According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ratio of unemployed persons per job opening is 1:1, and more jobs are becoming available at the same time fewer candidates are entering the job market. To compete, employers must differentiate themselves in the talent market, but how? Employment branding is the answer.
Employment branding is the process of establishing the perception of what it is like to work at your organization among future and current employees. It is built around your company’s unique history, mission, core values, culture, and benefits. The goal of employment branding is to create an image in the minds of potential employees that your organization, above others, is a great place to work.
Employment Branding and Recruitment Marketing
Because being characterized as a great place to work has little value in attracting talent if no one knows it, recruitment marketing tactics can be used to showcase your company’s employment brand and build awareness, interest, and desire among passive candidates. Recruitment marketing no longer involves simply advertising openings; it is a tactical function that often bears more resemblance to an ad for products than jobs. By selling your organization’s image and promoting its benefits, recruitment marketing can be used to influence the buyer decision of a job seeker to consider your company.
By incorporating content that connects with potential employees into your company’s advertising strategy, you can build your employment brand, while also appealing to customers. Using the Young and Rubicam Brand Asset Valuator, researchers have identified three recruitment marketing and messaging techniques (status and mobility, excitement, and identification) that can be used to promote your consumer and employment brand simultaneously.
Status and mobility:
Mantra: “We’re big. We’re stable. We’re respected and admired.”
Objective: Attract perspective employees with the promise of stable, on-going growth opportunities with a credible company
Excitement:
Mantra: “What we’re doing is exciting-joining us and be ahead of the herd.”
Objective: Engage potential candidates by showcasing that your company is innovative and entrepreneurial
Identification:
Mantra: “See our great employees – if you fit that profile (or aspire to do so) join us.”
Objective: Appeal to candidates through source similarity to current employees
Using one, or a combination, of these strategies can promote your employment brand online; the key is to differentiate your brand from your competitors and establish your organization as the most desirable place to work.
According to Glassdoor, 84% of employees say reputation of a company as an employer of choice is important when making a decision to apply for a job. Therefore, in this hyper-competitive market, having a strong employment brand is necessary to ensure that job seekers know why they should work for you.
Personify’s Talent Relationship Management solution takes a content marketing approach to messaging potential candidates to transform clients’ recruitment marketing and advertising strategies. Using social listening to develop targeted ad campaigns, we are able to drive top talent to their open positions by consistently building their company’s brand as an industry thought leader, while simultaneously highlighting their culture and job opportunities. Contact us to learn more!