Despite persistently high unemployment rates, businesses across the country complain they can’t find the people they want for their open positions. Part of the problem is that the best candidates either don’t know anything about their companies or what they do know is too negative to interest them. To get the people you want, you have to work hard to build an employer brand that’s not only attractive to job-seekers, but that makes the idea of working for your company too irresistible to ignore.
Here are tips on building your employer brand:
Go public. If you’re not doing so already, look into sponsoring and participating in popular public events in your community. Enlist your best employees to take part (they’re the ones who put a face to your business). Let people know you value your role within the community.
Highlight star employees. Many marketing-savvy businesses highlight their star employees in branding and marketing campaigns. Job-seekers can relate to real people they see in these campaigns, plus your current workforce will take pride in being featured and become recruiters themselves!
Find out how candidates view your industry. Are there certain parts of your industry that draw more qualified candidates than others? Research the interest levels among job-seekers in your field to focus on getting the most bang for your employer-branding buck.
Get recognized for your outstanding employee policies. Apply for award and recognition programs in your area that celebrate outstanding HR and employee retention policies. After garnering an award or two, you can start featuring them in your advertising and marketing efforts.
Reward employee referrals. Who knows and understands your company culture better than the men and women who work there? Given the right incentive–an employee referral program that compensates employees for outstanding referrals–these men and women can become excellent recruiters for your business. Plus, they have the best insight into who will be the right fit for your business.
Keep a pipeline of potential candidates. When you interview candidates for an open position, chances are you come across individuals who might not exactly match what you need right now, but who might be great choices for sometime in the future. Stay connected with these people. At regular intervals, send them news about your company and about upcoming open slots. They will appreciate your interest and you’ll stay top-of-mind with them.
Offer a competitive benefits package. The best candidates are looking for jobs that come with the best benefits. If you’re not competitive in this area, you’ll “get what you pay for.” Put together a benefits package that emphasizes both a competitive salary and the types of perks that show your commitment to a proper work/life balance.
Reach out across many channels. As you build your employer brand, let people know through a variety of promotional channels what’s happening in your company. This includes everything from webinars and videos to blogs posts, interviews with experts in your field (ideally, people who work for you) and every touch-point in social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). If you genuinely want to make contact with qualified candidates, this is where you’ll find them.
Members of Catapult Groups explore cutting-edge hiring and retention practices, while focusing on future growth for their businesses. Find out more about how membership in Catapult Groups can help your business grow and make you a more effective leader.
