The Bureau of Labor and Statistics’ February 2021 employment report highlighted a few industries that are recovering many of the jobs lost during the pandemic shutdown of March and April 2020. Those industries are: Leisure and Hospitality – added 355,000 jobs in February; Food and Drinks – added 286,000 jobs, and Retail – added 41,000 jobs.
It may be unsurprising with so many people resorting to online shopping in the past year to learn that the retail industry has recovered nearly 83% of jobs lost during March and April 2020. Retail jobs are growing for durable and non-durable goods while clothing retail jobs are declining.
Increases in Leisure and Hospitality and Food and Drinks reflects the rise in public desire to resume travel and entertainment activities. Growth in these industries is a promising indicator of recovery as we move into the 2021 summer season. As industries recover, your members are looking for new employment opportunities post–pandemic. Here are some ways to ensure your members are visiting your association job board to find the latest job openings in their area.
Website widget
Employers are getting more strategic at targeting their job ads towards relevant talent pools by using resources like your job board. Share newly posted jobs on highly trafficked webpages with a job widget, similar to the Society of Breast Imaging to ensure interested visitors are engaged with your brand as a professional resource.
E-newsletter
Keep members up to date on the latest news and job opportunities with a regular newsletter sent directly to their inboxes.
Strike the right balance of engrossing content for your members by including something for every member group.
Early careerists are most interested in employment and networking opportunities while mid-careerists favor industry news and code of ethics and late careerists look for ways to share their expertise with new professionals.
Here’s an example of the e-newsletter Folio sends subscribers:
Dedicated Jobs Email
Send members and registered job seekers a dedicated jobs email twice a month to deliver premier access to quality jobs. The average open rate for YM Careers’ Job FlashTM email is 30% with opt-out rates less than 1%, proving just how much members value these emails.
Members looking for new employment opportunities appreciate new postings available in their inboxes for quick, easy reference during downtime.
Industries slower to recover
While early signs of recovery are encouraging, there are still thousands of jobs to regain to get back to pre-pandemic employment. If your association represents an industry recovering slowly, your members will be looking for help building skills and connecting with peers.
Marketing member benefits is important for conveying the support your association provides. Understanding which marketing channels are best suited to your users will make communicating those benefits more effective.
Stay updated on industry news and member insights. Listen to what your members are saying about professional stresses and mental health to provide helpful reminders about the various supports your association provides. These touchpoints are a great way to retain members beyond this challenging time.
