Building a Strong Employer Brand: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent in a Competitive Job Market

17 May Building a Strong Employer Brand: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent in a Competitive Job Market

When you’re looking to hire someone, you want to know a little bit about them first. Your hiring manager, or yourself, might search a candidate’s name to find social media profiles to try and get a sense of who this person is. 

The same is true when a candidate considers whether to apply for a position. They might do a little research to see how other employees, current and/or previous, talk about their time working at the company, to get a sense of what that might be like. They might also look into company reviews to see how others perceive it. 

If your company brand is tarnished; if previous employees don’t have anything nice to say about their time working with your company, it could make it harder for your organization to attract talented candidates. 

Here’s how to make sure your company brand is strong, positive and gets people excited to join your team. 

• Consider your company culture. Yes, this might sound like a buzzword or a marketing term thrown around that doesn’t really mean much, but company culture can be a huge incentive for a potential candidate, or it could be a huge turnoff. Do you support diversity, not just in words but in deeds and action? Do you invest and participate in the community where your company is based? Do you recognize employees for their accomplishments and treat them well? How does your company look on social media — would someone unfamiliar with your organization, getting to know it for the first time via LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media platforms, be impressed by your online presence or bored by it? All of these factors can make a big difference to potential candidates. 

• Ask your current employees. Whether you send an anonymous survey, post a suggestion box or have one-on-one conversations, ask your current team what they like about working at your company. See what they think is going well and what could be improved. Don’t be surprised if people say they want to make more money — you’ll likely get that a lot and who doesn’t want a raise? — but consider whether there’s validity to wage concerns. Do your employees feel supported? Do they think their benefits are comparable with what other people receive from their jobs? Talking to people who work for and with you today can also help you gain insight into why other people might have left for other opportunities. Take all that information into consideration and see where you might need to make some repairs and improvements. 

• Ask the outside world. Did you know it’s possible to conduct an audit of your brand and find out what other companies, including your competition, in addition to job applicants and people totally unknown to you think of your organization? A company audit can be conducted in a number of ways and will provide incredible insight on how your company, and your company brand by extension, are viewed by those on the outside. If you learn that the general perception of your company is strong and positive, great! But there’s always room for improvement and this could be a great way to get some solid insight into how your company stands up against the competition and where you could make some changes. 

• Tell a better story. When was the last time your website was updated? How about those social media platforms? Do you showcase your employees in those places? What kind of stories are you telling? People who are looking for jobs have plenty of options and need to be wooed so they can imagine themselves working there — they need to feel inspired! Highly skilled employees who are considering making a change need to feel like a potential new employer will make their lives better in meaningful ways, including providing perks that go beyond a respectable paycheck. Who is your company and why should someone want to work there? Reflecting on the positive attributes of your company and your existing staff can be really eye-opening and aspirational for you and your future potential candidates. 
• Make good on your promises. Your current employees are your best asset when it comes to attracting new talent. If your team feels happy, supported, paid what they’re worth, respected and fulfilled, they’ll tell their friends when a position opens. That’s the best referral you can get! If you talk about making changes, or if you ask your team for feedback, really listen to what they say and then put those suggestions into action. A strong company brand is one that people believe in and trust, one that has integrity and can be believed because people follow through on what they say they will do. 

Your brand is your reputation. It needs to be strong and positive and reliable in order to not just attract top new candidates, but to keep the team you have happy and staying under your roof. It’s not just a buzzword — it can make or break your standing in your field and with the competition. 

If you’re looking to make some changes to boost your employer brand, or if you’re ready to bring on more staffing, call LeadingEdge Personnel today. Our experts can help you make some changes to start improving your brand, and your brand’s visibility, while also finding great candidates who would enjoy joining your team right away. Contact LeadingEdge Personnel today to see how we can help!