What's the secret to recruiting great employees in a job seeker's market? One of the best things you can do is master your employer brand.
Like consumers, job candidates are shopping around for the best offers. They want jobs that fit their goals, desires and lifestyles, at a company they know and trust. Whether you're actively hiring or not, you should always take advantage of opportunities to "sell" your company to potential employees, and make the idea of working for you irresistible.
Here are 10 simple ways to boost your employer brand and get your name out to the industry's top talent.
1. Update your careers page. An up-to-date careers section on your website, complete with job descriptions, benefits overviews and a glimpse at company culture, is the first step to making a good impression with job candidates who look you up.
2. Encourage employees to post about and tag your company on social media. Your current employees have the potential to be your greatest ambassadors. When there's a fun company-sponsored event happening, or something exciting is going on in the office, (gently) remind employees that they are welcome to share the news with their social networks.
3. Implement an employee referral program. Employees who really love working for you will want to tell their job-seeking friends about your company. Make it worth their while with an incentive, such as a small bonus or gift following a successful referral hire.
4. Identify and engage with passive talent. Passive candidates are much more likely to take your call if they know who you are. Follow and establish relationships with your industry's top talents so they know you're paying attention to their work.
5. Participate in industry Twitter chats. Twitter chats and other social media forums can expose your company to a much wider audience of industry professionals while simultaneously establishing you as a field expert.
6. Share relevant news on social media. Show that you know what's going on in your industry by sharing and commenting on the latest happenings.
7. Launch (and publicize) a charity initiative. Corporate social responsibility is a hot topic in the business world. Consumers and candidates alike want to see your company doing some real good in the world, so partnering with a charity organization or doing volunteer work can only bolster your image as an employer.
8. Make your mission crystal clear. Today's professionals want to know that their personal values align with those of their employer. Proudly share your company's mission to attract like-minded employees who will support and believe in it.
9. Share "behind-the-scenes" photos. A picture is worth a thousand words, so give potential candidates an inside look by posting photos from the company social accounts of your headquarters, social events and cool projects you're involved with.
10. Hire a great recruiter. Between our industry experience and far-reaching professional networks, recruiters can help publicize and evangelize your company to the candidates you most want to reach. We'll do the heavy lifting; you just focus on building a company people want to work for.