Ask someone to think about PR and it’s likely their minds would bring up images of glamour, lots of drinking and, if you’re of a certain vintage at least, Absolutely Fabulous. Alas, times have changed. While it would be lovely to spend afternoons schmoozing with journalists in fancy bars, that’s sadly an outdated view of our industry. Most people have a broad understanding of what PR is, but few know how it really works, and why every in-house hiring department looking to boost its hiring should have a specialist agency in place.
The role of PR and marketing agencies can be exceptionally broad. There are some firms that focus on a certain niche, and others that cast a broad brush and do almost everything, and none of it particularly well. To the cold, hard, number-driven finance teams that you might work with, PR can seem like an unnecessary, overly fluffy bolt-on to your organisation. But there’s a reason Bill Gates said if he was ‘down to his last dollar, he’d spend it on PR.’ You don’t amass Bill’s wealth without knowing what you’re talking about.
Stand out from the crowd
As we’ve written in previous blogs, you need to be the Purple Cow, and stand out from the crowded market in which you operate. Candidates are still holding the power in the employee-employer relationship, and your ideal target employee has likely got dozens of other in-house hiring teams flirting with them and trying to lure them to their company. Back in the olden days you could have got away with posting a job on a board, or in the paper (!) and that would do the trick, as it was much harder to find out about potential employers. Now, your candidates have masses of information about you before they’ve even submitted their application. That means there’s a need for a shift to a more strategic approach to recruitment.
PR and effective marketing – carried out properly – can differentiate you and make you more attractive than your rivals. The right partner can help shape your employer value proposition and raise the profile of your organisation with your target audiences, whilst shielding them from the bits you might want to keep hidden. In some ways - you could say that PR is the marketing equivalent of Spanx.
Manage your reputation
For similar reasons, it’s also key to keep a close eye on your external reputation, and what people are saying about you. Social media and websites like Glassdoor mean that word travels fast, and horror stories travel at light speed. A PR partner can help to monitor and manage your reputation and address any issues quickly, before they get out of control and cause long-lasting damage.
Fix your branding
As you’ll know, without a decent employer brand, you’ve got no chance of attracting the candidates you want. Your wider reputation is often the first impression a potential employee would have of your organisation. And as we’ve outlined, the modern-day jobseeker isn’t short on options, so if they don’t like that first touchpoint, they’re probably going to move on. The best agencies specialise in crafting narratives that highlight the key points of organisation’s culture, values, achievements and goals, and help make that first impression memorable, in the right way.
Position your company as the go-to expert
A large part of a PR’s job involves securing features and comment opportunities on topical issues in key target media which helps to position clients as expert in their field. ‘But I can do that’ you might say. You could try. But while the drinking has declined, modern-day PR is still heavily relationship-based and it’s your attempts might result in you being told where to go. Or, more likely, you’ll just get no response. Journalists at even fairly small, niche trade publications get literally hundreds of emails every day, so unless you know you can help them, chances are they’re probably not even opening the message you’ve poured blood, sweat and tears into. To secure the best and most valuable opportunities you need a team that understands your market AND your target media. Having an understanding of one is great – to get your PR right, you’ll need someone with intrinsic knowledge of both.
Essentially, modern day hiring is a lot more complex than in the past, and candidates now have dozens of opportunities and potential employers looking to get on their radar. That means a more strategic approach is needed and, if you’re not investing in PR and marketing, chances are your rivals will be. Last year, just 23% of employers said they weren’t carrying out any sort of content marketing and PR, and of those that were, more than half were outsourcing it. Can your organisation afford to be left behind? If the answer to that is no, then speak to our expert team. Now that’s done I’m off for drinks with Samantha and the girls
With over a decade’s experience in PR, marketing and communications, Bruce develops and executes media relations, content and social media strategies for firms in the recruitment and hiring industries, as well as suppliers to those sectors and other organisations both in the UK and internationally.
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