Recruitment Channels & Employer Branding

Even the best-designed role can’t fill itself.
To attract great people, you need the right mix of recruitment channels — and a brand that makes them want to click “apply.”

What Are Recruitment Channels?

Choosing the right channel depends on:

• The type of role
• Your hiring timeline
• Your employer value proposition (EVP)
• Where your audience actually is

Types of Recruitment Channels

1. Job Boards

• General: LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor
• Specialized: Stack Overflow (tech), Behance (design), etc.
• Local/niche: university boards, regional sites

Great for visibility, but high competition.

2. Social Media & Content

• LinkedIn posts and ads
• Instagram or TikTok for brand stories
• YouTube for behind-the-scenes videos

Helps show culture, not just openings.

3. Employee Referrals

• One of the most cost-effective and high-quality sources
• Candidates are pre-vetted socially and culturally
• Can scale with structured programs and bonuses

4. Direct Sourcing / Search

• Active outreach by recruiters or sourcers
• Often via LinkedIn, GitHub, Twitter, or events
• Works best for hard-to-fill or senior roles

This channel requires skill, but gets results.

5. Talent Communities

• Past applicants, alumni, event participants
• Can be nurtured with email, content, or networking
• Long-term pipeline investment

6. Agencies & RPOs

• External support for volume hiring or niche expertise
• Can bring reach, speed, and market knowledge
• Must manage quality, brand, and alignment carefully

The Role of Employer Branding

Even with the best channels, your employer brand is what makes candidates trust and engage with your company.

Your employer brand is:

• The perception of what it’s like to work at your company
• Informed by Glassdoor, employee posts, website, interviews
• A key decision point for top candidates

Elements of a Strong Employer Brand

• Clear EVP (Employee Value Proposition)
• Honest content about work life
• Stories from real employees
• Visual consistency across platforms
• Responsiveness and professionalism in communication

Common Mistakes

• Using only job boards for all roles
• Ignoring brand consistency or letting Glassdoor go stale
• Focusing only on attraction, not conversion
• Not tracking channel performance

Final Thought

You can’t control where talent looks — but you can control what they see.
Choose your channels smartly. Shape your brand intentionally. And make it easy to say yes.

📌 Next page: Screening, Interviewing & Selection – How to identify the best fit through fair, structured, and human-centered processes.