Audio Emerges As Go-To Channel To Reach Hiring Decision Makers.

In today’s competitive job market, the people responsible for hiring are doing a lot more than just reading résumés — many of them are also quietly exploring new job opportunities themselves. And if you want to reach them? It turns out, your best bet is through their ears.

That’s the big takeaway from a nationwide study conducted in December 2024 by the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group in partnership with research firm MARU/Matchbox. The survey of 1,000 hiring decision makers sheds new light on the media habits of this influential group, revealing one platform that rises above the rest: audio.

Hiring managers are tuning in — and they’re not tuning out. According to the findings, a massive 96% of hiring decision makers are regular consumers of ad-supported audio. That includes 82% who listen to AM/FM radio over the air and 71% who tune into podcasts. Whether it’s during a morning commute or in the background of a workday, radio and podcasts are a constant presence in their daily routines.

And here’s a twist — almost eight in ten hiring decision makers are also open to switching jobs themselves. 31% are actively job hunting, while 47% are passive seekers who would consider the right opportunity. That means today’s recruiter could very well be tomorrow’s recruit.

The study also examined how job platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter are performing in terms of advertising effectiveness — and it turns out, the job brands that are spending more on audio ads are also the ones seeing the strongest response.

“There is a linear relationship between ad spend and advertising recall,” writes Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group. “The greater the spend, the greater the ad recall. Small brands with low ad spend have modest ad recall. Bigger spending brands have greater advertising recall.”

In other words, the more a job platform invests in audio and other media, the more likely hiring decision makers are to remember and use it.

One of radio’s biggest advantages, Bouvard notes, is its incredible diversity of formats and genres. Hiring decision makers aren’t just listening to one type of station or podcast — they’re tuning into everything from news and talk to music, sports, and business shows.

The same is true of podcast genres. Hiring decision makers are consuming a vast array of content.

For employers and advertisers, the data paints a clear picture: if you’re looking to reach hiring decision makers — or job seekers — audio is the platform that delivers. With near-universal reach and high levels of engagement, AM/FM radio and podcasts provide an efficient, scalable, and effective way to speak directly to the people shaping the workforce.