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TRANSCRIPT
The Strategic Power of StorytellingUsing Content to Drive Awareness,
Engagement and Applications
James EllisTMP Worldwide
@TheWarForTalent | meshworking.com
[No really, I’m going somewhere]
The Power of Story Content
• Bypasses people’s defenses• Exists everywhere and anywhere• Flexible in scale and scope
Fit
Enjoyable to work
alongside
Shares our corporate values
Soft/unquantifiable skills
Hard skills
How Companies See Candidates
*Apologies to Mr. Maslow
Fit
Might actually enjoy working there
Corporate values align “enough”
Salary, benefits, etc.
Financially solvent/paycheck won’t bounce
How Candidates See Companies
There’s not a lot of alignment between
these two perspectives
Fit
Enjoyable to work
alongside
Shares our corporate values
Soft/unquantifiable skills
Hard skills
Fit
Might actually enjoy working there
Corporate values align “enough”
Salary, benefits, etc.
Financially solvent/paycheck won’t bounce
Fit
Enjoyable to work
alongside
Shares our corporate values
Soft/unquantifiable skills
Hard skills
Fit
Might actually enjoy working there
Corporate values align “enough”
Salary, benefits, etc.
Financially solvent/paycheck won’t bounce
Us
Me
Me
Me
Me
Well, some alignment
How Do We Evaluate?
Fit
Enjoyable to work
alongside
Shares our corporate values
Soft/unquantifiable skills
Hard skills
Educated guess
Interview
Interview
Resume/Cover letter/
Interview
Resume
How Do They Evaluate?
Fit
Might actually enjoy working there
Corporate values align “enough”
Salary, benefits, etc.
Financially solvent/paycheck won’t bounce
Best guess
Marketing Speak
Marketing Speak
Hidden
News
We need to align our needs to theirs in order for both of us to
get what we want.
The Old Candidate Journey
I have a job opening
You have a resume
Give me your resume and when I decide I’m ready to talk to you, I’ll control the entire process.
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The Candidate Journey
Awareness
Interest
Consider
Act
UnawareAs more information became available to the candidate, they became more selective, looking more and more like “consumers” rather than “candidates”
DATA!Based on data from 350 career sites, the journey
from Unaware to Apply is 41% longer than it was just
two years ago.
The Real Candidate Journeys
The Real Candidate Journeys (Hopeful, but Unlikely)
The Real Candidate Journeys (Recruiter-driven)
The Real Candidate Journeys (Passive and Patient)
The Real Candidate Journeys (Passive but Interested)
The Real Candidate Journeys (Most Honest)
The Pros and Cons of Longer Journeys
Long journeys occur because people want more information before making a life-changing decision.
Since most companies don’t actually provide that information, they are forced to find it themselves.
Do you want to give them more of the information they crave?
Or will you force them to go looking for it on their own?
The Opportunity of a Longer Candidate Journey
Of course, if you provide that material, they will stay on your career site longer, absorbing more information.
This tends to ultimately lead to better cultural fits.
Content only works with two audiences:Passive candidatesActive Candidates
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Active CandidatesContent Validates Interest
Passive CandidatesContent Draws Interest
Content only works with two audiences:Passive Candidates & Active Candidates
Active Candidates:Looking for more and new
jobs to apply for
Passive Candidates:Not looking for a new job, but is always looking for
something
When he finds the job, he will want more information about what the job
is like before applying
ContentJob Application
Active Candidates
Content’s role is to validate the interest in the company and the job, moving him closer to application
Content Job Application
She isn’t looking for a job, but she values content. And when she finds it,
she will begin to establish a positive brand impression, which she will
remember when she goes job hunting
Passive Candidates
Content’s job is to attract people to you, encouraging them to fall in love with the company before suggesting a job.
Tell Your Story (or someone else will)
Of course, if you provide that material, they will stay on your career site longer, absorbing more information.
This leads to more comprehension and understanding of your company, higher application rates even at the highest levels of management, and ultimately a better cultural fit.
Tell My Story?!
You don’t talk to prospective interns like they were directors of operations and vice versa. But your ATS/career site sees them as the same.
Content allows you to speak to them on their level about the things that concern them.
Let Prospects Pick Their Personal Path
Content lets people choose what interests them
Sold! How Do I Do This?
It’s incredibly complicated:1. Make content that tells
your story2. Connect it to jobs that
are related to that content
3. Manage and adjust
I’m Not a Writer! How Do I “Make” Content?
If you can’t find your (inner or outer) writer:• Interview someone• Interview someone (with a camera!)• Ask someone to interview someone else• Take pictures of your people at the office• Let your people take pictures of each other• Ask people why they work here• Ask someone to take pictures of their path from home to work• Shoot a video where someone explains one work process• Email 10 people and ask them 1 question
There’s One Trick
Content that tells your stories and engages an audiences is great! But you need to connect that to a job or call to action in order to squeeze real value out of content.
Connect jobs to content and content to jobs
It doesn’t have to be scary
Start simple.
Simple projects can lead to incredibly powerful tools.
Questions?
Thank You
James EllisDirector of Inbound Marketing
TMP Worldwide
@TheWarForTalentmeshworking.com