One of the biggest problems the accountancy profession (or any profession for that matter) has, is recruiting staff. Whether it is attracting new trainees, experienced technicians or future partners, most firms have struggled with recruitment marketing at some point.
However, many firms think that all they need to do is place an advert in the local paper, or with recruitment agencies or on sites such as www.Indeed.co.uk.
Wrong!
When someone is looking at making their next career move, it is not just your firm’s advert they are looking at. They are also considering:
- what your competitors are doing;
- if they should consider relocating for the right job; and in some cases,
- whether they should be considering doing something totally different.
They will not just read your advert and send in a CV without ‘checking you out’ first.
It is no longer ‘just about the job’. As well as offering a great remuneration package, you need to offer something better than the candidate’s current employer and also better than what other firms are offering.
Using your website and social media to aid recruitment
Your website and social media platforms should be used for more than just advertising your current vacancies. They are a great way to communicate the culture of the firm and what you do to invest in people’s careers and their personal progression.
Your online presence should aim to show that your employees are important to you, that you invest in their training and development and where appropriate there is a possibility for them to progress within your firm. Candidates want to know that whilst they will be working hard for you, in return their efforts will be appreciated.
Increasingly employees want to see and engage with the non-work aspects of your firm. So do you organise staff and/or family events throughout the year? Do you have a CSR strategy that allows staff to get involved in local charities and community projects? If you do, mention these on your website and social media pages, so people see what it is like to work for your firm.
Also, consider do you come across as being a fun place to work? For some people, this is an important aspect of their career. Will working for your firm be an enjoyable experience or akin to going to the dentist?! So to get this message across, add staff related photos from events you hold or attend, or perhaps fun client assignments
How to go above and beyond the job advert
In addition to using your website and social media channels to communicate what a great employer you are, here are some other suggestions on what you can do to communicate the benefits of working for your firm:
- Encourage more than just the partners to attend networking or business events. Give others in the organisation the chance to shine when out of the office. This helps potential employees to see how they will be supported and encouraged.
- Attend careers and recruitment fairs. However, consider the age range of the people who will be there and take similar aged staff with you, so they can identify with the audience.
- Celebrate success! As well as using your website and social media, always use other forms of marketing and communication such as emails, newsletters, news releases and brochures to highlight how great your firm is to work for. Not only can such articles be great for attracting new staff, but they can also help to motivate and retain existing staff.
For further ideas on how to improve your recruitment marketing techniques, read our ‘Staff recruitment – is your firm attractive’ blog.
It works!
I once had some feedback from one of my clients who had been recruiting for an admin-based post. Of the four applicants they interviewed, three of them said they were attracted to the firm because of the articles on the website which depicted the firm as being a supportive, progressive firm that clearly put its team first. Feedback like that, certainly makes the recruitment process a lot easier!
Of course, before writing anything on your website or social media posts, do make sure you have the permission of the individual(s) involved.
