3 Market Research Tips to Understand What Candidates Want
We all want to be understood – it’s human nature. But how well do you understand the wants and needs of candidates? Has your staffing firm conducted market research to get to know how candidates are job searching? This blog gives you some tips on the staffing firm market research to conduct to understand candidates in 2022. Here’s what you need to know.
Where are they looking?
First off – where are the most popular places that candidates are going to search for jobs? Indeed? LinkedIn? Directly to the company’s site? The possibilities are endless, but a good first step is knowing where you should be posting your job postings to maximize your reach. And don’t limit yourself! Reach out to every job board and ask them for their 90-day statistics. Have them show you the audience breakdown, the applicant flow and more. Compare the data to determine where candidates are going and where you spend can be boosted to drive more applicants and decreased in struggling areas.
What drives their decision making?
What makes a candidate choose one job over another? Is it pay, benefits, size of company, or a combination of all? There are various factors that contribute to accepting a new position. But how do you find out what’s most important to them? Here’s a crazy idea – ASK! When talking to candidates, inquire about their non-negotiables and have them walk you through their decision-making process.
Another great way to gain insight into the minds of candidates through staffing firm market research is looking at Glassdoor reviews. What are people saying? What are they happy about? What recommendations do they have for the company to improve on? This is a simple way to spot patterns and get a sense of the important factors that employees want in their place of work.
What do they engage with?
Is your staffing firm’s blog about retaining employees through added vacation time each year a top hit? Are the remote jobs you’re posting receiving far more applications than in-office ones? Staffing firm market research doesn’t have to be costly or difficult – take a look at your own assets! You may be surprised that they are extremely telling. Browse through your social media analytics, as well as your website analytics to gain a better understanding of what your audience is searching for and interested in.
Market research is your saving grace, as you are basically handed what they’re looking for on a silver platter. Have you conducted staffing firm market research yet? Need help getting started? Let us know and we’re glad to show you the way! For other social media tips, check out our other blogs or reach out to us and we’d love to chat!
About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations. www.sjhemleymarketing.com