How Does Employer Branding Influence Candidate Decisions to Join An Organization?

How Does Employer Branding Influence Candidate Decisions to Join An Organization?

In the competitive landscape of talent acquisition, employer branding can be a game-changer in attracting top candidates. Featuring insights from Human Resources Managers to CEOs, we delve into seven real-life stories where a strong employer brand was a deciding factor. From creating a personal connection to showcasing core values, these leaders reveal how branding influenced professionals to join their teams.

• Personal Connection Drives Nonprofit Attraction
• Perseverance Pays Off at Trupanion
• Innovation Hour Attracts Creative Talent
• Employer Branding Wins Skilled Machinist
• Career Blogs Influence Product Manager's Choice
• Ambassadors Enhance Employer Attraction
• Strong Brand Outperforms Higher Offers
• Core Values and Experience Attract at 1Password

Personal Connection Drives Nonprofit Attraction

When working for a small nonprofit organization that valued community and connection, I made sure that this was not only apparent through our employer branding, but I also decided to make myself available to connect directly by having a scheduling link to our employer page with my picture. Over the next few years, I connected with a fair number of people and was only made aware of the true impact of this practice on my last day at the organization. A colleague shared their experience of connecting with me as they were preparing to move to the area and exploring their employment options. The truly touching thing to me was when they told me how I made them feel, which led them to pursue us as an employer. Sometimes there is no amount of branding that can replace a genuine human connection.

Perseverance Pays Off at Trupanion

It's crucial to have your employer branding on point to catch potential candidates at any stage of their job-seeking journey. We had a candidate who didn't know of our company until she came across our job posting that included information about our employee benefits package. She was impressed, as it shows our commitment to employees' well-being. Over the course of a year, she applied to three different positions at Trupanion. After interviewing for two roles and not being selected, she was still confident that Trupanion was her dream company based on her candidate experience, how we publicly shared our company values, and our curated employee advocate content. When the third role was posted, which was an even better match for her skills, she did not hesitate to apply, and she landed the role.

Innovation Hour Attracts Creative Talent

Employer branding is crucial in attracting and retaining top talent. At Hiring Indicators, we found a distinctive edge by incorporating our 'Innovation Hour' initiative into our employer branding strategy. The initiative is a time slot reserved for employees to focus on their creative and innovative ideas outside of their regular tasks. It leverages cross-functional collaboration, allows employees' ideas to come to fruition, and highlights the ethos of ownership that we value.

The allure of 'Innovation Hour' has significantly impacted candidates' decisions to join us. One case that stands out was a candidate who recognized how this initiative offered a chance for personal growth and creative freedom. The opportunity to not just be a part of the company but actively contribute to its growth and evolution played a vital role in their decision to join our team. This real-life example underscores how effective employer branding can draw in individuals whose values and aspirations align with the company's.

Employer Branding Wins Skilled Machinist

A specific experience that highlights the influence of employer branding on a candidate's decision to join DayJob Recruitment involved a highly skilled CNC machinist we were targeting. This candidate was in demand and considering multiple offers. What tipped the scales in our favor was our strong employer brand, showcased through our commitment to innovation, workforce solutions, and a nurturing work environment that fosters ambition and growth.

We shared stories of our employee development programs, including comprehensive training and clear progression plans, which resonated with the candidate's desire for personal and professional growth. Additionally, our active presence and positive reviews on social media platforms demonstrated our company culture and values, further attracting the candidate.

The candidate mentioned that our clear communication of these values and our visible commitment to employee satisfaction made DayJob Recruitment stand out as an employer of choice. Ultimately, the candidate accepted our offer, citing our innovative approach to recruitment and our investment in employee development as key factors in their decision. This experience underscored the power of employer branding in attracting top talent in competitive markets.

Career Blogs Influence Product Manager's Choice

At a past organization, I was tasked with developing blog content for our company's career site. While we were not able to gain much insight into the ROI of these efforts, at the time, we knew this would pay dividends in bolstering our employer brand and helping job seekers learn more about us. This included employee testimonials from different departments about their career journey, why they liked working at the company, and advice they had for job seekers/new employees.

After a few months of developing these blog articles, it all came full circle. I was interviewing a product manager about his experience as a job seeker and onboarding at the company. When asked what led him to join the firm, he stated:

"I found people telling stories about being hired despite their lack of experience and being celebrated for their outsider viewpoint. I found a whole collection of blogs from employees about what they learned and how earnestly everyone they met was invested in their growth."

This moment helped reaffirm the value of putting together these career site blogs, as it directly contributed to this product manager wanting to join. I would encourage other organizations to invest the time in developing blog content for their career sites to give potential applicants an authentic view of what it is like to work at your company.

Ambassadors Enhance Employer Attraction

Team-member ambassadors are one of the greatest assets for successful employer branding. When their stories are shared about the culture and personal experiences, it creates a deep sense of connection and authenticity. We've had many candidates apply and accept roles due to seeing posts from friends, former colleagues, and acquaintances.

Strong Brand Outperforms Higher Offers

If a candidate accepts a position at your company over another, higher offer, your company has a strong employer brand. Candidates are not going to tell you they joined because they saw a single ad. It's about the company's reputation over time, and every touchpoint you produce should tell a consistent story of your employee value proposition.

Core Values and Experience Attract at 1Password

Defining our values—keep it simple, put people first, and lead with honesty—and ensuring that our candidates receive these statements in the early stages of their interview process has been key to influencing candidate decisions to join 1Password. We have heard the feedback that these values, alongside our high-touch candidate experience that focuses on building a relationship with a talent acquisition partner, contribute to decisions to join our team. Our values, spotlighted on the 'Candidate 1Pager' that we created to give better insight into our company and culture, have been referred to as the concrete definitions that candidates need and can reference when deciding to join us.