While there may not be a job shortage in today’s economy, there seems to be a talent shortage. Even though you may be receiving a plethora of candidates for an open job, sometimes it seems like they just aren’t the right fit….and you aren’t alone.
42% of employers are worried they won’t be able to find the talent they need and 72.8% are struggling to find relevant candidates. How do you attract a better applicant pool and seal the deal? Look at your branding and employee value proposition.
How is your organization being marketed to potential applicants and job seekers? Do you have a company brand that resonates with the talent marketplace? 55% of job seeks abandon applications after reading negative reviews about an employer online and only 45% of employers ever monitor or address those reviews. It’s hard to keep up with Glassdoor and adjusting your organization based on every single point of feedback won’t improve your branding. Still, it’s good to keep a pulse on your Glassdoor feedback to recognize potential trends from employee feedback.
Over 14% of candidates states that the most important marketing materials influencing their decision to apply were company values, awards, branding, or corporate social responsibility. How do you ensure you are keeping up with the marketplace?
Here are 4 Ways to Address Your Employer Branding for Recruitment:
1. Complete an Employment Brand Assessment– It’s important to first determine how strong your employment brand is. A 4-step assessment is a good place to start. Self-assess by asking why did you join the organization, what do you most enjoy about working at your company, and how can you share those selling point with candidates? Next, assess your company logo to ensure its unique and clear on your website. Third, check in with employees. If you get employee referrals, it’s a sign employees like working at the organization and want to encourage others to join. Lastly, assess candidates- when interviewing applicants ask them why they applied to the position and what resonated with them.
2. Know Your Employees Like Your Customers- HR needs to think like a marketer and how the people team is parallel to customer service, only in this instance for internal employees. When assessing or creating your brand, get to know your current employees in order to develop your target audience. In addition to the information you obtain from surveying applicants and employees, review Glassdoor reviews and obtain testimonials from key stakeholders at the organization.
3. Develop Your Cultural Pillars and Activities- Your mission and cultural pillars provide a foundation for your organizational voice and reflect your employer value proposition. For example – if one of your pillars is social responsibility, set-up activities that allow employees to take time to volunteer or work on environmental projects.
4. Create a Transparent Communication and Social Media Strategy- Be transparent about how you want to communicate your brand, internally and externally. Let current employees know about any corporate changes and your strategies for growth. Set up a social media strategy to generate traction and leads. Work with your marketing team to improve your Instagram, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Facebook page, Twitter feed, etc. These platforms allow you to generate content that potential applicants may view.
Take time in creating your employment brand – be authentic and true. Once you find your voice, the applicants will find you.
