How Employer Branding for Recruitment Can Be a Game Changer

The Evolution of Employer Branding for Recruitment

Statistics shared by LinkedIn Talent Solutions indicate that 75% of job seekers account for employer brands before applying for jobs, which is why employer branding is gaining significance in today’s job market. Businesses are no longer sitting back and waiting for candidates to come to them. Instead, they pay significant attention to candidates looking for workplaces that promote growth.

Where things stand now, the traditional recruitment paradigm that is heavily dependent on job boards and the passive provision of multiple generic and one-way decision applications is quickly losing its grip.

In today’s world, employees are more assertive and forward-looking in seeking employment opportunities. They want more than just the information related to a job; they wish to build relationships with employers, appreciate their values, know their mission, and see themselves as part of the management. This is particularly important when formulating an employer branding strategy.

So, what is the primary goal of employer branding in recruitment? The objective is to highlight key features, values, and employee experiences in a way that attracts the right candidates. It’s about creating a compelling narrative that resonates with potential employees and makes them eager to join your team.

How Can Digital Branding Help Boost Growth and Sales

Developing an Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

An employee value proposition (EVP) should be the core of your employer branding strategy. This is the overarching concept of a unique set of benefits, opportunities, and other rewards employees may look forward to during their working relationship with you. It is what makes it possible for you to be able to cut through the competition as an employer.

Remember that an EVP is not only about salary and benefits. It has to cover the following dimensions of an employee’s journey, too.

• Meaningful work. Your employees should feel like they are making a difference.
• Work-life harmony. You should offer alternative work models and policies promoting healthy work-life integration.
• Growth opportunities. You must make a provision for skill enhancement, education, and career progression.
• Team environment. Ask yourself if you have an inclusive, encouraging, and cooperative work environment.
• Social impact. Social responsibility or social advocacy can play an important role in attracting younger talent.

To identify the components that make up your value proposition, you can start by answering these guiding questions.

• In what way is your company different? What makes it a good place to work?
• What do your employees appreciate about your business?
• What kind of talent are you trying to attract?

Spreading the Word

Once you have a clear understanding of your EVP, communicate it effectively through different mediums.

• Website careers page. Your website’s careers page should be the main tool in showcasing your EVP, and you should use branded content to highlight the benefits and opportunities.
• Employee stories. Market your EVP by using social media platforms to share employee stories and highlight your work culture.
• Job advertising. Include the EVP in your e-recruitment advertising to target candidates who share your values.
• Other marketing materials. Use pamphlets, presentations, and other marketing tools to explain the EVP to potential employees.

Promoting a Positive Workplace Environment

Your work culture is the persona of your business, and it is a crucial element of your employer branding framework. You may look at it as a distinct set of values, beliefs, and practices that determines the way employees behave with one another and outside the organization. Keep in mind that a positive work culture can entice potential employees, and more and more job hunters are looking for employers who align with their principles, and are friendly and work-supportive.

If you’re wondering how to do employer branding in recruitment, know that showcasing your company culture is not about creating a glossy facade. It’s about authenticity. This requires you to be genuine and transparent about what you represent as a business. Here are some ways to showcase your work culture.

• Employee testimonials and stories. Share employee posts about their work, while focusing on the most important reasons they choose to remain employed with your business.
• Behind-the-scenes content on social media. Share pictures and videos of your employees, office space, or events to give potential employees a sense of what the workplace is like.
• Blog. Many businesses maintain blogs where they upload and categorize information about their corporate culture, values, and activities.
• Virtual office tours or employee spotlights. Some employers give potential employees virtual office tours or share videos of their employees to put the spotlight on their work culture.
• Company events and initiatives. You can showcase events, teamwork, and other actions based on your core business values.

Using Social Media for Recruitment

Thanks to social media, recruitment has never been easier. Businesses can now attract more prospective employees, reach out to them easily, and build connections that could potentially assist in the hiring process.

However, not all social media platforms work equally well, and you need to pick the ones that are most appropriate for your audience and industry. For instance, LinkedIn is an effective medium for targeting professionals, whereas Instagram and TikTok might work better for younger audiences.

After selecting the right platforms, make sure you attract your audience by promoting your employer brand. This could entail the following.

• Testimonials and employee stories. Share the most impressive and interesting life and career stories of your employees.
• Engaging images and videos. Focus on action and fun at the workplace and share it through photographs and videos.
• Company events and initiatives. Promote happenings such as social functions and voluntary events to highlight different aspects of your business.
• Contests or Q&A sessions. Engage your audience with interactive content that allows them to learn more about your business and connect with your team.
• Content-related hashtags. Use relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your content and reach a wider audience.

Apart from organic social media posts, paid social media ads can help target a particular demographic segment with specific job titles. This works well because you can reach out to high-value individuals who may not be browsing your content.

Crafting a Great Candidate Experience

Candidate experience includes every encounter a prospective job seeker has with a business, from applying to hiring and onboarding. Remember that the experience a candidate has while applying for a job, the first impression that an employer makes on the candidate, matters significantly. For example, even if you offer a candidate a job, a cumbersome application process, slow communication, or a disorganized interview can still leave a negative impression.

If you look at examples of employer branding for recruitment, you will notice that they share several traits.

• Streamlined application process. They make it easy for candidates to apply for jobs by offering a user-friendly online application system and minimizing unnecessary steps.
• Clear communication. Interviewers are responsible for providing feedback within a reasonable time frame after interviewing candidates.
• Friendly and respectful interview atmosphere. They treat job seekers courteously and respectfully even before the employment process gets underway.
• Smooth and supportive onboarding. New hires go through orientation programs and get the equipment and assistance they need to perform in their roles successfully.
• Request for feedback and response after the hiring process. Getting feedback from applicants, even the ones you don’t hire, is an important aspect of employer branding for recruitment, because they feel heard.

Measuring Success of Employer Branding

While you might think you know how to do employer branding in recruitment, evaluating the overall effectiveness of your campaigns is necessary. This allows you to track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and calculate the return on investment (ROI) of your efforts. Here are the key metrics you should track.

• The volume of applications and their quality. This tells you if you are attracting enough qualified candidates when compared to the total number of applicants.
• Time to fill vs. time to hire. These metrics indicate how long your business takes to fill vacant posts.
• Cost per recruitment. Cost per recruitment or cost per hire (CPH) measures the total cost of hiring a new employee.
• Employee retention rates. This is the metric to track when it comes to looking at where you stand in retaining your employees.
• Social media engagement and reach. Tracking these metrics helps you determine if you are effectively reaching and engaging with potential candidates on social media.
• Employee voice/satisfaction surveys. Carrying out periodic surveys gives you the means to know if your employees are satisfied with their work and participate actively.

Conclusion

Employer branding for recruitment is no longer an option; it is crucial if you hope to attract the best talent. When you spend resources on this important aspect, you not only open up positions but create a community of employees who share a common mission.

How does employer branding affect recruitment from the perspective of potential employees? Well, they stand to benefit from meaningful work, supportive colleagues, and the resources they need to achieve their goals.

If you feel it’s time to change the way you recruit and develop an employer branding strategy but don’t have the in-house resources to do so, consider using the services of a branding agency that specializes in this realm. Then, you may expect the best talent in the business to pay attention to what you have to offer.