Written by Miranda Rincon

Let’s talk about employer branding…

The tables have turned. Now is time for companies to explain why you should work for them. First impressions are not only applicable for you my friend, soon-to-be employee, but for employers looking to stand out from their potential competitors. Employer branding is trending among companies. It is hard to find a place where everything fits all together. Finding the right job for you is not something that will happen in a week. You can be job hunting for a while, specially with the competitive peers you have out there. Is always good to know what a company should and can offer to you. Don’t worry, this blog got you covered. Thus article describes the main characteristics you should be looking at employer branding and how social media has become an essential tool for the recruitment of future talent…cough…cough…you!

Employer branding is making a comeback after its beginnings in 1996 (Ambler & Barrow, 1996). It has been described as the process of exposing the company to the prospective employees as a great working place. It acts as a crucial indicator of the connection between employees and the organisation (Shaker & Ahmed, 2014). Employer branding has gone through different tweaks in order to adapt to the rise of web 2.0, since recruiting through social media is now trending among companies. The goal of a brand, firm and multinational company is to be differentiated from other competitors in the labour market. They want to be the first ones on your “Places I Would Love to Work” list.

The work force and employer branding are now becoming more globally connected. The competition has increased enormously. The challenges now faced by corporations differ from what they used to encounter before the growth of web 2.0. Retaining valuable employees and make them believe in the employers’ goals as well as shuffle around the basic ideals of passion and ethics is a strong issue for increasing growth within a company. This can be seen in the case of the resource based view which argues that there are fundamental resources in an organisation in order to create sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). These resources are valued and irreplaceable. Employer branding becomes an ultimate asset that makes an organisation valuable, plural and noteworthy. Nowadays, the facilitation of employer branding is one of the strongest advantages for human resources. With a strong alignment in a firm, recruiting suitable candidates, like you, becomes easier. Employees want to grow and be part of a community. In return, organizations have the job of attracting the right match to support the values and culture of the company. Employers need to create a positive image perhaps of a unique and fair company. And incorporate a culture proposition that understands what truly engages people. Be on the lookout for the different implementations of employer branding. You might want to study your options of potential employers carefully. Are you looking for employers who care about your needs? Good relathionship with co-workers? Or simply a remarkable image with an iconic name?

So what makes a firm desirable?

According to Backhaus and Tikoo (2004), a value proposition can act the same way as employer branding. They adapted the term with their studies, but stayed within the same scope. Developing a solid employer value proposition of an organisation to create an image for outsiders is the first step of the employer branding process by Backhaus and Tikoo (2004). Organisations with a clear value proposition are in it to win it. Here they can express the culture of the company, working life, and employment values. If you see a clear culture and trustworthy setting in a company, you can consider it to be more appealing right? The value proposition is crafted so that it transmits the essential message the brand wants to send to prospective employees (Eisenberg et al, 2001). This is when companies can truly show why they think “you” will be a valuable addition to their community. In order for firms to become desirable they need to sell themselves and use their employer branding as a marketing tool to align the company. Having the ultimate goal of creating a desirable structure where employees will feel welcome. Are the strategic marketing methods of culture and employees values effective enough for a solid employer branding?

A recent surveyed by Forbes illustrates how millennials are inclined to work at companies where they feel a connection towards something (Strauss, 2016). A big majority of participants (73.1%) agreed that the way employees are treated in a company is a key point when choosing a future employer. Making sure employees feel they belong to a community says a lot about a firm, especially about their employer branding. When choosing a job, no matter if it is at McDonalds, Spotify or Google, a convivial atmosphere is irreplaceable. Having flexible working hours was the most acclaimed characteristic of the respondents (70%). You can be an overachiever, but not everybody wants to go home at 9 pm on a regular basis. Find the right balance. Life business is an important realm, it is a challenge to strike the right note with employers using better tools and ways to engaged employees. It is important for you to understand priorities. Companies are not going to please all of your needs and negotiations but you can choose from the ones that can offer you the best package. How can companies make employees aware that they can achieve great things, and of course make them aware of their life choices? The first step is to convey a clear employer branding structure

People can complain you couldn't have it all as a popular Adele song says, but it is certainly worth the try. Now you see why selecting an employer with an authentic value proposition is of big importance.

