For a recruitment marketing program to be considered strategic, it should be developed and planned in accordance with the company’s hiring forecast for one year. Hiring needs are broken down by job function, so recruitment strategies should be aligned by each category with flexibility to pivot when needed.

You must track important conversion data to measure effectiveness of your recruitment advertising investments. Are qualified candidates applying for your jobs? Are they joining the talent community? Do you have a ranking order of investments by number of conversions?

Recruitment marketing tactics are never “set it and forget it.” They need to be optimized on a regular basis to improve outcomes, whether it’s changing a job board, A/B testing creative or changing a job title. Small to sometimes big changes are essential to keeping your recruitment marketing program strong all year long.

Measuring ROI should be done at set milestones — one month, quarterly and annually. Monthly reports measure top of the funnel metrics such as apply conversions. Quarterly measurements look at quality, and annual measurements look at hires. Good decisions are driven by data – are you measuring the right metrics?

Everything works better if you can crystalize your EVP across all job categories and channels used for attracting talent. For example, conversion rates can go from 3% to 11% with better employer branding tactics. With an established employer brand, you’ll see lift in everything you spend money on.