Classified Job Postings: Why Don't Local Staffing Agencies Utilize Broadcast TV?

The last time you were unemployed you probably spent time searching the job section in the Sunday paper, posting your resume online, and searching endlessly through Monster.com, Craigslist, etc. The whole time you were sitting in front of your television giving staffing agencies hours of opportunity to reach you with a strong thirty-second commercial.

Chances are, even if you are not unemployed there is a chance that a commercial pushing job openings with your dream company could persuade you to call. We are always looking for that next best opportunity and employers and staffing firms need to realize that the common employed person doesn't scan the job posting page once they're hired.

Since the average adult spends over 4 hours each day with television, possibly more for unemployed adults, television is the perfect medium for staffing firms to reach their target audience. The internet doesn't quite compare with less than 90 minutes, although we realize this is time well spent on search and browsing to find targeted information. The place where staffing firms place all their dollars, newspaper, only harnesses less than 45 minutes. Of course this is all relative to the medium and the time spent won't shock anyone but the point is, TV is the strongest medium for reaching their target audience.

Television also provides the strongest medium for making an emotional connection with the viewer. Whether that viewer just walked in the door after a long, stressful day, or they are getting up early to head out for a long commute, television can speak specifically to that person. The message can be tailored to perfectly fit the time of day and situation the audience might in.

Over the last few months I have seen more television advertising for job openings. They are for broad careers with medium to large sized companies. They urge the viewer to call or check out the web site for openings. But with that said, I wonder when we will see these firms shift more of their dollars to television. After all, we've heard enough about the drop in newspaper circulation that the time would be right for those dollars to go elsewhere. Keep your eyes tuned to the tube to see if you can spot advertisements for a better career.