HR recruiting: Lessons from a digital marketer

Young man outside smiling at camera

2 mins, 2 secs read time

My path to the HR technology space wasn’t a linear one. I started my career in marketing communications and advertising at agencies where I saw the space get upended by digital capabilities. Technology moved more quickly than organizations were willing to adopt and we were forced to make strategic bets where ROI wasn’t measurable. It was fast, fun, and yes, sometimes scary.

I see a similar shift happening in recruitment marketing. Technology is moving fast, new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are being scrutinized, and there is more pressure to drive efficiency. On top of that, business leaders are relying more heavily on their HR departments as the competition for great talent gets more fierce.

With these parallel shifts, I thought it would be helpful to share a high-level roadmap that guided me through the changing landscape of digital marketing.

Step 1 - Data, data, data

Companies can make a great deal of impact with marketing. But if they aren’t collecting data in a smart way, it’s very difficult to stay organized and activate prospects. They are losing opportunities because of this. Which is why I was thrilled when Greenhouse announced its own CRM. Paired with Greenhouse Recruiting, the CRM creates a single source of truth to maintain all of your relationships with prospects and candidates. Storing your recruiting data in a centralized and easy-to-surface space is critical to scaling your marketing efforts. You can’t put on the roof of automation without laying the brick; and that means building the foundation with clean and accurate data.

Step 2 - Marketing/Email automation

Once you’ve built the foundation, there are a lot of great technologies to activate this data. Companies like MixMax are helping layer on branding and marketing communications to fill in gaps for recruiters. ConveyIQ, formerly Take the Interview, rebranded to fix blind communication spots in the recruiting process, adding text/email drip campaigns.

Step 3 - Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty

There is no silver bullet in digital marketing. Sometimes it’s about taking small bets and seeing how it works for your organization. Explore new technologies to see which combinations work best for your needs. Sometimes your instincts are right even if the metrics aren’t readily available.

If you are looking for systems that might help you optimize your recruiting data and processes, check our partnerships page for the latest solution integrations to pair with your Greenhouse Recruiting technology.