Talent acquisition has never been as challenging, or exciting, as it is now. To attract the best candidates in this ultra-competitive job market, companies need to be resourceful. Of course, talent acquisition leaders understand this. However, not all organizations know how to leverage the power of workforce education to elevate their recruitment efforts.  

We can show you how.

Leading a movement that makes workforce education and lifelong learning a possibility for all people, InStride has teamed up with industry-leading organizations — such as adidas, Carvana, Banfield Pet Hospital and other large organizations. Based on our collective knowledge, below we’ve compiled actionable tactics that you can implement today to take your recruitment strategy to the next level.

In today’s work environment, top candidates have more job options than ever. With that comes higher expectations — job candidates look at more than just the position and compensation. Statistics show that job seekers are placing greater value on things that fall into the “emotional salary” category such as flexible working hours, paid time off, plus education opportunities that create paths to career advancement.

“Putting workforce education into your recruitment strategy can go a long way to enhance and differentiate your brand,” said Courtney Picciolo, Director, Learner Engagement at InStride. “It shows potential applicants, as well as current employees, that your company is a forward-looking, people-first organization to work for, encourages and sponsors the development of new skills, while attaching great value to long-term personal growth.”

Additionally, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a critical priority for organizational culture and growth. This extends to talent acquisition as well, with more than three out of four employees and job seekers reporting that a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers. Having a workforce education program that’s accessible and able to accommodate team members from all backgrounds is a powerful way of highlighting your organization’s commitment to DEI. 

The best place to start is by covering the basics. Begin by engaging the right promotional channels to highlight your education program to job candidates. These include:

You’re most likely already using social media to post job listings, as 96 percent of employer branding and recruitment specialists use these channels. Yet, there’s always room to expand your reach. By doing so, you’re able to showcase the value of your workforce education program in a way that’s engaging and easily digestible for job seekers. 

Here’s how:

The influence of sites, led by Glassdoor and Indeed, cannot be overstated — 78 percent of job seekers utilized employee review sites to form an opinion about a respective employer in their most recent job search, and 60 percent of job seekers reported reading employer reviews before applying for an open role or actually contacting a company. 

Here are ways to get the most out of these valuable sites:

While valuable for attracting external candidates, workforce education can also help you fuel an internal talent pipeline for recruiting. Across the board, the desire to learn exists with 97 percent of employees expressing interest to expand or at least continue the amount of time they spend learning. What’s more, opportunities for acquiring new skills and career progression through workforce education have emerged as strong drivers of talent management that builds future-ready organizations.  

Ways to tap into your internal talent pipeline include:

One of the best things about today’s dynamic employee recruitment landscape is seeing all the new possibilities that workforce education opens up for companies and their people.

Ready to take the next step? Unlock this free presentation template to learn how to help your organization build a modern recruitment strategy that includes workforce education.