The current job market swings heavily in favor of candidates. Top-tier professionals know how in-demand they are, and if you don’t market yourself properly as an employer, you might lose your dream employee to a competitor.
The secret to attracting high-quality applicants is differentiating yourself from other industry players, and showing top talent how joining your company can help them reach their career goals. We asked members of Forbes Human Resources Council how to make your employer brand stand out. Their best answers are below.
1. Offer Clarity, Conviction And Career Opportunities
Attracting top talent is done by communicating what we all want in a new job — clarity about what our mission is, to work with others who share the conviction that what the company is doing matters and to know that new experiences and career options abound. Find ways to authentically express these things through video, robust career pages and personal communications from senior leaders. – Stacey Browning, Paycor
2. Be Flexible And Unique
We are shifting into an era where the “traditional” office environment and compensation models are no longer as appealing as they used to be. Show candidates that you value work-life balance and individuality. Whether is the option to work some days from home or allowing employees to move about an open office environment, give them some flexibility. – Tiffany Servatius, Scott’s Marketplace
3. Use Your Employees As Brand Ambassadors
Your business leaders and teammates can significantly impact your ability to attract top talent by creating talent ambassador LinkedIn profiles, reaching out to high potential candidates, taking time to conduct reviews on platforms such as Glassdoor and Indeed and helping generate content that is rich in the organization’s culture. – Philip Dana, Bridgepoint Education
4. Know Your Employer Value Proposition
An organization looking to stand out from competitors when seeking to attract top talent must be able to articulate and share how the employee value proposition is lived every day, along with the vision and mission of the organization. Just as an organization has a brand for the external market, there needs to be an employee brand that can effectively communicate the employee experience. – Sherry Martin, Denver Public Schools
5. Know Your Target Audience Really Well
Recruiting is selling. Identify your our target audience and understand your organization’s selling points. What do we have to offer, and who would benefit from what we can offer? With these details, you can place your company brand in the center of your target audience. Advertise your organization’s culture, and echo your talent’s needs, skills and attitudes as it relates to your brand. – Tasha Bell, Talbert House
6. Understand The Full Candidate Experience And Life Cycle
Your organization’s reputation permeates candidate decisions. The candidate experience is a continuum that begins prior to the candidate contemplating a role with your organization (brand awareness) and extends well beyond the time they may leave. Learn from brand and marketing colleagues to better position yourself in the market to have the greatest impact. – John Sigmon, johnsigmon.com
7. Put Your People First
When you truly care for your employees, they’ll care for one another, your customers and the community. Go beyond amazing benefits. Foster a workplace that thrives on trust and respect for all individuals — and protect that culture every day. Word will get out. Your people will talk, and they’ll refer like-minded, talented people who believe in your culture and your mission. – Vivian Maza, ultimatesoftware.com
8. Identify And Articulate Your Purpose
Companies with purpose attract and retain better talent. Finding out your “why” translates into your unique value proposition to candidates (and employees). This is not a marketing statement, a mission (where you are going) or vision (where you would like to be). Purpose defines why you do what you do, which motivates candidates to join the charge and apply. – Stacie Mallen, CampusLogic
9. Use Social Media To Your Advantage
With social media, organizations now have an opportunity to be visible to many. Candidates are doing their research prior to accepting interviews. They want to know what your current employees are saying about you. Brand your page with more employee-related events. Take control of your company’s image and become a people-focused employer and you will automatically attract top talent. – Charece Newell, MSILR, sHRBP, Sunspire Health
10. Invest In Education
We’ve found high-performing people see learning opportunities as an integral component that contributes to their workplace engagement. Smart employers must develop engaging new experiences for their top talent. Tailoring learning initiatives to career exploration and growth can make employees feel personally valued, increasing their loyalty if other firms come calling. – Lisa Sterling, Ceridian
11. Validate Your Talent Acquisition Strategy
Before recruiting, organizations should validate that their talent acquisition strategy is designed to attract the right talent. A great way to do that is to get input from current high performers about what attracted them to the organization and their role. Also, ensure that your hiring process is not a barrier to making timely hiring decisions; otherwise, applicants will lose interest. – Bridgette Wilder, Wilder HR Management & EEO Consulting
12. Be Authentic
Don’t put on a show to snag a candidate. It’s critical the candidate knows exactly what he or she is walking into and can make a smart decision about the future. The only way to know if it is a fit is for both parties to have open eyes and clarity. – Sara Whitman, Peppercomm
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/03/28/need-to-attract-top-talent-try-these-12-smart-hiring-strategies/#4bc59526a69e
