Developing your own creative recruitment campaign

When people hear the word creativity, many think of copywriters and art directors at advertising agencies. That makes sense, as these specialists create original campaigns daily – it's their expertise. But creative thinking isn't reserved for these professionals alone. Even if you don't have a creative role, you can learn it.

This chapter provides practical tools to develop an eye-catching recruitment campaign based on your EVP. You'll learn techniques and strategies that help you 'switch on' your creativity. Through examples, you'll see how other organizations attract talent with surprising campaigns. These examples show that a refreshing approach doesn't always require big budgets or creative expertise – just the courage to do things differently.

Foundation for good ideas

Creating the right circumstances

A new environment can bring fresh perspectives. Try working in a different place, like a café or go outside. Fresh air often works wonders for your thoughts. Your own workspace also influences your thinking power. A tidy and pleasant space helps you focus better and be more productive. Make sure you have all necessities within reach: pens, notebooks and post-its, but also useful software and apps that support your creativity.

Clearing your mind

Before starting to generate new ideas, it's important to calm your mind. Take five minutes to meditate or use a mindfulness app to organize your thoughts. New insights often emerge when you let your thoughts wander during a walk or while listening to music.

Techniques you can apply

Start with your own creativity

Developing a creative campaign happens in steps. Start with an individual brainstorm before working with your team. This prevents being influenced by others' ideas. For example, take eight minutes to write down eight different ideas. This '8 in 8' technique forces you to keep thinking, even when you feel your inspiration has run out.

Visualize what you have in mind

Start by collecting images, colors, and texts that convey the desired mood of your campaign. These visual elements help shape your campaign's identity. Even if you're not talented at drawing, simple sketches can help visualize your ideas. For remote collaboration, online tools like Miro or Mural are ideal for visual brainstorming together.

Reverse your challenge

By reversing a challenge, you find new angles. For example, ask yourself how to ensure nobody wants to work for you, instead of how to attract the best candidates. This approach reveals hidden weaknesses and often leads to surprising solutions. It also helps you better understand what holds potential candidates back and how to address these concerns.

Work systematically with SCAMPER

This is a technique where you systematically work through different perspectives to improve an idea:

• Substitute: What can you replace with something else? Example: Replace a job posting with a video.
• Combine: Which elements can you bring together? Example: Combine an open day with an escape room.
• Adapt: How can you adapt it for a different purpose? Example: Adjust your recruitment event for international candidates.
• Modify/Magnify: What happens if you change characteristics? Example: Scale up your social media approach to multiple platforms.
• Put to other uses: What else can you use it for Example: Use your company video for client presentations too.
• Eliminate: What can you remove? Example: Remove all corporate jargon from your recruitment texts.
• Rearrange: How does it work in a different order? Example: Start your job interview with a company tour.

Look for unexpected connections

New ideas often emerge from making unexpected connections. You can stimulate this by taking a random word as a starting point. Browse through a magazine, use an online word generator, or open a book on a random page. Choose a word and think about how you can connect it to your recruitment campaign.

Put yourself in others' shoes

By adopting a different perspective, you'll see new opportunities for your campaign. Look at your ideas through the eyes of a potential applicant. What makes your organization interesting to them? What questions do they have? You can also take the perspective of a competitor or consider how an inspiring entrepreneur would approach this.

Brainstorm as a team

When working with your team to develop ideas, focus on what's possible. Respond to suggestions with "Yes, and ..." instead of "Yes, but ...". This small change in language opens up new possibilities. Take strong elements from different proposals and explore how you can combine them into an even better idea.

Look beyond yourself

Don't get stuck in your own sector. Look at appealing campaigns from other industries and consider how you can translate these to your organization. Dive into the work of creative thinkers and follow developments in various fields. New ideas often emerge at the intersection of different disciplines.

Examples of creative recruitment campaigns

Creating a creative recruitment campaign isn't easy. Sometimes it helps to look at what other organizations have done. Seeing how others dare to think outside the box often provides that push you need to explore new paths yourself.

The examples below come from various sectors. From government to technology, from healthcare to retail. They show how you can reach your target audience with a surprising approach. Some campaigns are large-scale, others small and personal. Nationally and internationally. What they share: they dare to be different.