The era of social media

Companies can have different characteristics they feel make up their own employer branding framework. This is what makes the good ones stand out from the rest. Not an easy task for employers. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. No seatbelt is needed. It is up to you to find the right fit that adapts to your everyday life. To do so, look for qualities that stand out to you. See how they connect to your own values and culture. It is crucial for you to see if what they offer is actually true. A good employer branding strategy showcases authentic photos and videos (Lydia Abbot, Ryan Batty & Stephanie Bevegni, 2016). Employers can bring to life what actually goes behind each desk. Telling real stories of real employees gets to you. Look for the culture and career videos, they express the ambiance of the firm. See the differences and make sure to follow their moves on social media. Drawing the right social media image is an excellent tool for companies to use. Considering the leisure and the casual mountain of knowledge propelled by web culture and millennials.

Millennials are all about social media (American Press Institute, 2015). Moreover, the Forbes survey also mentions how technology has noticeably influenced and changed the course of everything (Strauss, 2016). That my friends, is when your LinkedIn profile comes in handy. More than 90% of companies are using social media for recruiting purposes (Lydia Abbot, Ryan Batty & Stephanie Bevegni, 2016). The use of social media professional networks like LinkedIn is on top of the list of effective techniques employers use to attract the right talent. Social media recruitment saves money for the company. And it can be design and build up to truly concentrate on only bringing top quality candidates. Together with social media professional networks, comes the employee referral program. The referral programs are strategic incentives that organizations can apply for a more satisfied working environment. With the rise of social media, referral programs can also be an essential asset for the employer branding framework of a company. By having employees refer friends, family, or simply candidates they feel are a good match for the position, the quality and retention rate become higher (Dunn, 2015). Is time to talk to that friend who knows someone that knows that someone that works on the marketing department team.

Social media offers several ways organizations can promote employer branding. Employees in the same organization are more connected than ever. One efficient way for employers to recruit candidates is by using smart matching technologies (Dunn, 2015). This technology automatically matches the contacts of employees of a company on LinkedIn and Facebook with the job descriptions of available positions. Thereby, employees can share specific jobs on any social media platform, getting more relevant candidates (Dunn,2015). The world of social media is growing fast and with no signs of stopping any time soon. Deducing it’s growth and importance.

Now it is easier than ever to classify which qualities in a company are important for you. Most importantly, detecting what advantages employer branding and the use of social media professional platforms have in a company. Your future is in your hands. Don’t stress by classifying approaches and thinking about such clasifications. Employees can reflect upon and debate dimensions of their capacities that are too often implicit and invisible. Powerfull messages can highlight your entrance, your professional goals will have a connection. Youwill become an employee.

Reference

Ambler, T. & Barrow, S. (1996). The Employer Brand, Journal of brand management, vol. 4, no. 3, pp.185–206.

Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage, Journal of management, vol. 17, no. 1, pp.99–120.

Dunn, H. (2015). Employee Referral Program Best Practices for 2015., Workforce Solutions Review, vol. 6, no. 1, pp.32–34.

Eisenberg, B., Kilduff, C., Burleigh, S. & Wilson, K. (2001). The Role of the Value Proposition and Employment Branding in Retaining Top Talent, Society for Human Resource Management, Alexandria, VA.

American Press Institute. (2015). How Millennials Use and Control Social Media, American Press Institute, Available Online: https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/millennials-social-media/ [Accessed 29 November 2016].

Lydia Abbot, Ryan Batty & Stephanie Bevegni. (2016). Global Recruiting Trends 2016, LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Available Online: https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/business/talent-solutions/global/en_us/c/pdfs/GRT16_GlobalRecruiting_100815.pdf.

Shaker, F. & Ahmed, A. (2014). Influence of Employer Brand Image on Employee Identity, Global Disclosure of Economics and Business, vol. 3, no. 3, pp.51–59.

Strauss, K. (2016). The 25 Companies Where Top Millennials Most Want To Work In 2016 (Google Is No Longer No. 1), Forbes, Available Online: http://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2016/06/13/the-25-companies-where-top-millennials-most-want-to-work-in-2016-google-is-no-longer-1/ [Accessed 28 November 2016].