When it comes to hiring the best travel talent, having a reputable company brand is not always enough anymore. These days employer branding matters just as much. Medium defines employer branding as the public image of a company’s workplace culture, and it is essentially how employees — both past, present and future — view a company. This is exactly why it matters, as employer branding can sway job seekers (as much as 84% of them according to Glassdoor) into either applying for your company or bypassing it altogether.
Considered Content’s Jason Ball best sums up the importance of employer branding, noting how “in the battle of talent, how your business is perceived by past, present and future recruits can be the biggest weapon in your recruitment arsenal.”
Just as important, a good employer brand helps ensure the right fit between employer and employee, as it can “clearly demonstrate a firm’s unique DNA to potential recruits.” In other words, an employer’s brand communicates to prospective hires not only what the company does, but also what it specifically needs from its employees. This, in effect, can narrow down your list of applicants, as you are more likely to be approached by job seekers who skills are tailored to the company.
How to cultivate your employer brand
So, how can you build an employer brand? The end-goal, according to Ball, is to craft a detailed marketing persona. In other words, think of it as promoting a product, which is, in this case, your workplace culture. Therefore, you must start by conducting interviews with your best employees, as they “represent the kind of talent you want to attract.” Let them articulate what makes the company tick, what employees can expect from it, and why potential hires ought to send in their applications.
It is also imperative to take stock of your competition and how your company compares. This is especially important for your online persona, as this is how many recruits will first interact with your company. Global SEO agency Ayima notes the importance of auditing websites to analyse potential improvement points, underscoring the value of digital scrutiny to increase online marketing efforts. This should be done for both your company’s site and the competition. In turn you can use the results of these analyses to better showcase your brand online.
The Forbes Agency Council details how you can create a winning employer brand online by engaging in company peer-review sites, like Glassdoor, and using social media. The former allows for transparency, and gives applicants an idea of what it is like to work at your company. A strong, positive presence on social media, on the other hand, is just as necessary, with some 57% of job hunters turning to social media platforms to find job listings. Companies today are expected to have an online presence on LinkedIn, as well as Twitter and Facebook. This gives the impression that a company is ‘connected,’ and more importantly, ‘approachable.’
Build that brand now
Competition for top travel talent is intense nowadays. This is why you must build (and improve) your employer brand right now. A positive, well-crafted employer brand makes your company appealing, and more likely to receive applications from the best candidates.
Post written for gailkennyrecruitment.com by Isadora Jones
