I am often surprised at how much I speak about this topic with tech businesses in South Africa and the UK. The art of recruitment is not only about reactive placement – recruiting as the need arrives – but about positioning your business to generate employee appeal. There are such quick, simple changes you can make that instantly elevate the employer branding of your business, making it easier for excellent candidates to notice you and apply directly. Apart from the exponential effect – the more you’re noticed, the more you’re noticed – there is a significant reduction in cost and time of placement. We’ve seen this numerous times with our clients.
While the strategy that goes into creating a great employer brand is a project on its own, there are some simple recommendations you as a business leader can consider without a lengthy project.
1. The online recruitment home of a business
You may be surprised to know that this is not your website. Yes, your website and careers page are important. But most candidates (especially those headhunted or simply curious) are likely to go find your business on LinkedIn first. So we need to make sure that your LinkedIn company page is an excellent representation of what it means to work in your business and make it clear how they can get there. Here’s how to do it:
- Ensure there is a clear call to action on your LinkedIn company page i.e.: We’re hiring, apply here!
- Consider changing your company name to “ABC Business – we are hiring!” Why? Because this shows up on all your employee profiles and status updates! It’s a super easy way to encourage individuals who are curious to visit your LinkedIn company page.
- Excellent branding is really important on your LinkedIn company page. This is a potential candidate’s first impression of the business. Is the cover image striking and branded appropriately? Is it clear what the business does and what sets it apart from its competitors? This type of information doesn’t take long to fix and can leave a lasting impression in the minds of those who visit the page.
2. Engagement, engagement, engagement!
Now that your LinkedIn company page is set up well, it’s vital to engage with potential candidates in your audience. You may want to consider a monthly social media calendar with a focus on recruitment but until then, consider these actions.
- Commit to writing one thought leadership LinkedIn article per month on topics that your potential candidates will care about, such as your approach to leadership, what you look for in potential candidates and employees, the career growth you’ve witnessed in your sector / tech stack. This starts to set you apart as a leader people want to work for, which is recruitment magic!
- Ask your team to share photos of fun days, events at the office, CSI initiatives and other similar gatherings. Share these via the company LinkedIn page, tagging your team in them. It gives an awesome ‘insider’s view’ into what it’s like to work at your business and will show up on your team’s profiles too, giving your business even more positive branding exposure.
- Ask several of your high performers to write 1-2 paragraphs on why they chose to work in the business - and why they love it. Share this, along with a pic of them on the LinkedIn company page. Candidates and potential candidates want to hear from real humans in the business.
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Candice Clark is the founder and Managing Director of Dynamic Talent