Recruitment and Selection Marketing (B2B)
In a competitive labor market, attracting talent for sales and marketing roles is more challenging than ever. Companies that rely solely on job boards miss out on top talent that isn’t actively looking. Recruitment and selection marketing helps medium and large (SME) businesses reach and persuade candidates in a targeted, creative, and data-driven way.
What is recruitment and selection marketing?
Recruitment and selection marketing combines recruitment and marketing techniques to find, reach, and convert talent into applicants. In B2B, this often concerns specialized roles such as account managers, sales engineers, marketing managers, and digital marketers.
Three core elements in a B2B context:
- Target audience segmentation – knowing which candidates you’re looking for and where they are active.
- Employer branding – presenting your organization as attractive and recognizable.
- Candidate funnel – similar to the sales funnel but focused on applications.
Example: A SaaS company creates a series of LinkedIn videos in which employees talk about their work and company culture, resulting in 40% more applications.
Why SME benefits from a strategic approach
- Scarcity of top talent – by proactively targeting the passive job market, you reach candidates who don’t respond to job postings.
- Better match – clearly communicating job profiles and company values attracts people who truly fit.
- Higher conversion – optimized job pages and targeted ads reduce time-to-hire.
- Measurable results – data analysis of campaigns makes the process predictable and scalable.
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, 70% of the labor market consists of passive job seekers — people who are not actively applying but are open to new opportunities.
Would you like to attract new sales and marketing talent faster and more effectively? Schedule an intake meeting with Sales Improvement People.
The building blocks of successful recruitment marketing
| Building block | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Employer value proposition (EVP) | Define what makes your organization unique as an employer | Clear and attractive employer promise |
| Target audience research | Identify where your target group is located and what motivates them | Targeted targeting |
| Content strategy | Develop job videos, blogs, employee interviews | Greater visibility |
| Distribution plan | Use social media, job boards, and owned channels strategically | More reach |
| Optimization | Measure conversions, adjust campaigns | Higher quality applications |
Channels and formats that work
Effective channels:
- LinkedIn Recruiter & Sponsored Jobs
- Sponsored posts on Instagram/Facebook for younger professionals
- Niche job boards for specific roles (e.g. marketingfactsjobs.nl)
- Referral programs through current employees
High-impact content formats:
- Video testimonials → candidates can directly see and hear future colleagues.
- Day-in-the-life articles → give a concrete picture of what a workday looks like.
- Interactive job pages → with chat functions for quick questions.
Tip: Treat the candidate as a lead. Follow up with emails, connections, and personalized messages.
Use cases
Use case 1: Randstad – data-driven targeting
Randstad used marketing automation and LinkedIn advertising to reach passive job seekers. By linking job openings to personalized banners based on job title and region, the application rate increased by 38% in three months.
Source: LinkedIn Business – Randstad Case Study
Use case 2: HubSpot – inbound recruitment
HubSpot applied its own inbound marketing philosophy to recruitment. By publishing blog articles, videos, and e-books about company culture and career opportunities, the number of qualified applications grew by 60% without additional ad budget.
Source: HubSpot Careers Blog
Use case 3: Deloitte – employer branding through storytelling
Deloitte launched the Life at Deloitte campaign, where employees shared their personal experiences through video and social media. Result: 40% more traffic to the career page and a 25% increase in applications for specialist roles.
Source: Deloitte Careers
Checklist: are you already attracting top talent?
- EVP formulated and known within the organization
- Target audience research conducted
- Multiple channels actively used
- Data on applicant behavior available
- Process for candidate follow-up established
4 or more “yes” answers? Then you have a solid foundation. Fewer? Time for optimization.
Frequently asked questions
- What does recruitment and selection include?
- The entire process of finding, selecting, and hiring suitable candidates for a position.
- What do you mean by recruitment marketing?
- Applying marketing techniques to reach and convince talent to apply.
- What does recruitment and selection cost?
- Agencies often charge a fee of 20–30% of the candidate’s gross annual salary.
- What does a recruitment marketer do?
- Designs and executes campaigns to attract candidates through online and offline channels.
- What is recruitment and selection?
- An HR process in which job openings are filled by actively searching for and assessing candidates.
- What is a typical recruitment fee?
- On average 20% of the gross annual salary, depending on the position and agency.
Contact us
Ready to professionalize your recruitment process and find top talent that truly fits your organization? Contact Sales Improvement People.
By: Daniëlle de Bode