"I didn't apply because it didn't seem any different to what I do now."

Sometimes, an employer will ask for my help after advertising a vacancy directly.

I'm happy to do so because I know my approach accesses candidates differently to their own.

Not just in the avenues I take to finding people, but also in the messaging.

Which can lead to the quote at the top, where a candidate had read the employer advert and chosen not to apply.

Yet they express interest in mine, and twice this year end up being the new employee.

What's the difference, if all recruitment is the same?

The employer advert is typically based on the job description with a little extra on the company. Perhaps touching on culture and values too. Commonly they'll list "very competitive salary" or something else that doesn't commit.

In marketing this is sometimes called Inside Out writing.

Like how peacocks try to attract mates.

While my adverts are written as a consequence of detailed consultation, vetting the job description against actual business needs, pushing back where unrealistic, establishing what good is, and why those 'good' candidates should be interested.

The writing itself is straightforward.

I put the reader first using my adaptation of AIDA for recruitment. And I talk to their problems and aspirations.

I work Outside In, with nary a plumage in sight.

Same job, described differently, while being 100% true and fair.

And the same candidate that didn't apply to the employer advert, may apply to mine or otherwise is piqued by my outreach.

Because they aren't drawing a comparison between the employer's job description and their own, which looks much the same giving them no reason to consider a move.

Instead, they read about genuine reasons they'll be fulfilled by a potential move and are shown contextual insight to make an objective decision.

It's how I know good advertising works, and how I can show that to employers too.

The work that leads to an effective advert is key throughout the entire recruitment process.

Take my LinkedIn messaging - typically short, to the point and professional with no pattern interrupt. Effective not just for the message, but because I'm contacting the right person, on the right medium, for the right reason at the right time.

Same with phone calls, emails, or carrier pigeons. It's about the candidate and their needs, not my own.

All of this stems from how I consult with employers, the questions I ask and how I challenge constructively and collaboratively.

And it's the visible part of what I do that separates my work from most recruiters.