Thomas
Cook is hoping to halve its traditional recruitment costs by using interactive
TV (iTV) to advertise jobs.
The
holiday company has signed up iTV
recruitment company The Job Channel to launch a three-month trial during it
busiest recruiting period of the year.
As
part of the trial, Thomas Cook has launched an interactive ‘microsite’ that explains how it operates and what
its culture is. The site then leads the viewer into one of three recruitment
areas – covering the company’s retail, overseas and airline divisions – to
submit their applications.
Colin
Dalby, Thomas Cook’s HR
recruitment manager for sales, said using iTV will be far cheaper than traditional press and
radio advertising.
“We’re
hoping it will halve our costs,” he said. “It’s our first use of an external
supplier for iTV
recruitment and, depending on its success, we may expand it into more areas.’”
The
service is currently recruiting for sales consultants, cabin crew and overseas
holiday reps. This may be
broadened to include managerial positions, depending on the quality of
applicants.
Dalby said the company won’t
judge the trial on the number of applicants, but on their quality. “It’s about
casting our net a bit wider; its success won’t be judged just on numbers,” he
said. “We think we may get different applicants from those who apply to press
ads, and it’s all about quality.”
