MiMfg Magazine May 2018 | Page 18

18 MiMfg Magazine May 2018
Premium Associate Member

Create Content to Attract Your Ideal Candidate

By Donna Campbell • The Whole Brain Group
Manufacturers are feeling the pain of finding top talent in a tough market . Having a strong employer brand is key because just like your buyers — candidates are better educated and have access to more information than ever before .
So how can you build a strong employee brand that attracts skilled employees ? Start by creating content that speaks to your ideal candidates on these platforms .
Glassdoor , Indeed and Other Job Sites
Stuck on writing up that job posting ? Here ’ s a hack : take your tagline or your mission statement and flip it . For example :
• “ We deliver custom security solutions for the banking industry , fast !” now becomes :
• “ We ’ re looking for self-guided , motivated people to help solve our clients ’ biggest security problems .”
Include video or office pictures on your company profile . Create strong employer branding that includes your logo , location , and copy that speaks in your brand ’ s voice and tone .
Use “ you ” language ( instead of just “ we ” and “ us ” language ). For instance :
• “ About You ” or “ Your Experience ” instead of “ Requirements ” or “ You Love To ” instead of “ Skills ”
Finally , include social proof like “ Coolest Places to Work ” badge or other awards , and encourage happy employees to write reviews for you .
Social Media
Sixty-two percent of candidates say they researched a company ’ s social media before applying . So you ’ ll need to post as well as use paid advertising on the social platforms that your ideal candidate uses .
Seventy-six percent of candidates say they looked at your current employees ’ LinkedIn profiles while researching your company . Make sure your team ’ s profiles make a strong employer brand statement . Ask them to share your company ’ s blog posts regularly on their own social media profiles .
Use Facebook to paint a picture of your company culture with pictures and videos from company outings , posts about charities or other organizations you support , and “ a day in the life ” posts about individual employees .
Do not overlook Instagram . We have a niche industrial client who takes beautiful pictures of his facility visits ( it ’ s amazing what an Instagram filter can do for an industrial water cooling system ) and posts them to Instagram .
Videos
Create videos for each stage of a candidate ’ s journey toward being hired :
• High level overview video ( answer “ what you do ” and “ why ” people work there )
• Company culture video ( feature corporate events like outings and parties )
• Employee-benefit focused video about continuing education program or something else unique you offer for employee growth
Your Website
You need an updated ( we mean within the last three years ) and mobile-friendly website . Place a recruiting message right up front on your homepage with a button to your application or opportunities page . Make sure your About Us page has real photography from inside your office ( no stock photos !).
Events
Consider inviting candidates to upcoming company events or hosting an open house at your office to get to know candidates in your hiring pipeline . At these events , make sure your employees reach out and welcome candidates and paint a picture of what it ’ s really like to work there .
Your next great hire could be anywhere — social media , job boards — be ready with content that speaks directly to them . 6
Donna Campbell is a content strategist with The Whole Brain Group . She may be reached at 734-929-0431 or dcampbell @ thewholebraingroup . com .
The Whole Brain Group is an MMA Premium Associate Member and has been a member company since 2017 . Visit online : www . thewholebraingroup . com .