A lot of work for recruiters in addressing and attracting young professionals: The need for skilled workers is high, and so are the challenges for recruiters – especially with a view to nursing and STEM professions. The corona pandemic now tops it all off.

Some training companies are completely discontinuing their recruiting, others are accelerating their efforts with a view to the next generation of skilled workers. I observe some interesting developments, which I would like to go into in more detail below:

Relevant marketing channels

Trade fairs and events can only take place under certain conditions and, although they are popular with many students and those responsible for training, lose their importance. Attendance at schools is also currently not possible.
Since many employees work in the home office, internships are hardly possible, which is basically a good approach to the search for trainees.

As before the young target group mainly uses Google. Social media channels are in the single-digit percentage range! Our own investigations come to the same result.

In short, one can distinguish between two groups of companies: Group 1 decides on relevant marketing channels on the basis of a well-founded target group analysis and uses tools such as the value proposition canvas. Relevant marketing channels are virtually the result of this approach. Group 2 starts with tools such as active sourcing and social media and tries to attract as many students as possible to relevant professions. I will deal with measurable effects below.

Importance of the marketing funnel

The funnel depicts the candidate journey as a conversion path that can be measured using web analytics. A distinction must be made between different phases:

  • How many candidates visit the careers page?
  • How many potential applicants visit your job exchange or job advertisements?
  • Do you turn your visitors into applicants too?
  • What sources do your applicants come from and how much do they cost per source?

Digital vs. analog recruiting

Due to Corona, many training companies are currently “forced” to limit themselves to digital channels. Techniker Krankenkasse has almost completely stopped its face-to-face interviews and is organizing the interviews as a video chat. Interestingly, several studies come to the conclusion that this is only the second best alternative for both companies and schoolchildren. For example, pupils would prefer to postpone job interviews to a later point in time than having them on the phone or by video.
According to a recent HR manager survey, virtual job interviews are not an option for 54 percent of the HR managers surveyed.

In a separate article I wrote about big data, matching tools, chatbots, AI and smart algorithms. Admittedly, the practical examples are still few and far between; This is also because there are still gaps in knowledge among recruiters. On average, only every second person is familiar with the new application possibilities.

The fact is: AI is not a real alternative in the selection process for digital natives. Whenever AI replaces human judgment or communication in the selection process, the majority of digital natives reject it, regardless of whether it is about the job interview or the pre-selection by an algorithm.

Evidence vs. Gut feeling

In marketing and recruiting today nothing works without key performance indicators (KPIs). These numbers are often based on the funnel outlined above. This creates clarity and measurability, as it can be used to quickly determine at which level there is a problem and which adjusting screws have to be turned.
The funnel clearly illustrates the measurability of the individual steps within the entire online candidate journey. By analyzing the individual phases, it is possible to critically examine your own process.

The company’s own career page as a recruiting hub in the candidate journey offers the perfect starting point; at least if your own page can be seamlessly tracked.
It’s not about completely banning your own gut feeling and intuition from recruiting – both can still be used as a yardstick in personal conversations. But in times of web analytics tools, there are more effective control tools when searching for the right applicant.

Conclusion

Back to the opening question of this post: What is changing? what remains?

Let’s start with “what remains?”: The target group of young career starters still prefers – this has been the case for years, even if tool providers tell us otherwise. In addition, there is still increasing pressure to recruit suitable specialists for the company.

What changes? Since trade fairs and events do not take place at all or only to a very limited extent in Corona times, companies have to switch to alternative routes. Some of these companies have already surrendered and are cutting back on vocational training. A few change their previous approach and consistently incorporate strategic analyzes. They align their approach and continuous improvements to the candidate journey and specifically identify weak points. Other companies are still trying to “keep it up”.

As a consequence of these developments, numerous companies are focusing on their careers website where they have (data) sovereignty and are reducing tools where they do not have copyrights. They also build up and expand databases in order to recognize algorithms and control them more precisely.

This does not exclude integrating AI, chatbots, etc. – but only where it makes sense from the target group’s point of view and has a positive effect on KPIs.