Recruitment marketing isn’t just about pushing out job ads. It’s about grabbing attention, building brand trust, and getting the right people to take action. But here’s the truth: a lot of recruitment campaigns aren’t working as well as they should.
Why does this matter? Because the competition for talent is fierce. According to LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers research an employer’s brand before applying for a role. And with 86% of HR professionals saying recruitment is becoming more like marketing, it’s clear that how you market your jobs has never been more important. Get it right, and you’ll attract the right people. Get it wrong, and you risk losing out on top candidates before they even click “apply.”
Here are five of the most common reasons why your recruitment marketing might be falling flat and what to do about it.
1. You’re targeting too broadly (or not targeting at all)
“Everyone is our audience” is the fastest way to waste your budget. The most effective recruitment campaigns are laser-focused. You need to know who you’re trying to attract, what matters to them, and where they spend their time. This involves creating audience personas, understanding their motivations, and utilising the appropriate targeting tools across platforms such as LinkedIn, Meta, Google, and TikTok.
Example: If you’re hiring software engineers but your campaign is targeting everyone in London aged 18–65, you’re going to pay for thousands of wasted impressions. Those impressions won’t convert because your message doesn’t speak directly to the audience you need. Also, your team may waste their time sifting through hundreds of applications from unqualified candidates. The right approach would be narrowing targeting to people with relevant skills, education, experience, or interests – so your ideal candidates see content that resonates.
If your targeting isn’t specific, your message won’t land – and your ideal candidates will scroll right past.
2. You’re leading with jobs, not brand
If your campaign is just a carousel of job vacancies, don’t be surprised if engagement is low. Most people don’t start their job search with a job; they start with curiosity.
“What’s it like to work there? Would I fit in? Do they value what I value?”
Your content should reflect that.
Example:
Culture stories that bring your workplace to life.
Employee testimonials that show real people and experiences.
Day-in-the-life videos that give candidates a peek behind the curtain.
Values-driven messaging that connects on a human level.
This is the kind of content that builds emotional connection before you ask someone to apply.
3. You’re not using a funnel approach
Paid media isn’t just about boosting a post or running job ads. Without a clear journey: first awareness, to building interest, to nudging action; you’re relying on luck, not strategy.
We often see brands push out ads in isolation, with no follow-up, no retargeting, and no progression to keep people engaged. The result? Wasted spend and missed opportunities.
A funnel approach ensures you’re meeting people at the right stage with the right message and that your budget is working harder at every step.
Example:
Awareness Stage – The goal here is visibility. This is where candidates first discover your brand through impressions. You’re planting the seed by showcasing who you are and what you stand for, catching attention, and sparking curiosity.
Consideration Stage – Now it’s about building interest. Candidates who engaged at awareness need more value – culture content, employee stories, day-in-the-life videos, or insights that answer “why work here?”. This stage keeps their interest high and guides them closer to applying.
Application Stage – The point of conversion. Here, the focus shifts to making it easy and compelling for candidates to take action. Strong job ads, a smooth application process, and clear calls-to-action help turn awareness and consideration into actual, high-quality applications.
4. You’re not learning from the data
Recruitment campaigns generate a lot of insight – but too often, it’s left sitting in dashboards instead of shaping future activity. Every click, impression, and conversion tells you something about your audience. The question is: are you acting on it?
Example:
You might see that early talent engages more with video content, while experienced hires respond better to thought-leadership posts. Or perhaps one job title drives plenty of clicks but few applications – a sign that the role description isn’t hitting the mark.
Regularly reviewing performance data helps you spot patterns like these, cut wasted spend, and focus on what resonates. Without it, you’re essentially running campaigns on guesswork.
5. You’ve got a great message – but the creative is letting it down
You can have the best EVP (Employee Value Proposition) in the world, but if the content looks generic, people will ignore it.
Recruitment marketing needs to be visually engaging, emotionally relevant, and scroll-stopping. That means punchy copy, bold design, real employee stories, and content made for the platform it’s running on.
Remember: you’re not just competing with other employers. You’re competing with everything else on someone’s feed.
Getting recruitment marketing right isn’t easy. It takes strategy, creativity, and a deep understanding of your audience. But when it is done right, it becomes one of the most powerful tools for attracting the right people and building a brand they actually want to work for.
If you’re unsure where your campaigns are falling short, or just want a fresh perspective, we’re always happy to chat.
