Effective Employer Branding: Building a Reputation That Draws in Exceptional Candidates

Your ability to attract the best candidates for your company comes down to a multitude of factors such as employee benefits, salary, and location. However, one factor that tends to stand out the most to candidates is employer branding. An employer brand is essentially the identity of a company and the values, culture, and personality it communicates. Employer branding functions as your first impression to potential candidates, and ensuring your branding represents what your company stands for is essential to attracting candidates that best fit your needs. Having a strong employer brand helps your company target the groups of candidates you are looking to attract. Here are a few tips on how you can build a stronger employer brand to enrich your company!

Tip #1: A quick seamless hiring process

A lengthy hiring process can lead to candidate impatience which eventually could lead to feelings of frustration. Keeping your hiring process quick and simple improves the overall experience candidates have with your company and increases the likelihood of them viewing your company in a positive light. On top of that, a candidate is more likely to refer your company to their peers if they have a positive experience during the hiring process which in turn increases your brand visibility.

Tip #2: Create a space for candidate feedback

One of the best ways to improve candidate experience during the hiring process is to provide an opportunity for candidates to share details on what was done well and what could be improved upon. Providing surveys to candidates afterwards will not only supply you with valuable feedback, it also tells candidates that you value their opinions. Employees, candidates, and customers alike all want to know that they are being heard and if you display your willingness to receive feedback you will undoubtedly improve how your employer brand is perceived in every facet. 

Tip #3: Clearly define your EVP to stand out from your competitors

EVP or Employee Value Proposition is what your company represents and stands for. The EVP needs to communicate the company's vision and ultimate mission and is essentially what helps your company stand out from the bunch. For example, Patagonia is known for its commitment to preserving nature and that mission is clearly represented in its brand image and marketing campaigns. Clearly defining your company EVP whether it be in how you market your brand or in your job listing will help you attract top talent that reflects the same values and goals as your company.

Tip #4: Identify your target audience and enhance your employer branding channels

Identifying what to look for in your candidates is the first step to effectively targeting desired talent through various online networks. Once you know the details about your targeted talent group, you can utilize various platforms to effectively catch and garner their interest. Information such as what age group they typically fall in, which social media platforms they use, and where they commonly spend their time online and off can help you narrow in on what channels of communication to utilize when trying to increase your brand visibility to these exceptional candidates. 

Employer branding is as important as ever in today’s job market seeing that a staggering 75% of candidates research a company’s reputation and branding before applying for a job opening! If you're looking to increase the amount of top talent knocking at your door, consider how you can build a stronger employer brand today.