I recently spoke to Nicky Holmes, Chief Marketing Officer at Werksmans Attorneys about her experiences in designing and running ‘The Candidate Challenge’. We also discussed the learnings and considerations using eMarketing tactics in relation to recruitment objectives in the future.
With the help of the QuirkStars, Werksmans, one of the country’s top corporate and commercial law firms, launched 'The Candidate Challenge 2012'. Very loosely based on the popular TV show, The Apprentice, The Candidate Challenge offers law students a chance to get an early foot in the door in the race to secure a position for articles with this prestigious firm. The Candidate who rises to the challenge will earn an interview with CEO Jeremy Botha for the firm’s 2012 intake of candidate attorneys.
What did you hope to achieve with The Candidate Challenge?
Our objective for the online campaign was to complement our existing recruitment strategy and to find a workable alternative to set us apart from the numerous competing recruitment campaigns on-campus. We hoped to engage in a more direct manner with law students and introduce them to the firm well in advance of their having to secure articles.
What does the campaign involve?
We have created a unique challenge for legal students in their final and penultimate year of study, located on a dedicated microsite – candidate.werksmans.co.za. We are then using other popular Social Media, including Facebook, to spread the word. In this way, the firm aims to attract the best and brightest applicants with the characteristics essential for a successful legal career - drive, direction, intellect and commitment.
How does The Candidate differ from your usual recruitment strategy?
The Candidate Challenge is a dramatic departure from conventional graduate recruitment campaigns. It was founded on the premise that students typically find potential employers intimidating, especially law firms. With this campaign we wanted to present our best side to students and speak to them in a language they understood. We also hope to initiate and develop relationships with students that will go beyond this year’s Candidate Challenge. We wanted to establish ourselves as the employer of choice for the next generation of lawyers.
What have you discovered so far?
Our campaign aimed to uncover the unique potential of law students and give them an opportunity to shine, but on their own terms. We have found that students may not be as tech savvy as we would have expected. We encouraged students to upload a video motivation as part of the challenge - a move that could well win them points for initiative, but surprisingly none of the applicants have opted for this yet. This seems to suggest that technology can, in fact, be quite inaccessible.
Fortunately The Candidate Challenge runs until 31 August 2010, and there is a step-by-step video tutorial on the site, so there is still opportunity for students to break the mould and impress with their creativity.
What has Werksmans gained from the experience?
In an industry where recruiting methods tend to be fairly traditional, Werksmans has taken the opportunity to reposition our firm as a cutting-edge employer by leveraging the power of Social Media and testimonial to support our brand message.
The hype has been incredible so far, among both students and competitors in our own industry. The Candidate Challenge has set us apart as a firm that talks in a new and different way to prospective talent. Certain of our competitors were admittedly surprised that we would recruit on the basis of public voting, but this is not the case as while public votes contribute to our perception of a candidate they are by no means the final word on our ultimate selection.
What have you learned about using technology in your recruiting process?
Technology comes with its own challenges. We have had to be very responsive and adapt along the way. Going forward, we expect an even greater level of interest, resulting from word of mouth advertising from this year’s entrants and lecturers. We have also had to learn far more about the students and their behaviour online.
What is the future of The Candidate Challenge?
The Candidate will become the face of the firm’s The Candidate Challenge 2013 - providing candid insights into the inner workings of Werksmans. This has been a great concept and we intend to build on it next year.
What is your advice for other companies thinking of using social media in recruiting?
I encourage companies in the more traditional industries to think beyond the usual if they want to attract today’s best talent. Young people today are online and engaging with them on this platform can position your company as progressive and exciting. But it is important to understand your demographic, beyond the immediate assumptions. You need to discover through focus groups and research, what they are comfortable with. Once a company enters the Social Media space, it is important that they commit to it for the long term, be responsive and adaptable and address feedback quickly and effectively.
A multi-pronged strategy that uses both the Internet and other offline means of recruiting for building the company profile is the best strategy for us so far.
The Candidate Challenge
The Candidate’ concept is the first campaign in South Africa designed to use eMarketing tactics to recruit law students. It was an idea born out of the QuirkStars’ extensive digital experience. It was brought to life through the development of the candidate.werksmans.co.za website, engagement on the Werksmans Facebook presence and constant monitoring and optimisation.
Some of the Werksmans candidates from Gauteng. Image Credit: The Candidate Challenge microsite
The Candidate Challenge has been running since 1 March and will continue to 31 August 2010. To enter, The Candidate Challenge wannabes need to register on the dedicated website: candidate.werksmans.co.za.
The entry process is simple. In addition to a standard registration process, potential candidates need to provide a 150-word motivation as to why they believe they are The Candidate. They are also encouraged to upload an optional video clip. Shortlisted applicants are then posted to the website for the broader public and student community to view and then vote for their favourite contender.
The winning candidate will be announced on 13 September and will potentially secure one of the 18 places Werksmans has open for articles in 2012.
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