How Do You Communicate Company Values During the Recruitment Process?
HR Interviews
How Do You Communicate Company Values During the Recruitment Process?
Communicating company values effectively during recruitment is crucial for attracting the right talent. We've gathered six strategies from top HR professionals, including HR Directors and Heads of People. From leveraging LinkedIn for value socialization to embedding values in the interview experience, discover how to convey your company's ethos to prospective employees.
- Leverage LinkedIn for Value Socialization
- Embed Values in Recruitment Materials
- Incorporate Values into Interview Questions
- Showcase Values Through Employer Brand
- Translate Values into Behavioral Questions
- Embed Values in Interview Experience
Leverage LinkedIn for Value Socialization
During the initial HR phone screen, you have a short window to make a very strong impression. The first thing you can do is to build a strong initial LinkedIn presence. You socialize the values all the time, showcasing pictures and writing personalized posts that celebrate those moments. I hear all the time from people who have seen my posts and are happy to chat with me. It’s the consistency where it started out as a small action that changed into a platform, then a brand, and a movement.
During the interview, you get very personal about the values and do a little storytelling. Have the elevator pitch narrowed down and ensure the process is consistent. Leave each person with a piece of who you are. The values will clearly show in the passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm you demonstrated during that short phone call.
How I start is with authentic story time and allowing for the candidate to have some time to ask me any questions. As the recruiter, we can dominate the discussion, but you have to get so concise with making full use of the time. By leaving this sound impression, you will know you did well when you get the personalized thank-you note for the impactful discussion. The recruitment and selection process is not just you asking questions but the candidate getting to know more about the organization and if that environment is the right fit. That takes a personalized discussion to focus on what truly matters.
Embed Values in Recruitment Materials
We consistently message our Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles throughout the recruitment process. These components are embedded in our job postings, the main webpage of our company website, materials that we send to interviewees, and are constantly discussed throughout the screening and interview process.
Consistent discussion and reinforcement of these values is critical in determining a prospective candidate’s alignment with the organization's goals and objectives, as well as long-term fit. It’s about determining more than just whether the candidate has the skills to do the job (or for the candidate, whether the company is meeting their desired compensation package) -- but rather it is a focus on the 'why.' Why is it that this person wants to work here, and more importantly, what impact do they hope to make by working here.
Incorporate Values into Interview Questions
We ask one or two questions with a very specific linkage to one of our values per interview. For example, 'Tell me about the last time you changed your opinion on something' is linked to our value of continuous learning. We then word the question appropriately - 'One of our values is continuous learning, so could you tell me...' etc.
Showcase Values Through Employer Brand
We have an employer brand that showcases our values across all touchpoints, so candidates see them everywhere. This includes our social media posts, recruitment videos, and the content on our careers page. We share stories and initiatives that align with our values—sustainability, community outreach, and diversity—so we tell candidates what we stand for and show them how we live it in the business. This transparency helps us attract people who are passionate about the same things, so they're more likely to be a cultural fit.
This has worked really well in bringing in talent that shares our values, and new hires are more aligned with the company mission. Candidates who resonate with our values are more engaged, motivated, and invested in their work from day one. By embedding our values into every part of our employer brand, we've created a recruitment process that doesn't just fill roles but builds a workforce that's connected to the organization's purpose and vision. This alignment is key to long-term employee satisfaction and retention as it creates a culture where everyone is working towards the same goals.
Translate Values into Behavioral Questions
As a recruiter, I work closely with Human Resources when hiring, and I've noticed that lately, values are as important as credentials and experience. It's top of mind for most companies. But conveying one's ethos can be tricky. Often, what neatly fills a mission statement is far too vague to apply to real-life personalities.
That's where I come in. Translating core values into actionable behavior is key to hiring the right people for the role, so I've come up with a series of questions that evaluate candidates on a deeper level. These aren't right-or-wrong inquiries. One example asks applicants whether they'd prefer to watch a newly-released film in the cinema on the weekend or stay in and hit play on an old favorite. Obviously, either answer is acceptable, but the former shows a craving for novelty and uniqueness, while the latter suggests a willingness to maintain the status quo.
One would be perfect for a startup; the other better suited to a legacy company.
Embed Values in Interview Experience
One effective way I've found to communicate company values during the recruitment process is by embedding them into the interview experience itself. For example, if innovation is a core value, we ask candidates to present creative solutions to real-world challenges we've faced. This not only assesses their problem-solving skills but also shows them that we value and expect innovative thinking.
Similarly, for a company that prioritizes integrity, we might incorporate ethical dilemmas into the interview, observing how candidates navigate complex situations. If diversity and inclusion are central, we could involve a diverse panel of interviewers to emphasize our commitment and ask candidates how they've contributed to inclusive environments in the past.
By integrating these values into the recruitment process through tailored questions and scenarios, we ensure that candidates experience firsthand what the company stands for. This approach fosters a deeper, more authentic connection with potential hires, aligning them with our culture from the very start.
