If you’re looking at recruiting to fill a marketing role, you may have noticed that the market has become candidate-driven. This means there are more available job roles than candidates, giving job seekers an advantage in the job search. From a recruitment perspective, this can make it difficult for you to fill a vacancy because competition is tough.

The key is to be able to spot marketing skills that equate to top talent or the potential thereof. At BMS Performance, we are recruitment marketing specialists, making us best placed to offer advice on the marketing knowledge and skills you need to be looking for when trying to find top marketers in a candidate-driven market.

Recruit the best person for the role rather than someone with industry knowledge

Experience is something most employers place at the top of their necessary skills list, choosing to prioritise this over everything else. In fact, many employers will disregard applicants if they don’t have the required length of experience, despite the fact experience doesn’t necessarily mean someone is the best fit or most qualified.

Top talent needs to be nurtured, so make sure you’re not disqualifying valid candidates on the basis they don’t have as much experience as you’d like. Make sure to take advantage of the graduate recruitment market; after all, these are the top marketers of tomorrow.

Differentiate yourself from other employers to increase the volume of high calibre applications

In a candidate-driven market, it’s essential that you make your company stand out from your competitors. Candidates have the power and know businesses will be fighting over them, meaning they’re going to be drawn to businesses that can offer them unique benefits and an unmatched experience. Think about the USP of your business and make it clear for candidates to see.

Be prepared to make a fast offer when you meet the right candidate

It’s likely that marketers in the job market will be juggling multiple offers, meaning if you take too long to notify a candidate of a job offer, you may lose them to another company that is more proactive. Streamline the recruitment process and act fast to secure candidates with the top skills for marketing. This may mean having fewer interview stages and acting fast when you find the right candidate – even if it’s the same day and interviews aren’t done.

Ensure you have the time to run a smooth hiring process – top talent can spot when a company isn’t organised and will most like go with one that is

Candidates can afford to be picky, and if anything, the pandemic and The Great Resignation have compounded this, with candidates looking for employers who not only offer great career opportunities but also a good cultural fit. If you’re disorganised in the recruitment process, it won’t go unnoticed. They’re interviewing you just as much as you’re interviewing them, so make sure you put your best foot forward. Do your research, make sure you’re on time and be prepared for any questions they may have for you.

Need help hiring? Upload a vacancy

Hiring in a candidate-driven market can be tricky, especially when candidates are being snapped up as quickly as they come onto the market. To help you secure top talent, upload your marketing vacancy with BMS Performance. We can match you with some of the brightest marketers before they’re noticed by your competitors. Contact us to find out more about uploading a vacancy and how we can help you fill your open role.