Newspaper Advertising?  YES!

The usual argument against newspaper advertising is that "We haven't hired anyone through a classified ad in months."  Another argument is that the passive candidates do not read the classified ads (probably true - have you tried a display ad in another section?) However, as the number of Sunday ads fall, possibly they should be considered again.  Be a contrarian! Also, remember that advertising should not be equated to sourcing. It is marketing.



Many times, the negatives about the newspaper advertising are a result of perception but not measurement.



1) Have you asked the successful candidates where they heard about your company’s openings?
 What is their level in the business - blue collar or white collar?

2) Have you asked if they saw your advertising?


3) Was it a column ad or a display ad?  Usually clever display ads are remembered.
Human memories are designed to remember stories. Tell your story briefly in your advertising. Also papers target different readers. The Wall Street Journal or USA Today can be effective papers to place an executive ad. Your local paper cand be an effective paper to place blue collar ads.

4) Did your advertising affect their thinking about your company?  Possibly the creative was not effective nor the message clear.
 As a contract recruitment consulting firm, RecruiterGuy can help you become more creative in your placement of newspaper ads.

5) Where did you place the ad?  In the classified section?  Have you tried the business, accent, or sports sections?



This is a good example of the use of a recruitment marketing tool that will fall in and out of favor, depending on whether you have too many competitors or no competitors in the paper. CareerBuilder is even making the difference between print ads and job boards more of a blur by placing the print ads in member papers on their job board.  



Combined with a radio spot, newspaper advertising can be very effective.



Additionally, do you send press releases when you are announcing new positions? When there is a recession, news media looks for some positive news to match up against the bad news. These press releases are a great way to brand your company as an employer without charge - as long as it is news.

One of the advantages of working with an experienced contract recruitment consulting firm is that we know how to make the most of your recruitment dollar.