With competition for top talent becoming stiffer by the day, focusing on a strong employer brand is critical to helping your business stand out from the pack. While you don’t have to be named a “Top Place to Work” in order to attract and retain top talent, a strong employer brand helps you build trust and engagement with candidates. In the past, we’ve shared tips to help you differentiate your employer brand from the competition, and have highlighted some ways to attract and retain top talent.
Have you followed our advice? Great, then you’re on the right track!
Now it’s time to take your employer brand to the next level.
While many employers have great intentions in developing their employer brand, many make some considerable mistakes that end up costing them access to talent. Avoid these mistakes to prevent an uphill battle in your quest to land top talent:
- Underestimating candidates. In their most recent candidate behavior survey, Jobvite found that 18% of all job seekers are using Facebook to research your company’s culture. Today’s job seekers are more savvy than ever. They know what they’re looking for in an employer, and they want to find a match between their needs and your company. Specifically, they want to know what it’s really like to work for your business. And with tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Glassdoor and Google at their fingertips, it’s easier than ever to get this information. To ensure that candidates are finding a message that truly represents your brand, a strong social media presence is essential. We recently posted a blog offering advice for employers looking to engage candidates on social media. This is a good place to start. Showcase your employer brand, expect and understand that candidates are doing their research and that they value honesty and a strong message from your company
- Not “walking your talk.” Creating a strong employer brand involves more than messaging. A strong employer brand engages candidates while accurately depicting your company’s values and the experience of working for your organization. Now “walking the talk” here isn’t just overtly misleading candidates (which most employers wouldn’t do deliberately). Many employers have the best of intentions, but don’t actually understand what day-to-day life is like in their workplaces for most employees. Before embarking on an employer branding initiative, an informal, anonymous survey of your current employees can help you pinpoint the true benefits and experience of working for your company. Bonus: It can also help illuminate areas where you could be doing better. Take this information and use it to create a better experience for your employees!
- Thinking your employer brand is “one and done.” Embarking on an employer branding initiative like the one mentioned in #2 is a great way to start your employer branding efforts. Notice the emphasis on “start.” Understanding your employer brand and crafting your message is just the beginning. A strong employer brand is constantly built and honed – it takes a long-term commitment from your organization. Ensure that your mission, vision and company goals are properly communicated to prospective employees by investing time and resources into a strong social media strategy so that when candidates research your company, they’re finding recent, relevant content that engages. Work on improving areas that underperformed in the survey you conducted as part of #2, then promote those advances across the board. Refresh your employer branding materials as needed to ensure the messaging is the most current, up to date and engaging. Ensure that your organization is committed to building and leveraging its employer brand. This may require someone within your organization “taking ownership” of employer branding. Designating a dedicated resource toward your employer brand can be a great way to ensure this important area doesn’t fall by the wayside.
Landing top talent doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Follow this advice, and call your local Helpmates office. Our network of top talent across Southern California is ready to jump in and make an immediate impact on your business.
