Five Ways to Use Your Brand to Attract & Retain More Talent

With low unemployment, industries facing talent shortages, and changing employee expectations, it has become harder to engage talented professionals for new job opportunities. That’s why it’s so critical for employers stand out from the competition when it comes to attracting top talent. How do you do that?

Use your brand! It’s not just for customer acquisition. It’s equally as important for recruiting.

Recruitment is an ongoing process that doesn’t necessarily begin (or end) with an online job posting. Becoming known as a business where employees want to work takes time and a strategic approach.

If your industry is facing a talent shortage or you are having a hard time attracting top talent to your firm, read on. Here are some successful recruiting and retention strategies to give you an edge in the talent wars.

Here are 5 Key Ways to Attract More Talent.

1. LEAD WITH THE BRAND – It all starts with knowing who you are, what you stand for, and what unique value you deliver – to customers and employees.  Having a reputable employer brand is a must to help recruit better candidates, reduce hiring and marketing costs, and improve productivity. You need to be able to clearly answer “Why Someone Should Work Here.” People don’t want to work at a firm that has a bad reputation or even no reputation. You should also have a clear understanding of your core values and culture so you can immediately tell if a potential recruit will fit in to the company and help you make your brand promise stronger.
2. ALWAYS BE RECRUITING – The best time to recruit is now. Especially when you don’t need someone. Always be networking, speaking at industry events, and posting on social media about your company so that people start coming to you looking for opportunities. It’s faster, easier, and less costly to reach out to someone who has shown interest, than starting the process from scratch.

3. SPEND TIME TO CREATE & COMMUNICATE CAREER PATH – The best talent is looking to build a career. To sell them on your company, you need to show them a picture of their future with you. How far can they go? Is the path to succeed clearly outlined? How will you support them? The most important thing you can do to attract talent is have clear job descriptions, expectations, and a career path to reach their goals. Don’t forget the onboarding experience. The more you invest in the first few months, the faster that person will contribute and the more engaged they will feel. It can make or break your employer brand quickly.

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO IT ALONE. Recruiting is time consuming, taking the owner or manager away from the business. Get help. First, get some expert help from recruiters and employees. Don’t discount the value of working with a recruiter, especially when hiring for really specialized skills or higher positions. Let them provide you with knowledge, an unbiased opinion, and the chance to save you time. Second, you won’t find better ambassadors for your company than your own employees. Ask them to help you network, be present at industry gatherings, and create videos to share their experience. Reward them for their recruiting efforts. They will know best who will fit into the culture.

1. UNIQUE COMPENSATION BENEFITS – Here’s where you can get creative! Unique compensation benefits can help you stand out from competitors and larger firms. Find out what motivates your best employees. From flex time, working from home, or extra paid vacation days; to appreciation or rewards programs; to continuous training opportunities; to fun perks like food, contest, social gatherings; or company wide days of service, you can offer benefits that make you stand out and attract the right employees who will fit in and thrive. Then communicate these perks as part of your employer brand. Share it on social media, on your Careers page on your website, and internally with your employees through your employee referral programs.

Having a strong brand can be a huge competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. If you need help defining what your employer brand is and how to share it where potential recruits will see it, give us a call at 847-963-1805.