Today’s job candidates are sitting in the cat-bird seat. In other words, they can pick and choose where they want to pursue their careers. As they do so, to continue this feline analogy, they don’t just pounce and randomly apply for jobs. Rather, they carefully research potential employers to get a good sense of what working for them would look, feel and be like.
That’s where your employer brand – your company’s identity and reputation as an employer – comes into play. Basically, your brand is how potential hires perceive your organization as a place to work. And your goal in defining, preserving, and promoting your employer brand is to attract and retain top talent, so they choose you over your competition.
Sorry, cat people, but it’s a dog-eat-dog fight for the best when it comes to recruitment. How do you become – and stay- the leader of the pack?
Start by analyzing your current company culture.
Company culture is the most impactful factor on your employer brand. Get a read on it. From there, you can take whatever steps are necessary to improve it. It’s critical to start your brand strategy here: unless you have an authentic, positive culture, you will struggle from this point on.
- The best way to gauge the strength of your culture is to communicate directly with your current employees. Whether via face-to-face meetings, focus groups, surveys, or a combination, find out what they love most – and least – about working for you. There are myriad benefits to actively listening to your team members. You’ll not only build your culture and brand messaging but also solidify relationships and keep people more engaged, satisfied, and loyal.
Define your ideal candidate persona.
Based on the information you gather, what do the perfect candidates for each of your open positions look like? Candidate personas are based on characteristics like work history, skills, qualifications, and employment preferences. They help you personalize recruiting messages for your ideal hires.
Bring culture and persona together as you develop a content strategy.
Pull it all together and craft content that sets the tone for hiring success. The messages you publish on your company website, job boards, social media platforms, review sites, and other media channels should be consistent in reinforcing your positive employer image.
- Tell a compelling story. Engage candidates on an emotional level. Captivate them through your narratives, images and videos. Highlighting current high-performing employees on social media is a great way to start.
- Focus on employees’ personal and professional growth. Reinforce the message that working for you is about more than just a salary. Focus on team members’ development, on-the-job wellness (mental as well as physical), social responsibility, and your company’s commitment to service, diversity, and equality.
Let Accurate Staffing Consultants, Inc., partner with you as you develop your industry-leading employer brand and hire the talent you need in industries including light industry, healthcare, and managed services. Reach out to us today to learn more.