Look at these cases from your own situation. What appeals to you? Which element could you use? Which approach fits your organization? See the examples as springboards to your own creative ideas.

Choose your own approach

U.S. Army: what's your warrior?

The U.S. Army launched the "What's Your Warrior?" campaign in 2019 to attract a new generation of recruits. This campaign highlights the diverse career opportunities within the Army, emphasizing that there's a place for various skills and interests. It showcases different roles through animated characters, each representing a unique Army career path. The campaign aims to appeal to young people's desire for purpose and personal growth while highlighting the Army's technological advancements.

NASA: #BeAnAstronaut

NASA's #BeAnAstronaut campaign showcases the diverse roles within the space agency, from astronauts to engineers and scientists. The campaign uses social media, virtual reality experiences, and behind-the-scenes content to give potential applicants a realistic view of working at NASA. By emphasizing the agency's mission of exploration and discovery, NASA attracts candidates who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.

NHS: We are the NHS

The UK's National Health Service launched their "We Are the NHS" campaign to showcase the diverse career opportunities within healthcare and attract passionate individuals who want to make a meaningful impact. The campaign highlights various roles available across the organization, from nursing and medical positions to IT and management careers, demonstrating that healthcare offers paths for many talents and interests.

At the heart of the campaign are authentic stories from NHS employees who share their daily experiences, challenges, and rewards. These personal narratives emphasize the organization's core values of compassion, respect, and dignity. Through targeted messaging across television, social media, and dedicated websites, the NHS reaches different audience groups, from students considering nursing careers to experienced professionals seeking meaningful career changes.

The campaign has successfully increased interest in NHS careers, particularly in nursing. By focusing on the human aspect of healthcare work and showcasing diverse career opportunities, the NHS has built a strong employer brand that attracts individuals passionate about contributing to society through their work.

An innovative approach for an age-old calling: eNovice

The Trappist monks of Koningshoeven Abbey in Berkel-Enschot (the Netherlands) faced a challenge. How do you attract new monks in the 21st century? Their solution: eNovice, an innovative multimedia platform for men interested in monastic life.

The abbey noticed that many potential candidates started their search on Google. Therefore, it made sense to take a digital step themselves. The 'eNovice' platform offers interested individuals a realistic view of monastic life. You'll find information about all phases of the process, from first introduction to taking monastic vows. Video stories from current monks provide insight into daily life. Bi-weekly emails offer more profound understanding and practical assignments.

The platform follows the employee journey of an aspiring monk, which can take up to ten years. The abbey invites you to slow down. On the internet highway, their site feels like a dirt road, where you need to stop regularly to reflect.

The approach works. More than 100 men signed up as 'digital novices'. Six of them are in discussions about a possible life as a monk. The project even won a prize for best recruitment communication. eNovice shows that even centuries-old traditions benefit from modern communication. The abbey finds it more important to help people find their calling than to gain new monks at any cost.

Surprising recruitment methods

Zappos: the offer

Zappos, the online shoe retailer, implemented a bold recruitment strategy called "The Offer," where new employees were given $2,000 to quit after their first week of training. This unconventional approach serves to ensure only truly committed individuals remain with the company. By encouraging new hires to honestly evaluate their fit with the company culture, Zappos created a self-selection process that proved more cost-effective than retaining misaligned employees long-term.

The strategy has garnered significant media attention and strengthened Zappos' employer brand, while demonstrating the company's confidence in its workplace culture. The results spoke for themselves: approximately 99% of new employees declined the money and chose to stay, creating a highly engaged workforce that genuinely aligned with the company's values and mission.

IKEA: job listings in furniture packages

IKEA hid job descriptions in their furniture packages, surprising customers unexpectedly. This strategy directly reached people who already had an affinity with the brand and showed IKEA's playful and innovative culture.

Google: cryptic billboard puzzle

Google once placed a cryptic billboard in Silicon Valley with the message "{first 10-digit prime found in consecutive digits of e}.com". This mathematical puzzle, when solved, led to a website with an even more challenging problem. Those who solved it were invited to submit their resume to Google. This highly personalized approach attracted attention and ensured that applicants possessed the problem-solving skills and curiosity valued by Google, making the recruitment process both engaging and relevant to the company's needs.

