Background
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department, with Public Information Specialist Angie Ernst at the helm, faced a significant recruitment challenge: the goal was to hire 120 people to ultimately fill 50 roles across various Sheriff’s office responsibilities. To achieve this, Absolute Studios was enlisted to create a recruitment campaign that would resonate with a diverse applicant pool, including people of different ages, backgrounds, and experience levels. Sheriff Jahner shared the department’s commitment to not only hiring individuals but also identifying those who view law enforcement as a career. The Sheriff’s office wasn’t looking for perfection but for qualities like patience, integrity, honesty, and ambition.
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Campaign Strategy
With mounting competition from other law enforcement agencies, the campaign aimed to cast a wide net. The messaging focused on the accessibility of law enforcement careers within the Sheriff’s Department, emphasizing benefits such as no requirement for prior licensing or a college degree, the potential for career growth and promotions, consistent raises, and overtime opportunities.
30-Second Radio Spot
Approach
The recruitment campaign was deployed through multiple channels to maximize reach. Absolute Studios’ strategy centered around:
- Recruitment video(s) that showcase various roles in the department, including corrections, SWAT, negotiations, bomb squad, patrol, and rescue. The video was designed to appeal to a range of interests within law enforcement, highlighting the varied, challenging, and rewarding nature of these roles.
- A robust media campaign, including digital display ads, and online/traditional video placement.
- Streamlined application pathway, in the form of a microsite, to ensure ease of application, making the entire process enticing and simple for interested candidates.
Execution
The campaign’s messaging was fine-tuned to meet the broad requirements of potential candidates, ensuring that even individuals without traditional law enforcement backgrounds or academic qualifications could see themselves in these roles. Absolute Studios employed social media, local advertising, and online job boards to distribute the campaign content. The recruitment video, with its compelling visuals and clear call-to-action, became a central piece of content shared across platforms, establishing a cohesive and memorable recruitment brand for the Sheriff’s office.
Results
The campaign has been a success, as evidenced by the immediate filling of multiple positions and an active interviewing pipeline. Sheriff Jahner noted, “We’ve seen a drastic increase in the amount of people, applicants, that we’re getting,” underscoring the effective outreach and appeal of the messaging.
Conclusion
This recruitment campaign serves as a model for law enforcement agencies seeking to attract diverse talent. By focusing on accessible career paths and emphasizing values over strict qualifications, Absolute Studios, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department succeeded in filling critical roles and bringing in new candidates with the potential to grow and develop within the department.
I highly recommend Absolute Studios to anyone looking to elevate their recruitment efforts. Their team designed custom strategies aligned with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office’s mission, vision, and values. Absolute Studio’s creative production is top-level, developing engaging material and strategies that helped us connect with qualified candidates and effectively showcase opportunities within our office. Their efforts have made a measurable difference, with a noticeable increase in qualified applicants. I am grateful for their creative expertise, dedication, and exceptional results.
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