By Owen Joyce, COO, Advertising Industry Careers
The advertising, media and marketing industry has significant work to do to overcome its lack of diversity, however, one of the fastest ways forward lies in our ability to come together to tackle the issue.
Across every area of our industry, senior leaders are working within their businesses and with their sectional trade body to address the obstacles and barriers of entry that are keeping diverse talent from the market.
But what if there was a way to supercharge these individual and sectional approaches?
What if we took an industry-wide approach that leans on the same marketing channels and principles we use to help clients every day?
The foundation would be an always-on, employer brand-focused strategy that helps candidates get a richer, deeper understanding of the industry, its companies, and their cultures, as well as the opportunities on offer.
We know that the talent competition is more intense than ever, therefore, it’s more important than ever that the industry is investing in collectively promoting itself over the long term.
It’s a strategy that could yield significant advantages when looking to attract more diversity, and build a great pipeline of talent.
The ambition behind Advertising Industry Careers aims to help achieve this goal by making it easy to learn about culture, values, jobs and industry trends to help a broader range of people answer these questions:
• Will I fit in? Potential candidates are not just looking for a job; they’re assessing whether a company or an industry offers an environment where they can thrive personally and professionally. By making it easy to discover values, work culture, opportunities, and employee success stories, candidates from different walks of life can get a feel for how likely they are to fit in.
• Will I be looked after? Trust is a precious commodity in today’s job market. Establishing a strong employer brand over time builds credibility among job seekers who, let’s face it, have met with broken promises before. As candidates see a consistent commitment to values, employee well-being, and professional growth, trust in the organisation, and the industry, deepens. This trust becomes a magnet for people who want to feel safe moving out of their comfort zone.
• Is it a better opportunity? It’s well known that the best candidates are most likely working somewhere else and aren’t actively searching. A well-promoted industry platform can help create awareness with this audience who are content in their current roles or industries but who may be swayed by a compelling opportunity.
By collating industry, company, and job content and promoting it as an industry initiative, we’re aiming to help a more diverse range of people learn about our industry and include it for consideration when they think about their careers. This helps our clients with current hiring needs but also ensures a pipeline of diverse, skilled, and motivated individuals for many years to come.
This is a sponsored article by Advertising Industry Careers
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Top image: Owen Joyce, COO of AIC