What the hell is a recruitment market map?

If you've had the pleasure of reading content from Headhunters or Exec Recruiters or even better succumbed to death by PowerPoint pitch from a double knot windsor / neck scarf incorporated blue suit, you'll probably be familiar with our esoteric wordage.

Sometimes what we say has meaning in how we work, even if we simply chuck them into conversation with the hope you don't challenge us.

They can also be things you can do yourself.

A market map is one of these things. It's both a tactical and strategic activity, requiring market knowledge, insight and much hard work.

You may even be doing some or all of it in your own recruitment.

For example, perhaps there's a local employer that coincidentally many of your staff may have previously worked for.

You typically prefer candidates from your industry, but this employer happens to have the right people because they have an equivalent culture, tools and processes, working pattern and approach.

Or maybe all your leaders come from internal talent development programmes. You promote from within until there is no one to backfill.

Or perhaps you always take graduates from one University for your rotation schemes, because you know they are made of the 'right stuff', as non-inclusive as that may sound.

Or maybe your job adverts always work (lol).

These are avenues to candidates that present an effective repeatable process, four of many that are specifically related to your vacancy type and employment profile, as well as the nature of the market you have access to.

Market mapping is broadly about two things:

1/ knowing yourself. A realistic definition of your requirements and what they look like to the outside, as well as what 'good' really means in your candidates. What they need from you to be interested in discussion, and ultimately to work for you.

2/ knowing the market. Who the employers/incubators are that can be targetted to find the people that will deliver for you long-term. Some of these will be on LinkedIn, but if you are solely reliant on this platform, you miss a huge part of the market.

This is grossly oversimplifying a complex set of activities that can be used for different purposes.

It's also an ongoing activity, with maps that are developed iteratively over time, as you uncover new opportunities in finding the people you need to hire.

Given it takes time and is hard work, it's not appropriate for all types of recruitment, and you may not have the resource to do it yourself.

But like many types of 'prep work,' it's essential to do well when recruiting a critical vacancy that can cause problems if unfilled.

“If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favourable.”