The Strategic Power of Storytelling

Transcription

1 The Strategic Power of Storytelling Using Content to Drive Awareness, Engagement and Applications James Ellis TMP meshworking.com

2 [No really, I m going somewhere]

3 The Power of Story Content Bypasses people s defenses Exists everywhere and anywhere Flexible in scale and scope

4 How Companies See Candidates Fit Enjoyable to work alongside Shares our corporate values Soft/unquantifiable skills Hard skills *Apologies to Mr. Maslow

5 How Candidates See Companies Fit Might actually enjoy working there Corporate values align enough Salary, benefits, etc. Financially solvent/paycheck won t bounce

6 Fit Enjoyable to work alongside Shares our corporate values There s not a lot of alignment between these two perspectives Fit Might actually enjoy working there Corporate values align enough Soft/unquantifiable skills Salary, benefits, etc. Hard skills Financially solvent/paycheck won t bounce

7 Fit Well, some alignment Us Fit Enjoyable to work alongside Shares our corporate values Soft/unquantifiable skills Me Me Me Me Might actually enjoy working there Corporate values align enough Salary, benefits, etc. Hard skills Financially solvent/paycheck won t bounce

8 How Do We Evaluate? Fit Educated guess Enjoyable to work alongside Interview Shares our corporate values Soft/unquantifiable skills Hard skills Interview Resume/ Cover letter/ Interview Resume

9 How Do They Evaluate? Fit Best guess Might actually enjoy working there Corporate values align enough Salary, benefits, etc. Marketing Speak Marketing Speak Hidden Financially solvent/paycheck won t bounce News

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11 The Old Candidate Journey 1 I have a job opening 2 3 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.

12 The Candidate Journey As more information became available to the candidate, they became more selective, looking more and more like consumers rather than candidates Unaware Awareness Interest Consider Act

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14 The Real Candidate Journeys

15 The Real Candidate Journeys (Hopeful, but Unlikely)

16 The Real Candidate Journeys (Recruiter-driven)

17 The Real Candidate Journeys (Passive and Patient)

18 The Real Candidate Journeys (Passive but Interested)

19 The Real Candidate Journeys (Most Honest)

20 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.

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22 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.

23 Content only works with two audiences: Passive candidates Active Candidates Active Candidates Content Validates Interest Passive Candidates Content Draws Interest 2 3

24 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

25 Active Candidates When he finds the job, he will want more information about what the job is like before applying Job Content Application Content s role is to validate the interest in the company and the job, moving him closer to application

26 Passive Candidates 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 Content Job Application Content s job is to attract people to you, encouraging them to fall in love with the company before suggesting a job.

27 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.

28 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.

29 Let Prospects Pick Their Personal Path

30 Sold! How Do I Do This? It s incredibly complicated: 1. Make content that tells your story 2. Connect it to jobs that are related to that content 3. Manage and adjust

31 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 10 people and ask them 1 question

32 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

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36 Thank You James Ellis Director of Inbound Marketing TMP meshworking.com