Branding your Culture – is it the way to go?

Personal brands, employee brand, Employer of Choice…  these are just a few of the buzz words that have been circling the recruitment market for the last 15 months. What do they all mean?  Do we really need to start shouting from the roof tops about how great we are to attract candidates? Why can’t we just rely on them finding us if they want to? 

Many businesses are only just realising that the candidate market is a very different playground than it was 5 years ago. Candidates will search for the best job, not just the best salary.   They’re looking for a culture that reflects them personally and professionally. They want to see if like-minded people work for the business. They want to know if they will have the freedom to express their personality and more importantly, feel like they will be heard.

We all know that TALENT is the magic that makes a business work.  To have a loyal employee who will move heaven and earth to make sure that everything they do is unmatched, ensures the continual growth and success of your business.  Take a look at Google and Apple; these companies have been extremely vocal in how their culture drives the success of their business. Not only have their shared their playbook, but they unashamedly have promoted this success. So yes, you could say they shout it from the roof tops.

In today’s market it is imperative that as part of your recruitment strategy you talk about your brand and your culture and show what you stand for.

Here are the top five criteria that job seekers are looking for in a company right now:

1. Stability
2. Job security
3. Opportunities to learn and grow and a plan for the future
4. A friendly team
5. Work / life balance and a family friendly attitude towards employees

If you want to build a strong employer brand presence or simply just appeal to the top talent in the market, knowing what turns candidates on and off and using this in your advertising is critical.

If you don’t know where to start, a simple regig of your recruitment ads is the best place to start. Test different statements and see which ones deliver the most quality candidates. Put your ‘rooftop singers’ at the top of your advert always! No exceptions. (This is what draws people in and entices them to read your full advert).

From there, start using those statements in your careers website, focusing on statements that describe your business and culture in an enticing manner.

From there, your brand messages need to flow continuously through the recruitment process and into the induction period for your new recruit. This means getting your entire organisation onboard with what makes you special and unique.

If achieving all this seems too hard, Talent Propeller has been assisting businesses to improve their employment brand for years, so get in contact with us on
NZ: 09 950 2135 or AU: 03 9691 4777

Sharon Ballantyne Davies is the Founding Director of Talent Propeller and is also the director of businesses Big Splash and Tech Engine. Between her businesses, Sharon has been the driving force behind the success of the various international offices. A visionary entrepreneur, particularly in the recruitment and HR industries, she is always relentlessly looking for new and better ways of doing things.

You can reach Sharon here