Branding Strategy
Some of the newest trends in recruiting today come from marketing, and this includes employer branding. An employer branding strategy is a way for a recruiter to represent an employer to job applicants in a way that makes the company an appealing place to work. In the modern recruiting world, employer branding can be a powerful way to attract qualified candidates to a client. By marketing your client as a great employer, recruiters can get the best talent on board with their client. There are several elements to an effective branding strategy for employers that recruiters should keep in mind.
The Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a name and/or design that identifies and distinguishes one company’s goods and services from another’s. An employer brand is a representation of a company’s corporate culture and work environment, the image of the company as a work place. The brand isn’t just about competitive salaries or benefits, though that should be part of it, but rather how companies treat their employees and what it’s like to work at the company. Attractive employer brands will communicate a company’s willingness to support and listen to their employees, as well as anything else the company does to foster trust and loyalty in their employees.
Brand Value Proposition
In marketing terms, a brand value proposition is the contract between the company and the customer about what the customer will get out of that company’s goods or services. In recruiting terms, an employer brand value proposition is like a job offer, though it’s more than just salary terms. The employer brand value proposition is the statement to the candidate of what value he or she will get from the company, including benefits, rewards and intangible value like a positive work experience. The goal for recruiters in any employer branding strategy is to make the value proposition irresistible to the candidate.
Brand Marketing Strategies
After they have completed the employer branding strategy, a recruiter must market the brand. Marketing an employer brand is like marketing any other brand. A recruiter has to find the target market of qualified applicants who would most likely benefit from working at the company, and then the recruiter has to get the message about the employer brand to these applicants. Just like marketing a product, the recruiter needs to use a targeted approach instead of broadcasting the brand far and wide.
Ongoing Brand Management
An employer branding strategy isn’t complete once the positions are filled. Employer branding can also help companies retain employees and foster employee loyalty and trust. Recruiters who want to be on the cutting edge of marketing-based recruiting strategies should offer brand management services as part of their follow up services. Employer brand management involves continuing employer branding strategies to engage current employees and reduce employee turnover.