Last year, LinkedIn published data on the top 10 most popular jobs among recent college graduates in today’s market. Unsurprisingly, traditional jobs such as sales, nursing and teaching remain steady in the top five; however, the leading job highlights the rapid expanse of technology in today’s business world: software engineering.

This brings both good and bad news to fintechs: the good news is that there are more skilled workers than ever seeking tech-focused roles; but the bad news is that a competitive market makes it difficult to attract, retain and engage top talent. Additionally, fintechs are competing against companies in other industries and regions, particularly as remote work becomes more widely accepted. To remain competitive in 2020 and beyond, here are three ways to leverage public relations and marketing to attract top talent.

Industry Recognition

Culture is one of the biggest drivers of employee satisfaction, and companies excelling in that area should be recognized for their efforts. Whether applying for American Banker’s Best Fintechs to Work For, nominating young talent for BAI’s Emerging Leaders Network or a being recognized in local Business Journals awards, fintechs can leverage these honors to attract top talent. Consider touting recognition in a press release, on social media channels or the company’s blog.

Speaking of Blogs…

This owned-media channel is often one of the most underutilized outlets for promoting the company as an employer, not just a vendor. By incorporating some of these topics into the company’s blog, fintechs can showcase their unique culture and employees:

• “Five Questions With ____”: Interview employees from interns to senior leaders that highlight their experience with the company while adding a personalized touch.
• “Life at ____”: Do employees regularly get together for a professional development book club? Is the company giving back to the community through volunteer work or donations? Consider adding a section oto the company’s blog that showcases what employees are doing to make it a fun, friendly place to work.
• Employee-contributed blogs: Engage current employees by giving them the opportunity to submit a blog on a topic they are passionate about (that is relevant to the company, of course). It not only empowers employees to take ownership of a small project, but also demonstrates a strong level of trust in associates from the company’s leadership.

Modernize the Careers Page

When it comes to the company website, it’s important to never underestimate the power of a strong careers page. Prospective employees will often visit this page early in their research, and companies that don’t use this to their advantage will miss out on making a strong first impression.

Historically, careers pages have focused on current job openings and/or general information about the company. Instead of taking this traditional route, consider adding some flavor to this underutilized page:

• Highlight employee benefits: Do you let employees work remotely? Offer unlimited PTO? Support employees’ retirement planning by offering a 401k or profit-sharing plan? Provide generous professional development budgets or opportunities? Host a company retreat each year? Consider showcasing these types of competitive offerings upfront.
• “Meet the Team”: Candidates will want to know who they are working for – and who they will be working with. While LinkedIn makes it easy to browse current employees, smaller companies can easily add short bio pages for each employee. Mid-size or larger companies may have too many employees to highlight individually, so consider short testimonials or quotes from varying levels of employees across the company about their experience.
• Think about the future: While there may not be a need to hire in the foreseeable future, companies that do not offer a general application or means of contact for job seekers may be missing out on top candidates. Adding a general form to the careers page can help ensure top talent is not overlooked and create a growing pool of candidates to pull from when there is an opening.

College graduates are entering one of the best hiring markets in recent history, according to CNBC. We are in a job seekers’ market, making it crucial for executives to recognize the importance of attracting, retaining and engaging qualified workers. Fintechs are competing against everyone in tech, from Google to startup companies, and even those in non-tech industries, such as Walmart and Chick-Fil-A. It is time for fintechs to take steps – small or large – in their marketing and public relations activities to remain competitive in the current labor market.