Divining the right role, capabilities, structure, and Regimental System for Canada's Army Reserves

[dapaterson]

The recruiting display at Toronto FAN EXPO has been very well attended by young folks who seemed genuinely interested. It has included a FORCE test which people actually lined-up to complete.

All that to say, recruiting at a COMICON is a great way to connect with a large number of potential applicants.

Showing up where people are and selling them on the CAF works?

 

[KevinB]

The recruiting display at Toronto FAN EXPO has been very well attended by young folks who seemed genuinely interested. It has included a FORCE test which people actually lined-up to complete.

Nice.

All that to say, recruiting at a COMICON is a great way to connect with a large number of potential applicants.

As long as the PT test is much later in the pipeline…

 

[markppcli]

Nice.

As long as the PT test is much later in the pipeline…

Eh, I’ve gone to comic expos for years. It’s a mixed bag but you’ll see more fit people than you expect. The crowd also trends younger than a CFL game where you’d be recruiting everyone’s weird uncle.

 

[MilEME09]

Eh, I’ve gone to comic expos for years. It’s a mixed bag but you’ll see more fit people than you expect. The crowd also trends younger than a CFL game where you’d be recruiting everyone’s weird uncle.

It's really the demographic we should target, at the very least it gets people talking. If you have 20k people come by a booth in 4 days and they all mention it to 4 people. That's 100k people that now potentially we have an ear with.

 

[FJAG]

We always had success at high schools before the leftish anti-war crowd slowly usurped the management of our education institutions in the post-Vietnam days. If we're too scared to go in, the least we can do is set up humongous billboards across the street from the main entrances.

In any event - increase training throughput so that bright young kids aren't sitting around awaiting training. It's not only a dissatisfier but a waste of money.

 

[MilEME09]

We always had success at high schools before the leftish anti-war crowd slowly usurped the management of our education institutions in the post-Vietnam days. If we're too scared to go in, the least we can do is set up humongous billboards across the street from the main entrances.

In any event - increase training throughput so that bright young kids aren't sitting around awaiting training. It's not only a dissatisfier but a waste of money.

Clearly to hit these kids we gotta do advertisements on steam, twitch etc

 

[FJAG]

Clearly to hit these kids we gotta do advertisements on steam, twitch etc

I presume DND has done surveys to collect data on how much value they get out of advertisements on social media. I'd like to see the stats some time.

I look at it from the ads for books point of view and am left with the distinct feeling that, with the exceptions of a few limited mass marketing selections, that the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I presume DND has done surveys to collect data on how much value they get out of advertisements on social media. I'd like to see the stats some time.

I look at it from the ads for books point of view and am left with the distinct feeling that, with the exceptions of a few limited mass marketing selections, that the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Gen Z marketing is heavily reliant on various social media channels.... but they can smell a rat from a mile away:

Gen Z: What marketers need to know about this generation

This EMARKETER guide explores key insights into what matters to Generation Z.

www.emarketer.com

 

[markppcli]

It's really the demographic we should target, at the very least it gets people talking. If you have 20k people come by a booth in 4 days and they all mention it to 4 people. That's 100k people that now potentially we have an ear with.

Weird uncles ?


Honestly the digital space is awesome and we need to recognize the importance of “cool” in getting people in the door to then look at the trades we really need them in.

 

[KevinB]

Weird uncles ?


Honestly the digital space is awesome and we need to recognize the importance of “cool” in getting people in the door to then look at the trades we really need them in.

Based on what’s seen down here. Some trades are see or touch it types, while others are fine with the digital space.

So depending on what you are recruiting for, you will need to tailor your efforts.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Weird uncles ?

 

[FJAG]

Weird uncles ?


Honestly the digital space is awesome and we need to recognize the importance of “cool” in getting people in the door to then look at the trades we really need them in.

That's really the issue I raised above.

There is no question that younger people live and die by their phone and social media. But for the most part that use is user search driven and user selected "following" links rather than push advertising coming from a content provider. If they are like me - and I'm often accused of acting like an 18 year old - then the little bit of push advertising that comes through to me is quickly ignored as I swipe on to the next thing. The question becomes one of how effective is that advertisement in making young people aware that there is an opportunity that they should look into further?

