Your Employer Brand: A Priceless Asset – Or Weighing You Down?

Let’s say my company has a stellar reputation for being an amazing place to work (and we are!). I’m constantly hounded by people for opportunities, especially from those who know members of my team.

So when a job opens, I already have many candidates to choose from – each really psyched to hear from me and already in the know about our mission and values.

Do you think I’d have to post many jobs? Hardly.

That’s the power of strong employer branding. If A-class candidates aren’t constantly chasing you down, then your employer brand isn’t working hard enough.

But you can change that. A recent webinar I hosted with Lauren Roberts, Talent Acquisition Manager at The Muse, explains how.

An employer brand can be a priceless asset because it gives you so much of an edge over your competition. Its value becomes clear when you see not only more applications, but more coming from better candidates who already seem to fit your profile and culture fit you’re looking for.

That makes my job at SmartRecruiters so much easier – no more “spray and pray.”

Talk to more of the right people. Stop talking to the wrong people

In our webinar, a colleague of mine helped explain how to make your employer brand work harder so you don’t waste time.

The Muse is a career website that offers a behind-the-scenes look at job opportunities at hundreds of companies — attracting 6 million unique visitors per month. Lauren Roberts knows the value of an employer brand quite well, explaining that with an excellent employer brand, you spend less time talking to the wrong people and more time talking to the right people.

But just what is an employer brand?

Employer branding is not just for marketing. It extends beyond customers to encompass your reputation as an employer and how you present your company to others. If you don’t control your employer brand, you’ll still have one, but others will control that reputation, possibly creating needless obstacles on the way to hiring success.

Revving up your employer brand – consistency is essential

The best employer brands are consistent across different channels including word of mouth, social media, job descriptions, and others. Lauren and I presented several strategies and tactics for establishing, maintaining and monitoring your employer brand so it continues to be an asset you can rely on.

One of those tactics is to meet with company founders. So much changes over time as a company grows, which makes it important to regularly review the mission that led them to start the company and bring those values into recruiting activities — taking care to maintain consistency.

The Muse even has a brand book (watch the webinar if you want a copy) that demonstrates this level of consistency. Through a compelling review of the organization’s mission, everyone can understand the passion behind that mission and make sure they do their best to meet it.

Another opportunity is telling stories. When employees get excited in not only learning, but telling the brand story, you get more referrals. That leads to candidates who essentially “self-select.” Those who aren’t a good fit somehow know that, leaving you spending your valuable time on more appropriate candidates.

An ongoing process, not a one-time initiative.

There are five specific tactics that Lauren and I present during the webinar. Follow them and you’ll make big improvements which can bring you hiring success and rev up your employer brand.

What are those five tactics? Watch the webinar and see for yourself.