For many companies with limited time and resources, marketing efforts are the first to fall to the wayside. Typically, marketing is treated like a side project, something that lives on the website’s homepage, sometimes the career page and on socials, but nothing much past that.
That might be fine if you are only selling a product. But if you are aiming to attract and retain high performers, that approach will cost you.
Today’s candidates have more access, more choices, and more transparency than ever. They can browse dozens of job boards, compare salaries, read reviews, and research company culture before ever talking to a recruiter or a member of your team. That means employers are no longer just evaluating candidates; candidates are evaluating you, too.
This is where employer branding becomes critical. According to LinkedIn, companies with strong employer brands receive 2.5x more qualified applicants to their posted positions and can reduce their cost per hire by up to 43 percent*. The reason is simple: a clear, well-communicated brand attracts the right people. Candidates who align with your culture, mission, and values are more likely to apply, more likely to accept offers, and more likely to stay long-term.
Here are a few reasons employer branding should be at the center of your hiring strategy:
Candidates are doing their homework.
Before they apply or even respond to a recruiter, candidates are looking you up. They want to know who you are, what your values are, how you treat your people, and what your current team says about working there.
Modern professionals care deeply about the brand they represent, not just the job they do. If your public-facing content is vague, outdated, or inconsistent, that sends a message. Clear branding helps ensure that the candidates who show interest in your roles are also the ones who are most likely to thrive on your team.
Passive candidates need a reason to move.
The most desirable candidates are often the ones who are not actively job-hunting; they’re the ones who woke up this morning and went to work. These professionals are not being pushed toward your position, so they need to be pulled in. They need a compelling reason to believe your company is a better place to grow than where they are now. That belief starts well before a formal interview is held; it starts with what they see, hear, and read about your company via your marketing efforts.
The story your organization tells shapes how potential applicants perceive what it will be like to work there. This story should highlight an environment where employees can thrive, build new skills, hone their talents, and grow both professionally and personally.
A vague mission statement and a few stock photos will not build that compelling case. A clear brand message rooted in real employee experiences will.
Your brand/story is already being told through your marketing and reputation.
Don’t let it define you by default. Shape it into the story you want to be known for.
Every company has a brand. The only question is whether you are actively shaping it or letting it evolve on its own. Ignoring it does not make it neutral. It just means others (former employees, Glassdoor reviewers, even frustrated applicants) are defining it for you.
Marketing legend and member of the Marketing Hall of Fame Seth Godin defined a brand as “the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.” Think of your employer brand as your reputation in the talent market. You have to choose whether you’ll take control of it or leave it to chance.
What you can do right now:
- Get aligned. Make sure marketing, HR, and talent acquisition teams are on the same page when it comes to how the company is presenting itself to job seekers
- Audit your current presence. Look at your job postings, website, social profiles, and interview process. Do they reflect what it is actually like to work at your company, and your mission.
- Leverage your team. Encourage current employees to share their experiences. Authentic, unfiltered voices go further than scripted messaging.
In today’s market, candidates are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them. If you are not investing in your employer brand, you aren’t just making marketing harder, you’re making hiring harder too. The companies that will win the next wave of top talent are the ones who are already telling a clear, consistent, and credible story.
Wondering whether your marketing is helping or hurting your hiring efforts? Connect with Joshua Hernandez, VP of Talent Acquisition at The Encompass Group, for a free audit of your current strategy. He’ll show you exactly how your messaging is landing, and how to start attracting the talent you want.
Written by: Shelby Bedell, Marketing Coordinator at The Encompass Group
References:
*LinkedIn Talent Solutions. (2021, September 21). The ROI of your talent brand: How a strong employer brand impacts your hiring. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/roi-of-talent-brand