My guess is that personal contacts - whether a family member, a friend whose joined up, or recruiters at job fairs - are the most effective initial contacts that lead to further searches and inquiries either on phones or home or school computers.

Presumably - if DND recruiting has any clues at all - then DND is tracking how applicants are brought to the recruiters' doors and doubling gown on success. They clearly have to be on social media - no question - but how do they get folks to take notice of that presence in the first place.

That's where I made the tongue in cheek comment about great honking billboards across the street from a school's entrance where they see that "first contact" over and over again to the point where they follow up on other media.

 

[daftandbarmy]

That's really the issue I raised above.

There is no question that younger people live and die by their phone and social media. But for the most part that use is user search driven and user selected "following" links rather than push advertising coming from a content provider. If they are like me - and I'm often accused of acting like an 18 year old - then the little bit of push advertising that comes through to me is quickly ignored as I swipe on to the next thing. The question becomes one of how effective is that advertisement in making young people aware that there is an opportunity that they should look into further?

My guess is that personal contacts - whether a family member, a friend whose joined up, or recruiters at job fairs - are the most effective initial contacts that lead to further searches and inquiries either on phones or home or school computers.

Presumably - if DND recruiting has any clues at all - then DND is tracking how applicants are brought to the recruiters' doors and doubling gown on success. They clearly have to be on social media - no question - but how do they get folks to take notice of that presence in the first place.

That's where I made the tongue in cheek comment about great honking billboards across the street from a school's entrance where they see that "first contact" over and over again to the point where they follow up on other media.

Maybe if they started with keeping the CFRC offices open…I’ve been working downtown a lot and everytime I walk by it looks closed

 

[PrairieFella]

Maybe if they started with keeping the CFRC offices open…I’ve been working downtown a lot and everytime I walk by it looks closed

The Winnipeg CFRC was super effective this year. I have some buddies there. They were over their quota by quite a bit and got recognized for it.

 

[MilEME09]

Maybe if they started with keeping the CFRC offices open…I’ve been working downtown a lot and everytime I walk by it looks closed

CFRC definitely needs more dispersed presence i think. Sure do medicals etc centrally But we can have an office in malls etc to be visible, answer questions, sign people up.

 

[Halifax Tar]

The CFRCs should probably be open until 8 or 9pm, and I like the idea of them in malls and other high traffic areas.

 

[quadrapiper]

The CFRCs should probably be open until 8 or 9pm, and I like the idea of them in malls and other high traffic areas.

Absolutely an area-by-area thing: popup storefront operations in the summer wherever there's significant 17-25 traffic.

Get the initial contact and potentially any "any room with a door" parts handled, and then off to the area's main CFRC for medical and anything else better done at a more established location.

 

[Blackadder1916]

The CFRCs should probably be open until 8 or 9pm, and I like the idea of them in malls and other high traffic areas.

Seen. No one Few people go downtown anymore unless it's for a specific purpose. There's no window shopping, retail foot traffic is non-existent and the majority of people downtown during the day are there because they either have a job (and are inside working) or because they're on the edges of society and may not be the ideal candidates for the military. The image of a young man or woman passing by a storefront recruiting office and on a whim going in as the first step in changing their life for the better is probably only found in US films.

 

[RocketRichard]

We always had success at high schools before the leftish anti-war crowd slowly usurped the management of our education institutions in the post-Vietnam days. If we're too scared to go in, the least we can do is set up humongous billboards across the street from the main entrances.

In any event - increase training throughput so that bright young kids aren't sitting around awaiting training. It's not only a dissatisfier but a waste of money.

Recruiters are always welcome in our 50 or so high schools in my town.

 

[KevinB]

We always had success at high schools before the leftish anti-war crowd slowly usurped the management of our education institutions in the post-Vietnam days. If we're too scared to go in, the least we can do is set up humongous billboards across the street from the main entrances.

In any event - increase training throughput so that bright young kids aren't sitting around awaiting training. It's not only a dissatisfier but a waste of money.

My high school in the 80’s had RCMP and CAF recruiting drives.