital advertising and content marketing, recruitment marketing is a long-term strategy to authentically engage candidates, regardless if they are interested in an open position.

Recruitment marketing takes significant additional resources to implement properly but could also be complemented by a strategic alignment with your marketing department, who most likely is already developing and implementing content.

For more information about VIZI and how we can help lower your recruitment budget costs with our patented software, contact us for a custom quote.