Who Do You Want to Hire?
This is similar to asking a marketer who their target audience is. This question is important, so that the message being sent reaches the right people. For instance, you don't want to advertise on job boards that don't have the talent you're looking for. To answer this question for your recruitment needs, you will have to consider the type of people who would be most successful within your company. Who would be satisfied working for you and actually want to stick around for years to come? In order to find the right people, you will have to define your culture.
Defining the Culture of Your Company
Without knowing who your company is, you won't be able to find the right talent for open positions. By defining its culture, you can do just that. This can be done by doing a survey of your performers in the top 20% within your organization. Ask them questions like:
- What do you think our company's culture is?
- Why do you like working here?
- What attributes do you think are needed for employees to be successful here?
Transform Culture into Your Brand
Once you have an idea of the culture of your company, you should use this as your brand. Use your marketing professionals for assistance in creating a brand message for employment opportunities, which should communicate why your company is different from competitors. A good question to ask yourself is "What's unique about our company?"
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind while making your culture your brand:
- Use emotion over logic: When prospects come to your company building or Web site, they should see the heart of your business. People tend to respond more to stories instead of facts. Use photos of company events or showcase awards and recognitions that would matter to candidates.
- Employees are good for referrals: It's a fact that employee networks are a good resource pool for recruiting needs. Between 30% and 50% of external hires come from employee referrals. With that being known, be sure to speak with employees about presenting your company's brand.
- Have a consistent message: No one likes a company that is confused about its identity, so be sure that your company's message is portrayed the same on all fronts, including social media profiles, career web sites and any other place where your company has a presence.
