Job seekers have a lot of options, and you want your company to stand out as the employer of choice. To do that, you need to pay careful attention to your employer brand, the way your company differentiates itself amid a flood of possibilities. Everything that's candidate-facing—job descriptions, career pages, employer fair materials, etc.—needs to have the right spin, projecting an image that's urgent, compelling and career-oriented. Here's how to fine-tune your employer brand to attract the best talent.
Urgent & exciting
You want potential candidates to apply right away—not go off and think about it some more. Craft a message that generates a sense of urgency, an immediate desire to become part of your organization and the work it does. Keep job descriptions action-oriented and use them to highlight your brand messages. The list of responsibilities should focus on the future employee's role in exciting projects rather than on mundane daily activities. Relate even routine tasks to their importance for the success of the team. An item like "completes required documentation," could be reworded to say, "keeps the entire project team in the loop through clear and thorough status reporting." Your application and candidate review process is very much a part of your employer brand, so keep it focused, engaging and moving along as quickly as possible. Make applying to the organization as streamlined as you can so candidates' excitement isn't interrupted by logistical and bureaucratic details.
Compelling & inviting
The best potential hires want to work for organizations doing interesting things. They want to get involved with products, services and initiatives that sound invigorating and forward-thinking. Make your brand stand out by sharing your company's successes. Candidates are also often looking for organizations that have embraced values that they can respect and share. It's important, then, to highlight your company's commitments and show how they are actively lived out at all levels of the organization. Stories that are tied to organizational values often show the company has heart and connections to the community. This aspect of your brand opens the door for potential new hires to join the mission. Your job descriptions and recruitment materials should show candidates they'll be joining a team that's innovative and impactful. In candidate marketing materials, highlight the projects and day-to-day work that'll make potential employees excited to go to work in the morning. Use employee-narrated videos to give specific examples of recent successes and the important roles that people are playing in these projects.
Career-oriented & supportive
Above all, employees want to work for organizations where they can learn and grow. They want a culture of learning so they can continue to hone their skills. Craft a brand that shines a bright light on L&D activities—training, mentoring programs, on-the-job learning, and everything your organization does to support employees' ongoing development. In job descriptions, position continuous learning as an everyday responsibility. To make a big impression, feature employee success stories on your company's career pages. Let candidates know they'll be joining a team of dedicated and talented peers in a growth-oriented environment. Outline expectations and full support for ongoing learning and development. Your company has an employer brand whether you deliberately craft the message or not. Rather than leaving that reputation to chance, take action and put your best foot forward. Exciting job descriptions, modern recruitment channels and unique messages can help ensure the best candidates are lining up at the (virtual) door.
