The Rules of Attraction

Your brand is who you are on the outside, in the customer-facing world, but it’s also what happens on the inside. The two are closely aligned parts of one story. Because when you think about it, what happens on the inside shows. It includes values that guide business strategy, your map for the future, and most importantly, talented teams of people who are committed to success daily. Customers and employees are the end-to-end brand strategy, but often companies only focus on customers. The people you hire become insiders who shape and deliver services to provide outstanding customer experiences. When you view it this way, branding efforts that begin in the job market have a greater measure of strategic importance.

In our eBook, we define a set of 9 modern skills every company should be onboarding to compete in our modern, tech-driven world. But the real challenge is finding candidates who possess these skills. Qualified team members who really have what it takes to make an impact are a company’s greatest competitive advantage. And once you’ve found them, they need to be convinced your company is a place where they will find the type of fulfillment that’s a priority to them .

When people think of talent acquisition, the screening process naturally comes to mind first. There’s the interviews, carefully crafted questions, hiring panels, work samples, you name it. But if you devote energy to defining your brand as an employer upfront, you can transform your hiring process so that it’s a two-way conversation; one that results in true synergy, cultural add, and better hiring decisions. Start by asking yourself screening questions from the candidate’s point of view.

1. What’s it like to work here?

This seems like a simple question, but you should cover all bases for candidates when you present your answer:

• company culture
• compensation and earning opportunities
• health and time-off benefits packages to include telemedicine and enhance mental health wellness
• Hybrid work arrangements
• Caregiver and childcare benefits
• Perks, partnerships, and discounts
• internal mobility, stability, recognition, career development and performance management
• your values, mission, vision, goals… and why they’re important to your success

2. Why would I want to work here?

This question is an opportunity to be more targeted and strategic. It asks you to present what’s important to the talent who you want to attract . For example, with millennial candidates, you might highlight that you offer career development or mentoring programs. To appeal to female candidates, you might showcase key contributions made by women on your leadership team.

Here are some new questions to answer when defining culture: 

• Is the work challenging, meaningful, competitive, fun, creative, impactful?

• Is the team supportive, collaborative, or more autonomous and independent?

• Is work-life balance a priority?

• Are you flexible? Innovative? Values-driven? Focused on quality?

1. Create an EVP.

An EVP is an Employer Value Proposition. Typically, it’s a collection of factors candidates consider when evaluating an employment offer (company culture; benefits packages and perks; career development and advancement; and company values.) Having a clear EVP conveys a unified brand message when interacting with candidates. It makes sense to package your EVP with the same care you give to customer marketing. Consider digital brochures, a microsite, or video, which set the tone for hiring managers and candidates.

2. Mainstream your employer brand on social media.

If you offer an amazing employee experience, there’s no reason to confine your messaging to career sites. Share a behind-the-scenes view, positive employee feedback, and original thought leadership from your think-tank with a wider audience, including customers. If you make this a regular ingredient on your company’s main social channels, you can attract talent who may not be actively seeking employment.

3. Create places for candidates on the web.

There’s an entire range of digital “places” to attract talent and showcase company culture, depending on your needs and goals:

• Careers page on your website
  
• Recruiting and networking sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Facebook
  
• Review sites like Glass Door
  
• Integrated enterprise career portals
  

Start by enhancing the careers page on your website (and if you don’t have one, design one.) If you post openings on LinkedIn or use a recruiting agency, you may think it’s not important, but interested job-seekers conduct research, and your website is on their list. A prominent careers page compliments overall brand strategy (and it doesn’t need to include current openings.) Make it a place to get clear on company culture. Convey what it’s like to be a member of your team, and tell visitors where listings can be found. Career sites like LinkedIn are excellent for strategic campaigns that are targeted, where you speak to the talent you want to attract, like recent grads, innovators, or females.

4. Elevate the screening process.

• Generate Excitement. Send a branded email to candidates who have a pending interview … and don't be shy about getting creative. Show your personality, give details about company culture, include your mission statement. Help candidates get to know who you are before their big interview. It’s natural to think… nobody else is doing this, our competitors aren’t doing this… but that’s exactly the point. When you’re competing for top talent, you want to be as memorable as possible.

• Follow up. Remember that every candidate is a prospective team member (and perhaps a customer) and set an example that demonstrates the importance of excellent communication at your company. If you’re meeting with other candidates, tell interviewees what to expect in terms of time-frame, and follow up when you promise. We at Nielsen Associates provide outstanding communication throughout the hiring process. This is particularly helpful when you’re engaging several top candidates and there’s multiple interviews required to fill a position. On your behalf, our team can also provide feedback and closure to candidates who are no longer being considered, which results in a better overall brand experience.

• Ask for feedback. Develop a series of surveys that you send to all candidates who you interview. This is a chance to show candidates that you value their relationship, appreciate their time, and want their insight on the experiences you’re providing. Ask for impressions on the screening process, and when applicable, their reasons for turning down an employment offer. You can refine all aspects of talent acquisition with the responses you receive.

Elevate your strategy with Nielsen Associates.
Make an outstanding impression on candidates from the start with Nielsen Associates. Request a free consultation with a recruiter to learn more about our range of services.