9 ways to save money on aviation recruitment

Aviation Job Search recently surveyed 400 aviation professionals, and 64% of those told us that their salary wasn’t keeping pace with the cost of living. While finances are at the forefront of aviation professionals’ minds, it’s also an important consideration for aviation companies. 

So how can aviation recruiters make their budgets go further, and how can they make sure it’s not at the expense of employees?

‍Optimise your career page

Ensure your company's careers page is well-optimised and user-friendly. A clear and informative careers section on your website can attract candidates directly and reduce reliance on external job boards. Highlight your company culture, values, and available opportunities to make a compelling case for potential applicants.

Use your company profile page on job boards like Aviation Job Search as an extension of this. Link aviation professionals to any open roles, your website and your social media. Speaking of which…

‍Use social media

In the age of digital connectivity, you can harness the power of social media to promote job openings. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even industry-specific forums can be valuable tools for reaching a diverse pool of candidates. Share engaging content about your company culture and job opportunities to attract passive candidates without hefty advertising costs. 

What’s more, we have nearly half a million followers, so if you’re an Aviation Job Search customer, this is a great opportunity to get your company in front of a whole new audience of aviation professionals, many of which are likely to be passive job seekers.

‍Spread the cost

Recruitment costs can be unpredictable. You could go months without needing to recruit, but then an employee leaving might have an unsettling effect on everyone else and before you know it, you have several vacancies to fill.

Spreading the cost can help. Membership programmes such as Prime Aviation mean by investing little and often, you’ll be able to save free job credits and resume download credits to use when you need them. It’s scalable and requires no upfront investment, which means a negligible cost both for when times are good, and for when you need to recruit - fast.

‍Engage in targeted advertising 

Instead of casting a wide net with generic job advertisements, focus on targeted advertising to reach specific demographics, such as the aviation industry - or even a sub-section within that - for example by role and location.

Utilise digital marketing tools and products to tailor your messages to potential candidates who match the skills and qualifications required. This approach can result in higher-quality applications within a controlled budget. 

‍Use technology to speed up processes

Invest in applicant tracking systems and other HR technology tools that streamline the recruitment process. These tools can help with initial candidate screening, automate communication, and organise candidate data efficiently. While there may be an initial investment, the long-term savings in time and resources can significantly impact your recruitment budget.

However, if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, some job boards, including Aviation Job Search, have in-built ATS systems which help you manage the candidate funnel and communication.

Another way to save time (and money) is to use multi-posters like Broadbean or Logic Melon to manage your job advertising. Most job boards, including ours, are compatible with these, and so this looks after a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing vacancies.

‍Measure and analyse recruitment metrics

Regularly evaluate the performance of your recruitment strategies by tracking key metrics such as cost per hire, time to fill, and the effectiveness of different channels. Most job boards will have a recruiter dashboard - on Aviation Job Search you can benchmark your performance against competing recruiters so you can improve response.

This data-driven approach allows you to refine your tactics, focusing on what works best and eliminating strategies that may not be cost-effective.

‍Plan ahead

You might not be able to see into the future, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look ahead. Whenever you go to promote a vacancy, think to yourself, are there likely to be any other positions to fill in the near future? Has Edward the Engineer been talking about his retirement? Is Felicity the First Officer finally going on maternity leave? Normally you will get discounts for buying in bulk, so while it’s not an exact science, it’s a good way to save when you go to post a job. 

‍Look for discounts

Speaking of discounts, most job boards will offer money off, often rewarding you for your loyalty. For example, Prime Aviation is our membership programme and offers 50% off everything while you’re a member. Also most job boards, ourselves included, will offer discounts during seasonal events like Black Friday. Make sure you sign up to our mailing list (at the bottom of the page) so you don’t miss out.

‍Explore internship programmes

Establishing internship programs can be a cost-effective way to identify and nurture potential future hires. Internships allow you to evaluate candidates in a real work setting, reducing the risk associated with traditional recruitment. Furthermore, interns may become enthusiastic advocates for your company, helping attract more talent in the long run.

Ultimately, one of the most effective ways to save on recruiting costs is to maintain employee loyalty. But at the same time, it makes sense to prepare for any eventuality, and spreading the cost and being more focused in the way you spend your recruitment budget will pay dividends.