How to Choose the Right Recruitment Marketing Agency | CHANGE STATE
Early in Change State’s founding, ONGIG honored us by naming us one of the Top 20 Recruitment Marketing Agencies in the United States. This recognition came just one year after we founded Change State, placing us alongside some of the industry’s most established names.
One of the standout pieces from ONGIG’s list was a timeless article by Dr. John Sullivan titled: How to Assess a Recruitment Ad Agency. Written over two decades ago, his opening thoughts remain as relevant as ever:
“Since the war for talent began several years ago, corporate recruitment managers have been begging for help from ‘recruiting support’ firms. Unfortunately, one of the key players in our industry, recruitment advertising agencies (RAA’s), have often failed to meet this challenge. If you are currently considering selecting (or changing) a recruitment advertising agency, it’s important that you raise your standards and your expectations…
In the spirit of raising expectations, we’ve compiled an updated guide on what organizations should consider when selecting a recruitment marketing agency. At Change State, we strongly believe in partnerships, not transactional relationships—a philosophy that distinguishes us from legacy ad agencies still operating on a “spend money to make money” model.
1. Demand Transparency in Job Board Advertising
Your recruitment marketing agency must tell you where your job board advertising dollars are being spent.
With the rise of programmatic advertising and job aggregators, the market for job seeker traffic is thriving—but not all traffic is created equal.
The best agencies embrace testing new job boards to uncover untapped applicant pools. When vetting potential partners, ask them:
- How do you choose and evaluate job boards?
- How do you compare performance across publishers?
If your agency can’t explain their publisher (job board) mix or provide granular reporting beyond clicks, that’s a sign that your advertising dollars aren’t being optimally allocated. You deserve more than a “black-box” recruitment marketing strategy.
Agencies that excel in recruitment marketing know how to navigate non-standardized metrics, such as:
- Cost per Click (CPC) vs. Cost per Application (CPA)
- Duration-based boards with mismatched application data
- Social media campaigns measured by impressions or leads rather than clicks
- Prioritize not just top of funnel metrics, but aim to optimize advertising mix towards cost per hire and/or quality of hire outcomes
Recruitment advertising is complex, but a strong partner ensures apples-to-apples comparisons and helps you allocate budget to the best-performing sources.
Want to learn how we evaluate job boards? Schedule a free consultation.
2. Look for Expertise in Recruitment Process Optimization and HR Technology
Managing job board advertising is just the tip of the iceberg. Recruitment marketing agencies with a forward-thinking approach understand the critical connection between recruitment marketing, HR technology, and efficient processes.
For example:
- Does your agency evaluate your application process for inefficiencies?
- Do they help you integrate and maximize the value of ATS or CRM platforms?
- Can they serve as an advocate with HR tech vendors when issues arise?
The right agency partners with you to identify roadblocks, connect the dots between advertising spend and ROI, and ensures your systems are designed for success.
3. Insist on Data-Driven Employer Branding Insights
Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is the foundation of your recruitment marketing strategy. Without it, even the most creative advertising won’t resonate with the talent you want to attract.
When evaluating agencies, ask about their employer branding experience and capabilities. Red flags include:
- Recommendations based solely on job board “enhanced profiles.”
- Jumping straight to creative assets without grounding them in employee and candidate insights.
At Change State, we root employer branding in data, conducting in-depth research with your employees to uncover authentic and actionable insights. If an agency skips this step, you risk amplifying messages that fail to connect—or worse, attract candidates likely to churn.
4. Evaluate the Agency’s Vision for the Future of Recruitment
A recruitment marketing agency’s ability to anticipate industry trends is a critical differentiator. While many vendors boast about “future-proofing,” few articulate where recruitment is heading in 5–10 years.
Pay attention to their thought leadership:
- Do they actively share insights on blogs, social media, and podcasts?
- Are they exploring new trends like AI, talent intelligence, or skills-based hiring?
- Or are they still touting programmatic as if it’s the latest innovation?
The best agencies think beyond the HR bubble, drawing inspiration from consumer marketing and other industries to stay ahead of the curve.
5. Ask to Meet Your Dedicated Account Team
Finally, relationships matter. A great strategy is only as good as the team managing it.
When vetting agencies, ask:
- Who will handle your account day-to-day?
- What is their tenure with the company?
- Can you speak with recent clients to understand their onboarding experience?
High turnover among account representatives can lead to inconsistent service. Look for agencies willing to “put skin in the game” by starting partnerships without requiring a long-term commitment.
Raising the Bar
As Dr. John Sullivan aptly wrote over two decades ago, selecting the right recruitment marketing agency means raising your standards.
The right partner will:
- Be experts in HR technology and recruitment processes.
- Offer transparency, accountability, and data-driven insights.
- Always teach you something new.
At Change State, we pride ourselves on being that partner.
Are you looking for a recruitment marketing agency that meets all your requirements? Contact Change State to see how we can transform your hiring strategy.
