Is it the Role or the Brand That Attracts Candidates?

It’s tough competition between companies to be seen as “the best place to work,” but what is the biggest pull for candidates? Is it the brand reputation and company culture or the specifics of the role itself?

The Evolution of the Employer Brand

In recent years, companies have become increasingly focused on establishing a deep-rooted employer proposition. Today a strong and upright brand foundation is essential, and if a work experience fails to deliver on the promises of the brand, you may fail to retain talent. A clear employer brand that displays integrity and a strong vision is now a core component of a robust HR strategy and is vital to continually audit how your business is perceived internally and externally. Even with a steadfast, blue-chip brand reputation, companies still need to differentiate themselves from competitors in the same sector. Where relevant, companies must sell their:

• Company culture
• Market position
• Passion for innovation
• Working benefits
• Overcome any concerns associated with their particular industry

Most strong candidates will do their homework on these topics anyway, so make sure your brand messaging works hard to show you as a premium employer of choice.

Having More Work Experience Shifts Preference

In a perfect world, a candidate lands the ideal job with the perfect brand – but every box isn’t always ticked. Entry-level employees may be less concerned with the specifics of a role as they don’t yet have the experience to place emphasis on the intricacies of a position. They may be more swayed by brand recognition and feel a sense of affinity with certain lifestyle brands. Equally, at the beginning of a career, many candidates feel that a big name brand on their resume will be of more benefit to them than finding an exact job match. With more experience under your belt, the finer details of a specific role may become a higher priority – along with the potential for increased responsibility. Location and global presence could also play a part in a candidate’s decision – so organizations really need to push any international scope when honing their employer brand.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

An employer brand isn’t always a one size fits all proposition. For example, a fresh, contemporary media or fashion brand may not need to work very hard in order to have top-level marketing professionals knocking on their door. However, this same employer brand may not appeal in the same way to experienced software developers. For technology jobs, candidates may be more concerned about the type of work they’ll be doing, what niche knowledge they’ll be applying and exactly how they’ll be managed. It’s likely that an employer brand will need to flex in order to promote different facets of its personality to different candidate groups.