In the competitive landscape of talent acquisition, establishing a compelling employer brand has become essential for attracting top candidates. As companies strive to stand out and become the employer of choice, employer branding has emerged as a crucial component. A strong and compelling employer brand can help organizations attract, engage, and retain high-quality candidates.
However, building an effective employer brand is not without its pitfalls. Many organizations unknowingly make common employer branding mistakes that obstruct their ability to connect with the right talent. Ultimately it affects the organisation’s capability to achieve their recruitment goals.
In this blog post, we will explore the five most prevalent employer branding mistakes and provide practical insights on how to avoid them.
1. Lack of Authenticity
The lack of authenticity in employer branding occurs when a company portrays a false or inconsistent representation of its culture, values, or working environment. This image is usually misleading or inconsistent with the actual reality. This mistake can undermine the trust and credibility of the organization, making it difficult to attract and retain top talent. It happens when a company exaggerates its positive aspects, ignores any shortcomings, or presents an idealized version of its workplace.
To address the lack of authenticity in employer branding, it is important to prioritize transparency and honesty. The solution lies in aligning the employer branding efforts with the true organizational culture and values. Instead of presenting a perfect version of the workplace, focus on showcasing the authentic experiences of your employees. Highlight their achievements, challenges, and growth within the organization. This helps potential candidates understand what working at the company is like.
You can also encourage employees to share their stories and perspectives about their work experience. This can be done through written testimonials, videos, or interviews. Authentic employee voices provide genuine insights into the company culture and build trust among potential candidates.
For example, look at how P&G share “day 1 employee video stories” on their website. these testimonials are shared by employees working in different countries and provide potential employees a glimpse of what your life might look like if you join p&g.
Source: https://www.pgcareers.com/pg-stories
These type of employer stories helps organizations to build a strong employer brand that resonates with candidates and employees. It helps to build trust among candidates, attract the right talent and creates a positive reputation in the job market.
2. Not Promoting Your Brand on Social Networks
Not promoting your employer brand on social networks is a significant employer branding mistake that can hinder your ability to attract the right talent. In today’s digital age, social media platforms offer a valuable opportunity to showcase your company culture, values, and employer brand to a wide audience. Failing to leverage these platforms means missing out on engaging with potential candidates and effectively communicating your employer’s value proposition.
When a company neglects to promote their employer branding on social networks, they are essentially limiting their visibility. They are also missing out on the chance to engage with a vast pool of potential candidates. They miss the opportunity to connect with passive job seekers who may not actively be looking for new opportunities but can be influenced by compelling employer branding content. Moreover, competitors who actively promote their employer brand on social media gain a competitive advantage in attracting top talent.
To overcome this mistake, organizations should develop a strategic approach to promoting their employer branding on social networks. This involves creating a robust social media strategy that aligns with the company’s employer value proposition and target audience. The strategy should include regular and engaging content creation, active engagement with followers, and leveraging employee advocacy.
Let us look at how Marriott International, a leading global hospitality company effectively utilizes Facebook as part of their recruitment strategy.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/marriottjobsandcareersMEA
Marriott maintains a dedicated Careers page on Facebook, which serves as a central hub for job seekers to explore opportunities within the company. This page showcases current job openings, provides information about the company culture, and highlights employee stories and experiences. They also regularly share updates about company initiatives, employee spotlights, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into their properties and events.
People come to the site to peruse current openings and apply for positions, but they leave with a sense of what it would be like to work for the company. Candidates’ questions are answered in real-time in “Career Chats” hosted by the company. The employees answering the questions use their first names to humanize the process. Along with the user engagement that this personal touch fosters, it also encourages candidates to think of themselves as part of the company.
3. Ignoring Negative Reviews
Ignoring negative online reviews is a significant employer branding mistake that can have detrimental effects on a company’s reputation. Online reviews and ratings play a crucial role in shaping perceptions of organizations.
When a company ignores negative online reviews, it sends the message that it does not value employee feedback or take their concerns seriously. This can lead to a decline in employee morale, engagement, and ultimately, retention. Additionally, potential candidates who research the company online may be deterred by negative reviews. It impacts the company’s ability to attract top talent.
Ignoring negative reviews can also hinder the company’s ability to address and resolve underlying issues within the organization. Constructive feedback from employees can provide valuable insights into areas that need improvement. By dismissing or disregarding this feedback, the company misses out on the opportunity to make positive changes and enhance its employer brand.
