Virtually all organizations advertise job openings, but a return on that investment is not a given
Ninety-nine percent of respondents say their organizations advertise for new job openings. About two-thirds feel they’re able to attract quality job candidates via their efforts, but fewer feel as if they’re doing well in terms of achieving a return on their advertising investment (ROI).
Thirty percent of respondents say their advertising does an excellent job of attracting high- quality candidates, and another 37% say it does a good job. They are less optimistic when it comes to ROI. Recruiting initiatives often require a significant investment, so a reasonable ROI should be both expected and measured. However, only 27% say their job advertising ROI is excellent, though another 31% say it is good.
A lack of financial resources is the most common barrier to effective recruitment advertising
Only 22% of respondents say they do not experience any barriers to effective recruitment advertising. So, what impedes such advertising?
HR professionals are most likely to point to a lack of financial resources as a barrier in their organization. It is likely that some organizations advertise for job openings using inexpensive methods that, in the eyes of many participants, do not result in the best quality candidates. Perhaps this is one of the reasons respondents tend to be more skeptical about the ROI of their recruitment advertising.
But there are many other barriers as well. Approximately one in four cite insufficient time, a lack of understanding about the topic, a lack of internal skills, and a lack of vision as barriers. The lack of understanding and skills are of especially high concern. Virtually any HR department should contain at least one person who is knowledgeable and skilled in the area of recruitment advertising.
