Hiring in the Digital Age: The Importance of Brand Identity
By Micha Hagans
Searching and applying for jobs today is at the candidates' fingertips - literally. While many candidates are advised to tighten up their professional presence online during the job hunt, businesses sometimes fail to "make the cut" themselves! With information being a click or a swipe away, your business needs the right branding to attract the right candidates.
First impressions matter, so what do your logo design, website layout, and Linkedin banner say about your business? While this may seem a bit trivial to the recruitment process, graphics are a part of your branding, and an aesthetically pleasing online presence will catch the eye of a potential future employee. Read "6 steps to establishing a design aesthetic for your brand" by 99designs to get ideas on creating or revamping your brand designs.
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Once you have grabbed the attention of a prospective candidate, you will need to hold on to them with your messaging. Good branding messaging conveys your business' unique qualities, positive reputation, and expectations in the workplace. This piece of your branding needs to be consistent across all platforms. The information a candidate is seeking must be easily accessible and up-to-date, no matter where they are researching your business. If your website and social media profile have conflicting messaging, a candidate may view that as a red flag and quickly move on to research a competitor who is also hiring.
Make sure your business' platforms "About Us" or bio section clearly tells the story of your work culture, environment, and values. Your business' "Careers" or hiring section should only list current openings, including an ideal candidate persona for each position and salary and benefits information.
"Quality candidates are typically well-researched and those that go beyond job ads and look for a richer set of background data that includes benefits and employee reviews, among other specific traits about an employer. This means that employers should make information available to job candidates proactively, or they risk missing out on quality candidates applying." Julie Coucoules, Glassdoor's Global Head of Talent Acquisition.
Perception is also a large part of your brand. The statement, "Your reputation precedes you," can be positive or negative. Most candidates will form an opinion about your business based on employee reviews, transparency of information, and community involvement. Your business will need to write the narrative so that perspective reflects your brand.
One way to help with this part of branding is to collect employee reviews regularly. Positive reviews can be shared across platforms as quotes, or even short videos. Stay on top of sites such as Glassdoor as well as social media platforms to learn about and address any negative posts. Make sure to engage on social media with the community and utilize all platforms and press releases to show community involvement.
Last but not least, make sure your business is utilizing technology to boost your brand identity, not hinder it. All information should be easily accessible and viewable on all devices; mobile-friendly is a must for today’s candidates! The PEW Research Center survey showed that 94% of smartphone job seekers had used their smartphone to browse or research jobs online. Your website should also be at the core of your recruiting efforts, as it's likely the first way people will interact with your brand. To get tips on your website branding, check out "Design your website to recruit the best people" by Core Matters.
Now start creating or revamping your business brand for hiring in the digital age!
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