Job Boards Are So Last Millenium ?? - Why This Outdated Strategy is Hurting Your Chances of Finding "The One" (and 3 Things to do Instead)

[Did she really just say that? ????

Now that I have your attention, I'll quickly clarify that this is written specifically for hard to fill roles. I don't want any hardcore job board posters jumping down my throat. Read the whole post first!]

It's January, which means a fair bit of this:

Everyone: "New Year, New Job, New Me!"

The records suggest that people stay up to midnight on Dec 31st and write a sweet note to their future self in their dusty journal that says something like,

*New Years Resolutions 2024*

1. Change jobs to a) earn more money to buy a bigger house/car, or b) enjoy more life.

January tends to be a hot market for job changes and if your LinkedIn feed looks anything like mine, then you'll have already been bombarded with a sequence of dull "I'm excited (sounds like it) to announce I've started a new role" updates that are about as boring as the job ads you folks like writing.

Grool ??

But you may also find yourself in the fortunate position of having skilled people out looking for jobs that look just like the one you’re offering.

So whaddya gonna do about that?

How are ya gonna make sure you get your opportunity in front of the beady, opportunistic eyes of the people determined to achieve this one great new year’s resolution since the gym junkie, healthy eating, screen detox goals died on Jan 2nd?

If your answer is, copy:paste a generic job ad and dump it on the job board wastelands and voilà- this post is for you.

Hard-to-fill roles need more than a job board *yawn*

For many hard to fill roles (in demand skillsets), dumping your job on a board with a thousand others that all look and offer the same is not gonna work. These people don’t need to scavenge for anything and everything – these people can carefully select their roles and brands of choice. And if your unknown brand is not their choice, you're in for more heartache.

If job boards are your only strategy and you find yourself at the end of your four-week open req scratching your head wondering what ALWAYS GOES WRONG, I’m here to tell you it’s this half-a$$ed approach to recruitment marketing.

Job boards aren’t the (only) answer.

We live and operate in the age of the internet, and my gorgeous, slightly naive friends, that means there is a whole world of opportunity out there for you to get your opportunity in front of the talented people seeking opportunities in non-traditional-1999 ways.

Read: Job seeking has evolved – here’s how to catch up.

1. Survey your candidates and rockstar employees to uncover how they search for and consider jobs

This is as simple as it sounds. Pull together a short questionnaire for recent candidates (including unsuccessful ones), new hires, and top performing employees within your organisation to discover how they search for and consider opportunities. Even for existing, happy-to-stick-around employees, you can ask them things like, “what would make you consider leaving?” and, “If you were to consider leaving, how would you find your next opportunity?”

Use their responses to guide your marketing approach, so you can invest more time and resources into the channels that get you top results.

2. Implement a content and communication plan for your employer brand

Employer brand-ING is not; having an EVP, re-writing your dull job ad to make it more conversational, or posting a few snaps of your employees with a caption like, “Bree loves the work-life balance she gets working at ACME Corp! Come join us today!”

Employer branding requires a strategy that helps you reach your dream-fit candidates with targeted messaging that connects with and educates them for months (and years!) before they’re ready to apply / before you’re even recruiting for the role, so that when you ARE ready, you’ve broken through any barriers and warmed up a mustard keen bunch of brand-aligned candidates.

Check out the questions you should be answering to guide your marketing plan.

3. Celebrate and amplify your employee advocates and subject matter experts

Whether you’re able to go all in and implement a structured and financially rewarding employee advocacy program or not – celebrating and amplifying your employees’ voices is the easiest way to reach your ideal candidates, as they likely belong to the same professional networks.

In-demand skilled talent, graduates, and leaders especially, will be the sort of knowledge workers who have an appetite for learning from their peers, and who value their honest experiences more than your polished corporate bs. But this requires trust (yours) and freedom (theirs) to own their experiences.

So, for all the panicked, knickers-twisted traditional recruiters out there, you'll be happy to note it's not job boards that aren't useful, it's the half-a$$ed approach of recruiters relying only on boards to attract candidates to their opportunities. Job Boards are but one part of your strategy.

Want to keep reading for more how?

Check out the full length blog here.

Doubling down on job boards but need help writing job ad copy that cuts through?

Join the waitlist for my new mini-course, Job Ad Generator