Apply the marketing funnel to building your talent pipeline

When you get right down to it, recruiting talent is marketing 101. So, it makes sense to apply a fundamental marketing principle: The marketing funnel. Here’s what I mean — plus a few tactics to consider — for each of the 5 stages of the marketing funnel: Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, Loyalty, and Advocacy.

Awareness: Your future talent needs to be aware of the opportunities and types of roles in your organization. As new roles emerge, engaging with talent early is critical to help them learn about the opportunities and what it takes to be successful (degrees, skills, certifications, etc.).

Tactics to consider: Teacher externships, speaking in classrooms, and providing books and information about your careers to teachers.

Consideration: By offering students chances to be a part of the work being done in your organization, you are helping them consider not only the career but also your organization as a place they will want to work after completing required education or training programs.

Tactics to consider: Internships for high school students, projects that could be done in a classroom related to the work, observation, or mentorships.

Conversion: Supporting students who have engaged with your organization as they attend school, get training, or build their skills will help ensure that you are top of mind when they are looking for an employer. Establish tight processes to identify talent participating in your internships and other programs and follow them throughout their education.

Tactics to consider: Sponsor their training, provide scholarships, provide tuition assistance for part-time employees to continue to grow their skills, and provide mentors to help them through their education and training.

Loyalty: Once they are employed, continue to support their growth through ongoing skill development, stretch projects, and opportunities to grow their career.

Tactics to consider: Robust internal mobility programs that look for opportunities to move people within your organization to help them grow.

Advocacy: Utilize your new staff to help start the funnel over! Can they go back and speak at their high schools or college campuses? Can they reach out to others via social media to promote their career and what they are learning?

Tactics to consider: Convert key talent to talent ambassadors with the training and support they need to spread the word about the opportunities your organization offers.