Employer branding; never underestimate its importance

Attracting the right talent at the right time is an employer’s biggest challenge. With so many talented people out there, how do you attract the candidates that are the right fit for your organisation, and keep them?

The simple answer is reputation. Never underestimate its power. We’re past the point where candidates’ ultimate goal is working for the big, well-known brand agencies in London. Instead, lots of smaller and niche agencies are now in the picture and they’re offering new experiences, and fantastic packages and often champion flexible working. It’s no longer just about money and holiday, it’s very much about culture.  The bigger agencies are losing out because candidates are looking for different / better ways of doing things. 

So, to attract the best candidates, it’s really important to focus on your company’s branding, marketing and PR.  Whilst agencies are very focused on delivering for clients and winning new business, building the right recruitment process is sometimes left on the back burner. But, if you don’t have the right people, you can’t deliver the best results for your clients….

Ask yourself a few key questions: Why would someone want to work for you? Would your employees recommend the company as a great place to work? What level of visibility do you have within your talent pool?

One of the quickest and easiest ways to increase visibility is through a specialist recruitment agency like ours. We already have access to your talent pool, so can actively promote and spotlight your company. But, as an employer, you need to take a strategic approach to attract, engage and retain top talent. 

Some of the questions you may need to address to establish a strategic approach are as follows, are you clear about what your company stands for? Do you have a defined mission, vision and values? Speak to your employees and get their views. A simple online survey can often reveal some insightful and surprising information about what is important to your staff.

Is your recruitment process closely aligned with your brand experience? For a client, you’d pitch, and work together to deliver campaigns to create results. The same applies to candidates. You need to pitch to them; why would they want to work with you? What can you offer them? Whether it’s flexible hours, personal training sessions, or Christmas parties in Europe, it needs to appeal to their lifestyle choices, so it’s important to do your research. Once you know what is of most value to your employees you can set about implementing to stand out from the crowd. 

Once you have your candidates, make sure they stay engaged. If they’re the right fit, they’re likely to be a valuable recruitment tool; they’ll recommend your company to like-minded people highlighting it as a great place to work. And, these days, word of mouth, is the best recommendation for your business. So, how do you keep them engaged? By creating a positive culture, investing in training and development, rewarding great work and asking for regular feedback. 

One element that is often overlooked by employers is the exit interview. That will be a lasting impression of your company for the employee and also provides you with some valuable feedback that you can feed into your branding and culture. 

The important thing to remember is that recruitment is not a singular process, it’s an ongoing strategic part of your business.

If you’d like our help with attracting the right talent for your company, DNA Recruit. We can work together to promote your agency to attract top candidates. Alternatively, click here to view the latest London-based brand jobs on offer.