(Graphic above:| Courtesy of PrideStaff)
How to Make Your Company Attractive to Candidates
Hair gel, lipstick and bronzer may make a person more attractive.
But they won’t do much for your company’s employment brand.
With unemployment rates near historic lows, it’s tougher than ever to win a candidate’s attention — and get them to apply to your positions. If makeup and styling products aren’t the answer, what is? Here are some ways to make your company attractive to exceptional job candidates:
Use social media to show-off your jobs.
While it’s important to post jobs on social platforms, that doesn’t mean you must do so in the least imaginative way possible. Liven things up a little! Instead of uploading a dull list of job responsibilities to Facebook or Instagram, post a picture or short video clip of someone actually doing the job. When a job seeker sees the work being performed, it’s easy for them to imagine themselves in the role.
Build your brand on YouTube.
What’s it really like to work for your organization? What are your company’s values? Candidates want to know — so show them. Showcase your corporate culture by creating a series of videos in which you interview star employees.
Complement those interviews with videos that highlight company events (e.g., holiday parties, community involvement, employee recognition events, etc.). Then, upload the clips to your YouTube channel and link them from your website, social media pages, blog, job postings or anywhere else you connect with talent.
Take great care of candidates.
Look for ways to improve communication at every step of your sourcing and recruiting process:
• Make it easy. Ensure it’s convenient
and quick for candidates to submit an inquiry or apply to a job — especially from mobile devices.
• Keep candidates in the loop. Leverage technology to keep candidates informed about timelines and next steps, from the moment they upload a resume to after they’re onboarded.
• Be honest. If you’ve removed a candidate from consideration, inform them as soon as you know. Being “left hanging” is a chief complaint among job seekers —
and may drive them to post negative reviews on sites like Glassdoor.
Take great care of employees, too.
Employee referrals are one of the best sources of high-quality job candidates. Make your employees “employment brand ambassadors” by always treating them well. When they’re happy, word will spread — and great people will seek out opportunities with your company.
Make each job opportunity irresistible.
When you post jobs, move beyond that laundry list of responsibilities. Promote the upsides of your opportunity to create “opportunity gaps” in the candidate’s mind, which are significant differences between your position and others he or she may be considering. Think like a candidate: in addition to earning a competitive wage, what else would entice you to take this job? Highlight intangibles which are just as important as money:
• exceptional benefits
• challenging work
• opportunities for learning and advancement
• convenient location
• flexible work options
• early or frequent performance / salary reviews
• tuition reimbursement
• mentoring opportunities
Make honesty your policy.
No company or job is perfect — and savvy job seekers don’t expect it. So, while it’s important to put your best foot forward, always portray a realistic picture of your culture, work environment and the available position. In the long run, you’ll create better employment matches if you don’t hide behind a lot of corporate “makeup.”
Still struggling to attract great people?
Engage a staffing or recruiting firm that specializes in recruiting the best candidates, especially in industries or locations where they’re the hardest to find. These companies can help you hire more successfully, by actively selling the upsides of your opportunity to qualified candidates.
Matt Ertle, owner, PrideStaff Bend, an Independent Franchised Business. 2214 NE Division Street, Suite 202, Bend, 541-797-6941
