In our previous article, we discussed the importance of understanding the organizational need for new talent, defining skills requirements, and constructing engaging job descriptions. In order to explore the talent identification process further, it is important to consider your employer brand, the interview process, and candidate experience. First, let’s take a deeper dive into the employer brand.
What Is the Employer Brand?
When employers think about their brand, they often think about their consumer brand or the brand that is portrayed to customers. There is an overlap between your consumer brand and employer brand, however, the difference between the two depends on the audience you are targeting.
The employer brand is necessary to recruit talent and increase your current employees’ engagement within your organization. We have a very clear brand that we portray to organizations that are looking to add resources for their employee training and development, but we portray a different aspect of our organization to job seekers and those we are trying to recruit! Think about the conversations you have with potential clients or consumers, versus a conversation with a potential employee. Conversations with a client or customer are focused on your value proposition as it relates to goods or services. Speaking with potential employees will emphasize the value of the organization as it relates to growth opportunities and organizational culture.
If you review any large employer’s website versus their career site, you’ll notice the clear messaging differences. Most often, the website will provide information on the products, services and their benefits while a career page will put the employee story front and center. The best career sites will have prospective employees feel like they understand the organization’s culture, mission and how they could make a difference or an impact if they were to join the team.
Do You Have A Strong Employer Brand?
The employer’s brand affects an organization’s reputation, takes time to construct and can be a differentiator. The brand is impacted by employees, employees’ networks, customers, and current and past job seekers.
Your employer brand sets your organization apart from others and will assist in attracting the right talent to the organization. Candidates will be a better cultural fit with your organization if you have a strong employer brand. Without understanding your organization, or having a clear picture of the brand you are selling to potential candidates, it can be difficult to jump into recruiting for an open position.
Job seekers in today’s market have many career options and need a clear understanding of what to expect if they decide to join your organization. This requires consistent and cohesive messaging. An employer brand will help attract the right talent for your organization, but it can also inform the organization’s culture which will retain talent. Are you unsure of where to start? Begin posting interesting articles related to your industry on your personal LinkedIn page or writing blog posts based on the organization’s mission or value statement. Get creative – it will pay off!
We love what we do – Contact us with any questions or to help create and establish a strong employer brand. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on SDI news and blogs! Our next blog will dive into the interview process.
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