Advice for Tech Recruiters: Create Your Own Blog

January 25, 2014 at 6:43 AM by Jordan Taylor

blogging_6Blogging is an invaluable strategic recruiting tool. If you’re still not using the medium to your advantage it’s time to realize two things: 1) Smart phone usage continues to rise, and 2) Millennial candidates are always looking at their RSS feed for industry, career, and job-related content.

If you can create engaging content that interests this targeted audience, you’re essentially creating an interactive community of passive job-seekers (and that means a huge ROI).

Start thinking about how to craft narratives with meaning, create (and join) conversations, and communicate industry-specific news that offers novel perspectives.


Craft Narratives with Meaning

Say or think whatever you’d like with respect to how Millennials manage their careers, but one thing is certain: many of them, at least in principal, care about the meaning behind the work they do. Changes to how the workplace is envisioned (and functions) are on the rise, but don’t assume that Millennials are allergic to practical considerations. HubSpot’s Culture Code did an excellent job of comparison and contrasting “Now vs. Then”

HubSpot Then vs. Now

Forget the philosophical and economic implications of these trends, and focus instead on how to craft content that’s studded with two engaging gems: value and purpose. When you’re about to create your blogyou’ll need to stand out by highlighting values and meaning.

  • Don’t try to compete with career portals or engage derivative topics such as phone interview tips, cover letter pitfalls, or career “dos & don’ts”
  • Spotlight popular company culture insights across your industry—and then frame your own job openings, skill development insights, and career advancement opportunities tightly around each
  • Candidly present your companies’ brand, and compare it to one of the many trends dead set on changing fundamentals of business practice, technological utility, and social interaction

Create (and Join) Conversations

Actively attract talent through personable dialogues that touch on popular cultural issues and stirring industry debates.

  • People are becoming more and more interested in the social and creative environment of their workplace: create informative posts that spotlight other employees (consider sharing some of their personal blogs, interests, and social media dialogues),
  • Encourage conversations: show your readers you value feedback and communication. This holds implications for how communication happens within your organization.
  • Let anyone in the company contribute their narratives on any topic: company culture; creativity and open dialogues; their takes on profession-related products, trends, news, and debates. This is the best way for them to see what potential colleagues are up to.

Communicate Industry-Specific News with a Novel Perspective

This is your opportunity to represent your company in ways that go well beyond the employment site (and other company pages).

  • Demystify the changes and happenings in your industry by taking an educational approach. Sharing knowledge, rather than hoarding it, is a wonderful inbound tactic that builds authority and trust
  • Be factual, open, and honest about all of the fervor in your space and company practices. Don’t shy away from stances you take on even the most innocuous issues. Show people the causality of meaning—but give them space to decide for themselves how things are networked together
  • Present important company news and announcements in the context of what top influencers think

This is only a beginning outline for how to create a targeted and alluring technical recruiter blog. Once you start gaining even a little momentum, consider joining RecruitingBlogs so you can get your writing out there—and be a part of groups, friend circles, and discussions.

Recruiter Academy

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