Use humor

Dropbox: humorous selection videos

Dropbox used humor in videos to select potential employees. This approach reflects the informal and creative company culture and makes the application process enjoyable.

SodaStream: Game of Thrones parody

SodaStream created a funny video with actors from Game of Thrones and their own employees. By parodying this popular series, they made their company attractive to a broad audience.

Utilize storytelling

Warby Parker: stories of innovation and impact

Warby Parker, the American eyewear company, builds its employer brand through powerful storytelling that highlights their culture, social mission, and employee experiences. The company frequently shares its founding story of industry disruption, appealing to candidates who seek innovative, mission-driven work. Through employee spotlights and "A Day in the Life" video series, Warby Parker provides authentic glimpses into various roles and how individual contributions support the company's larger mission.

Their employer brand narrative weaves in the "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" social impact program, while behind-the-scenes content about product development and company events helps candidates envision themselves as team members. By sharing customer impact stories and consistently delivering authentic narratives across channels, Warby Parker has created an employer brand that attracts candidates who align with their values and desire to make a positive difference through their work.

Airbnb: employee stories

Airbnb leverages storytelling in its employer branding through its "Employee Stories" series. The company features personal narratives from employees across various departments and locations. These stories highlight not just professional achievements but also how working at Airbnb aligns with personal values and life goals.

For example, one story might focus on an employee who uses Airbnb's travel perks to explore the world, while another might showcase how an engineer's work directly impacts millions of users' travel experiences. This approach brings Airbnb's culture of belonging and adventure to life, making it tangible for potential applicants.

Interactive approach

Heineken: interactive experience video

Heineken developed an interactive video where applicants can experience what it's like to work for the company. This actively involves candidates with the brand and makes the application process more personal.

General Electric: YouTube channel with employees

GE launched a YouTube channel where employees present their jobs and projects. This personal perspective strengthens the employer brand and shows the diversity of career opportunities.

Choose unconventional channels

Goldman Sachs: Snapchat recruitment

Goldman Sachs, traditionally considered a conservative financial institution, surprised many by turning to Snapchat for recruitment. The company used Snapchat's Campus Stories feature to reach college students at target universities. They created branded filters and short video content showcasing life at Goldman Sachs, aiming to present a more approachable and innovative image to young talent. This unconventional approach helped Goldman Sachs connect with Gen Z candidates in their preferred digital environment.

Etsy: authentic workplace stories on TikTok

Online marketplace Etsy engages younger talent through their "Etsy Life" TikTok campaign, offering authentic behind-the-scenes glimpses into daily life at the company. Employees create their own content, sharing their workdays, projects, and workplace culture through short videos. The campaign features creative challenges that reflect Etsy's innovative spirit, while consciously highlighting their diverse workforce and commitment to sustainability initiatives.

Through employee-led "day in the life" videos, Etsy showcases various career opportunities within the company. By leveraging TikTok's platform, Etsy connects with a young, creative audience where they're already active. The authentic, employee-generated content resonates particularly well with potential candidates seeking an employer whose culture and values align with their interests.

Make it personal

AAE: virtual tour

AAE offers candidates a virtual tour through the company, allowing them to experience the atmosphere and form an image of their potential workplace.

Roblox: personalizing recruitment through avatars

Roblox innovatively strengthens their employer brand by having employees create personal avatars for use in recruitment materials and hiring processes. This unique approach enables authentic self-expression, with employees designing digital representations that reflect their personalities and roles. During virtual job fairs and interviews, candidates interact with these avatars, experiencing Roblox's creative culture firsthand. For technical positions, avatar creation may even form part of the application process, allowing candidates to demonstrate relevant skills.

The strategy has proven highly effective, with avatar-featuring job postings seeing 35% higher click-through rates. Candidates report stronger pre-hire cultural connections, while the initiative has attracted positive media attention, establishing Roblox as an innovative employer. By integrating their platform's core technology into recruitment, Roblox creates an authentic employer brand that particularly appeals to tech and gaming talent.