Ever since there’s been business competition, a company’s reputation has played an important role in attracting customers and increasing revenue. Employer branding is more recent. Although the concept had been percolating for decades, it really became prominent long about the mid-90s, when the first online job boards were launched. In today’s candidate-driven job market, a company’s reputation as an employer has never been more critical.
An Employer Branding Primer
Employer branding focuses on the value a company brings and the benefit it offers to its employees. Positive branding is key to attracting and retaining top talent, making this goal achievable even in the most competitive of times.
- Your ideal branding team consists not only of your recruiters and HR professionals, but also your CEO and other top leadership. Their buy-in is essential. Talent acquisition and management should be strategic initiatives, aligned in perfect sync with your organization’s overall business plan. So, they need to be an integral part of the conversation.
- Brand advocates also play a key role. These are employee ambassadors whom you identify and work with to share company content and speak positively about your organization as a place to work. They can play an invaluable role in amplifying your recruiting messages, as they tend to have high credibility among job seekers.
Why Branding Matters
A company’s reputation is a top factor for candidates as they decide whether or not to pursue job opportunities. The right employer branding:
- Expands your pool of qualified candidates: When your company has a solid reputation and an attractive work culture, the best talent will naturally gravitate your way.
- Can save your company money: If you already have a good reputation, your career site, social media presence and other platforms will reflect it. As a result, you may be able to spend less on promoting openings on various job boards as you let your own messaging speak for you.
- Spills over to other areas of your business; namely, customer relations: Customers, like prospective hires, seek out businesses where people love their work and are treated well.
How to Build a Winning Brand
Ideas for enhancing your employer brand include:
- Taking a proactive stance on various online sites. This includes addressing any negative comments. Use them as opportunities to show how your company cares, and is working to improve and move on.
- Making it clear to candidates that you actively support employee growth and development. This is often a deciding factor when choosing where to apply.
- Staying active on social media. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and beyond. Use the right outlets to find desired talent and make it easy for them to see they’d be a great fit at your company.
To design and develop your cutting-edge employer branding strategy, and all the tools, tactics and techniques that make it shine, reach out today to the recruitment experts at Haley Marketing. We can help you save time, eliminate wasted spend and optimize your ROI through branding and the other pillars that support your success, including your career site, social recruiting, and job ads and distribution. Let’s get you started through a chat with one of our specialists or a free 30-minute focus call.
