Strengthening Frontline and Operational Talent Pipelines with CSMR

Executive Summary

A regional logistics and distribution organization partnered with AIRS to enhance the sourcing capabilities of its recruiting team. Through the AIRS Recruiter Academy and a dedicated Certified Social and New Media Recruiter (CSMR) training, recruiters learned how to move beyond traditional job posting methods. Focused on U.S. distribution center hiring, the team mastered advanced strategies to identify and engage frontline workforce and skilled trades talent across alternative social and vertical sites, reaching candidates who are not as active on professional networking platforms.

The Challenge

The company’s recruiters relied heavily on Indeed to post jobs and search its resume database. While effective for active job seekers, this approach limited access to passive candidates and increased competition for the same applicant pool. The recruiting team needed a broader, more creative strategy to connect with qualified talent in manufacturing, logistics, maintenance and transportation roles.

Additionally, the company had minimal social media presence beyond a basic LinkedIn page. This limited their ability to build awareness and employer brand visibility among potential candidates.

The CSMR Solution

Through CSMR, recruiters gained practical, hands-on training to expand their sourcing reach and elevate the company’s online presence:

• Social Media Sourcing: Techniques to identify and engage talent on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, and other social networks. 
• Vertical Site Discovery: Training to uncover candidates on niche industry platforms, forums and specialized job communities. 
• Trade Organization and Event Sourcing: Guidance on identifying industry associations, trade groups and events where skilled talent networks both online and in person. 
• Employer Branding: Ideas for  building the company’s social media presence, strengthening its digital identity, and showcasing its culture and opportunities.
• Content-Driven Outreach: Learning to locate and engage talent through podcasts, videos, and online discussion forums where professionals share their expertise. 
• Pipeline Development: Applying advanced search techniques and AI tools to build sustainable talent pipelines across multiple channels. 

Results and Impact

Following the CSMR training, the organization achieved:

• Expanded reach beyond job boards, tapping into hidden networks across social platforms, trade organizations and events. 
• Enhanced employer visibility, with a clear framework for developing branded social media content and a presence beyond LinkedIn. 
• Faster pipeline development, driven by creative sourcing strategies and consistent outreach. 
• Elevated recruiter confidence, with teams equipped to identify and engage frontline and skilled trades talent across digital ecosystems. 

Why CSMR?

For high-volume industries such as logistics and distribution, the ability to reach and engage frontline workforce professionals where they live, work, and network is critical. AIRS Training empowers recruiters to:

• Discover hidden talent across social, vertical and community sites. 
• Strengthen company brand visibility through authentic online engagement. 
• Reduce dependency on job postings and resume databases. 

Elevate your sourcing strategy with the Certified Social and New Media Recruiter (CSMR) certification. Contact AIRS at airs@adp.com or view the CSMR page to learn how your recruiting teams can find and engage frontline workforce and skilled trades talent beyond traditional job boards.