According SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN and The Wall Street Journal
Last March, Baylor Health Care System, a large Dallas-based nonprofit, began purchasing keywords on Google, Yahoo and employment-related search engines SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com. The search-engine ads generated more applicants, at less cost, than the other recruiting methods, says Eileen Bouthillet, director of human resources communications.

In the first six months of the program, Ms. Bouthillet says, the search-engine ads delivered 5,250 applicants, at an average cost of $4. By contrast, Baylor paid an average of $30 for each of the 3,125 applicants who came via job boards, and $750 each for the 215 applicants who replied to a newspaper or magazine ad.

As a result, Ms. Bouthillet says Baylor has reduced spending on job boards and print ads. “Before we were throwing darts at a dart board trying to see what might stick,” she says. “Now we have a very targeted strategy and a point of comparison so we can make wise decisions on where we spend our money.”

Search engine marketing can be used to lure online consumers and job seekers.

Tip from Jeremy Hope – Why not buy keywords, like “accountant,” or “nurse.” Then link to specific ZIP codes. Then pay the search engines when a user clicks on your ad.