Employer Branding
How are employer branding and recruitment connected?
30 SEPTEMBER 2024
How are employer branding and recruitment connected?
Employer branding creates interest and trust; recruitment turns it into the right hires. A strong employer brand brings more and better candidates, shorter time to hire and lower cost per hire, and every recruitment in turn shapes how you are perceived through the candidate experience.
A strong employer brand retains and attracts talent, and a great recruitment experience strengthens the brand even further. Hand in hand, a recruitment process with employer branding at its core will not only help you fill open positions, but also attract talent in the long term who truly share your values and are ready to contribute to your vision.
The difference between employer branding and recruitment marketing
Employer branding and recruitment marketing are often used interchangeably, but they are different things. Employer branding is about showing your company as an attractive workplace to current and potential employees. Recruitment marketing is mainly about marketing open positions to attract applications from the right candidates, and it ends once the role is filled.
Employer branding, on the other hand, is an ongoing process with a long-term goal of shaping how people perceive the company. Building a successful employer brand takes time, but once it is established it delivers long-term results, not least in recruitment.
Why employer branding matters in your recruitment strategy
Whether or not you work actively with your employer brand during recruitment, candidates’ experience of their contact with you will shape how they see your employer brand. From the first touchpoint via a job ad or career site to the final steps of the process, every interaction leaves an impression and plays a key role in how candidates see you as an employer.
Activating your employer brand throughout the candidate journey is therefore essential to attract the right candidates. Below are our tips on how to weave your employer brand into recruitment, step by step.
How to weave your employer brand into recruitment
Understand your current position in the talent market
A key first step is understanding how others perceive your employer brand, so you know what to work on. Survey employees, analyse feedback from previous candidates and keep an eye on review platforms where candidates and employees leave reviews.
Build an active online presence
Build your digital presence through blogs, podcasts and webinars with content relevant to your industry and culture. Being where candidates are, with information tailored to them, helps you reach the right audiences and give a complete picture of your company.
Stand out with your job ad
Most job ads are full of tired clichés. Yet the job ad is often the first impression a candidate gets of your employer brand. Drop the clichés and write a job ad in line with your brand that engages and includes.
Focus on onboarding
First impressions matter. A well-planned onboarding process that makes new hires feel welcome not only helps them get up to speed quickly, it also strengthens your brand from day one.
Let employees share their experiences
An employer brand becomes far more credible when employees communicate and answer questions, rather than the company itself. Encourage employees to share their experiences and feature them on your career site or social media. It gives a transparent, honest view of your culture and builds internal pride.
Communicate transparently and consistently
Whether on your website, social media or job ads, make sure your messages about culture and values are consistent. A coherent brand builds a strong employer brand.
Highlight your values and benefits
When more people stay with their employer because of an uncertain world, meeting employees’ expectations is key to keeping them engaged. The same applies when attracting new people in a market already marked by skills shortages. Clearly highlighting your unique benefits and what sets you apart helps candidates understand early on what you offer, and why they should choose you.
Measure the impact so you can improve
Activating your employer brand takes time and resources, so make sure the activities you invest in deliver the results you want. Read more in Data-driven employer branding with KPIs.
Let us help you!
Want a competitive position in the talent market that attracts the right candidates? As the Nordics’ only combined employer branding and recruitment agency, we help you with both.
Read also: Employer branding in Sweden: agencies and platforms compared
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between employer branding and recruitment?
Employer branding is about how you are perceived as an employer over time. Recruitment is about filling a specific role.
Why combine employer branding and recruitment?
Messages stay consistent across ads, interviews and campaigns, and insights from recruitment improve the employer brand.
Are there agencies that do both?
Yes. Oddwork is the Nordics’ only combined agency for employer branding and recruitment.