Performance recruiting is being used by more and more companies and HR experts. No wonder, as the method allows top talent to be found quickly, easily and cost-effectively – and (also) from the passive candidate market.

Performance recruiting is being used by more and more companies and HR experts. No wonder, as the method allows top talent to be found quickly, easily and cost-effectively – and (also) from the passive candidate market.
What exactly is this innovative approach all about and how can your company benefit from performance recruiting? We'll show you.
It is an approach to recruiting staff that is derived from performance marketing. This is an online marketing method that aims to achieve measurable results through advertising campaigns. The measures are continuously optimized using the data and insights gained.
In performance recruiting, this approach is adopted for employee acquisition: job advertisements are promoted through campaigns, especially online ads. Implementation requires precise targeting in order to reach the desired target group on suitable channels with suitable emotional triggers.
Unlike many traditional recruitment tools, performance recruiting can also reach passive candidates. They do not respond to Job portals and are actually happy with their current job - simply placing a job advert would have no effect on them. However, if the position is successfully advertised on channels that these candidates use, their interest in the job could be aroused.
Would you like to switch to performance recruiting and get started right away? With our 4-step guide, we offer good guidance to help you implement your campaigns.
“Who is our ad aimed at?” – this question is at the beginning of the performance recruiting process. The target group is defined using targeting parameters such as location, professional experience and skills. In order to reduce wastage and use the budget efficiently, the ads are then only shown to people who meet these criteria.
Selecting a suitable channel is also one of the basics for launching a successful campaign. What media does my target group use? Possible channels include social networks such as LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook and Co. or industry-specific portals, blogs and forums. But also search engines such as Google can be used as a channel to display ads for relevant search queries.
The target group determination for an ad can look like this:
The next step involves the conception and design of the ads. Everything is possible, from pure text ads to images and videos to combinations of several formats. In terms of content, the ads aim to attract the attention of the target group and encourage them to click. It is therefore about psychologically sophisticated messages that pick up on the wishes and interests of the candidates and thus market the job offer skilfully and creatively.
The target group and channel have been selected and the ad has been designed? Good! But where do the candidates end up after they have clicked on the ad with great interest?
The aim should be to direct interested parties to a landing page that, in addition to detailed information about the job offer, ideally also includes an applicant funnel.
In concrete terms, this means, for example, an online tool or quiz in which the candidates can interactively go through a few steps and answer questions with just a few clicks.
This funnel is used to pre-qualify applicants. After completing it, the application can be sent, including contact details.
The answers provided in the quiz are then analyzed and matched with the job requirements - usually automatically by AI-based systems. Recruiters can then contact the candidates who meet the job match requirements.
As already mentioned, performance recruiting is about measurable results and data plays an important role in this. Both the reactions to the ads and the user behavior on the landing page can be precisely tracked and understood with the help of tools.
The data obtained is then used (partly automatically) to improve the ads or page: Ads can be displayed more precisely, different ads can be compared with each other in A/B tests and then sorted out or optimized, and the landing page can be analyzed to determine where users drop out and whether adjustments are necessary. Retargeting measures can also be derived and precisely targeted using the data sets.
Also interesting: Digital recruiting: definition & tips for successful e-recruiting
Compared to traditional application processes, performance recruiting has several advantages:
1) There can People are reached where they spend their time every day – i.e. on their favorite websites and social media platforms. This way, candidates can be reached who are not actively looking for a job but are still willing to change jobs.
2) As a recruiter, you don’t have to hope and wait for suitable candidates to come forward. Instead, you can actively work on it yourself and Optimize your campaign until you receive applications from the desired target group.
3) The Budget can be used flexiblyAds can be intensified, but can also be paused completely for certain periods of time - depending on requirements and available budget. The costs are always transparent, for example, you are charged per ad click.
4) Well implemented campaigns can for a top Candidate Experience care forCandidates have the opportunity to express their interest in a position within a few minutes on a digital device of their choice in a playful and interactive way. Such positive experiences naturally also have a positive effect on the Employer brand.
Small and medium-sized companies without brand awareness in particular are struggling to find suitable talent for their vacancies using traditional recruiting methods such as placing a job advertisement. But even big players with a big brand can often no longer sit back and hope for unsolicited applications - the "war for talent" is forcing them to take new approaches to recruiting in the search for highly sought-after specialists.
Targeted performance recruiting is therefore an effective way for companies of all types and sizes to attract previously unknown talent on the passive candidate market.
If you want to get started with performance recruiting in your company but don't know where to start or need support in certain areas, please feel free to contact us. Our recruiting experts will help you develop and optimize your campaigns.
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