If you're in the midst of expanding your company, then you know that building an all-star team is not easy. In today’s labour market, with the national unemployment rate at its lowest of 6.6% in over two years, companies are facing tough competition in the fight for top talent.
They must prove themselves through a strong employer brand to be the employer of choice among the pool of options available to qualified candidates. To add to the challenge, SMEs are running up against multinational corporations that have the luxury of providing higher salaries, competitive benefits, and a prestigious title.
To stand a chance at recruiting top-tier talent, it’s more crucial than ever for your SME to invest effort into developing an employer brand that sets you apart from other companies. A compelling case must be made as to why applicants should choose to join your team. With modern technology and an amazing team by your side, you don’t need a big budget to do so - all it takes is a little thought and creativity.
Here are a few ideas to creatively brand your company as a destination for top talent:
1. “A Day in the Life”
Considering how popular video blogging has become over the internet, why not start a company vlog series? Take candidates behind-the-scenes of different roles by having employees vlog their day.
This type of unscripted video can give your prospects an authentic view of the company’s culture, roles, and team dynamics. They can also be easily shared across your social media platforms to increase views and get a buzz going on your employer persona.
2. Brand Ambassadors
Candidates trust employees three times more than the company to give credible information on what it’s like to work there.
If your employees truly enjoy working at your company, they can easily be your greatest advocates. Challenge them to promote the company by implementing a contest around creating the most compelling self-generated content that reflects their work experiences. The reward doesn’t have to come at a costly price, just as long as it resonates with the whole team. This can be an efficient way to reach a wider audience and give job seekers information from a source they trust.
3. Employee Perks
Offering a few perks to the job is nothing new so, if you want to attract the best candidates, your perks must be unique and align well with your employer branding message.
Shopify leads by example with the creation of their own health spending account where employees are given $250 per year to spend on anything health and wellness-related. Try adopting a similar program tailored towards your company’s values and then showcase their exciting purchases on social media. The more ways you can show how your company appreciates its employees, the stronger your employer brand will be.
4. Success Stories
A good story has the power to inspire, encourage, and motivate the right audience. Have your employees bring their own stories to life by reliving their journeys at the company and post these videos onto your career website.
Ask them to speak about why they chose to join the team, their personal and career growth, and the learning curves they encountered along the way. Of course, these videos should not be an attempt to paint a perfect picture of the employee experience. The purpose should simply be to inspire potential candidates and get them envisioning their own future at the company.
"Ultimately, better employer branding means higher quality applicants in less time for less money, which is a business case that’s pretty hard to argue with. And that’s the bottom line." - Matt Charney, Executive Editor and Head of Content at Recruiting Daily
Drew is one of Humi's Co-Founders and loves to spend time reading about HR, people, and strategy.