Source: https://salestalentinc.com/blog/negative-glassdoor-reviews/
To address this issue, try to actively monitor online review platforms and employee feedback platforms to identify negative reviews in a timely manner. Respond promptly and professionally to acknowledge the concerns raised and offer assistance or clarification. Demonstrating a proactive approach to addressing feedback shows that the company is committed to employee satisfaction and continuous improvement.
4. Neglecting the Candidates Experience
The candidate experience refers to the overall journey and interactions that a candidate goes through during the recruitment process. It ranges from the initial application to the final decision-making stage. When companies fail to prioritize and enhance the candidate experience, it can result in a negative perception of the organization. It leads to a loss of potential candidates and a damaged employer brand.
Studies report that candidates usually experience a lack of communication, long waiting times, and disorganized interview processes. Many candidates also expressed frustration and disappointment due to the lack of transparency and feedback throughout the recruitment process. This negative experience not only discourage candidates from pursuing opportunities within the organization but also led to negative word-of-mouth and a tarnished employer brand reputation.
To overcome this, you can streamline your recruitment process using an ATS to make it more efficient and less time-consuming.
You can use recruiting software like Talentpool that facilitates effective candidate engagement and communication. Recruiters can send personalized email notifications, updates, and interview invitations directly from the platform. Additionally, the system can automate candidate status updates and notifications, ensuring candidates stay informed about their application progress.
You can also establish clear channels of communication and provide regular updates to candidates throughout the recruitment process. Promptly acknowledge receipt of applications, provide timely feedback, and notify candidates about the outcome of their application, even if it is negative. Transparent and open communication helps candidates feel valued and respected. These features enhance communication and create a positive candidate experience.
Source: https://demo.thetalentpool.co.in/web/#/app/recruitment/login
5. Lack of Creativity
Lack of creativity is a significant mistake that can have a negative impact on your employer brand. When employer branding lacks creativity, it becomes bland, unmemorable, and fails to differentiate the company from its competitors.
One common manifestation of the lack of creativity in employer branding is the use of generic messaging that does One common manifestation of the lack of creativity in employer branding is the use of generic messaging that does not resonate with candidates. This includes using cliché phrases or generic statements about company culture and values. Such messaging fails to capture the attention of candidates and leaves them with a forgettable impression of the employer brand.
Lack of creativity can also result in repetitive content that fails to engage candidates. Recycling the same content or rehashing old ideas can lead to content fatigue and disinterest among the target audience. Candidates may perceive the employer brand as unoriginal and uninspiring. Another aspect of the lack of creativity is the use of generic visuals in employer branding materials. This includes stock photos or generic images that do not accurately represent the company or its employees. It can make the employer brand appear impersonal and disconnected from reality.
Creativity should extend beyond the messaging and visuals to the entire recruitment process. A lack of innovation in recruitment practices can result in a monotonous and unexciting candidate experience, leading to disengagement and reduced interest in the employer brand.
To overcome this, inject creativity into messaging by using unique and authentic language that reflects the organization’s personality and values. Develop a distinctive tone of voice and craft messages that showcase the company’s unique selling points and employee experiences. Use storytelling techniques to bring the employer brand to life and engage candidates on an emotional level. Try to experiment with different content formats, such as podcasts, interactive quizzes, or virtual reality experiences, to deliver information in engaging and memorable ways. You can also incorporate creative elements into the recruitment process, such as gamified assessments, virtual reality interviews, or interactive assessment centres.
One example of a creative employer branding content is Google’s “How We Hire” video. The video provides an inside look into Google’s hiring process and culture, showcasing their unique approach to talent acquisition.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhUgaKb0s5A
In this video, two Google recruiters give insight into Google’s recruitment process and what the team looks out for at every stage of recruitment. Their goal is to show how thorough and objective the recruitment process is, so everyone gets a fair chance at success.
They also go the extra mile to burst some popular myths that might discourage interested persons from applying for open roles at the company.
This recruitment video is engaging, interactive, and reflective of the company’s innovative culture. It effectively captures the attention of candidates, showcases the company’s values, and reinforces Google’s reputation as an innovative and desirable employer.
Conclusion
In such a competitive job market, the last thing you want to do is ignore your company’s branding. That’s why you need to avoid these 5 employer branding mistakes. Doing so will help you avoid taking steps in the wrong direction, which will allow your employment brand to remain strong and effective. In return, your employment brand will more successfully attract the right talent to your organization.
