d recruitment
84 % of job seekers say that an employer ’ s reputation is crucial when deciding where to apply for a job .
62 % of jobseekers use social media to evaluate the employer brand of a business .
50 % of candidates say they wouldn ’ t work for an employer with a bad reputation — even for a pay increase .
Advertising agencies should offer a service whereby the marketplace is surveyed to give employers an in-depth analysis of how they are perceived . This is a great starting point for your employer brand strategy – it will allow you to reiterate the points candidates already like about your brand , but will also give you an idea of what areas need work . If candidates are completely unaware about a benefit you provide or the competitiveness of your salaries , you could be losing them to other employers .
Reviewing how you are perceived can also bring to light the negative perceptions held by people . A lot of employers often try to avoid or ignore this , but addressing negativity should be a key part of your strategy and it will be something you will have to deal with constantly ( especially with the likes of Glassdoor and LinkedIn where your employees and potential employee have free reign to write about their experiences with you ), so why not get a head start ?
Make a list of the top ten benefits of working for your business . Use current employees to help compile the list ; this will help get a true idea of what people think it is like to work for your organisation . Make it appealing and exciting . Create a buzz , drawing people in , through an employer value proposition — your mission , vision , values , and culture — everything that ’ s on offer . Don ’ t forget to include your management style and development opportunities . Once you have this list , review your advertising and make sure these benefits are visible .
Looking at areas like your careers site and social media pages ( Facebook and LinkedIn are key for your recruitment strategy ) is a great place to start . Putting out creative and informative content on these platforms is free to do ( if you ’ re doing it yourself ) and ensuring your message is consistent on all platforms is key .
Having a controlled social media strategy , or marketing strategy in general , is vital . It ’ s great that a lot of employers control their own social media advertising , but be aware that a badly written post could do more damage than good . Something as small as having grammatical errors in adverts can add to people ’ s assumptions about your company .
Don ’ t forget your other advertising , too — whether its job boards , aggregators or print advertising , these are all opportunities to shout about your employer brand . Job adverts are often skim-read , so end your adverts with a focus on all your benefits , and that ’ s the bit they ’ ll remember . The job market is currently very competitive , so candidates would much prefer reading about “ what ’ s in it for them ” rather than reading a long list of demands .
You can never promote your employer brand enough . The use of blogs , videos , testimonials and photos are all invaluable to your strategy . Yes , this may mean more work for your marketing team or it might get you thinking about using an advertising agency ; but ultimately , you can really begin to shape your story and ensure people have a positive view of your business ’ s identity . Not only will it benefit employee retention and fuel talented applicants , it can positively affect other aspects of your business , too .
“ Create a buzz , drawing people in , through an employer value proposition ...”
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