Maintain Your Company’s Brand Integrity with a Smarter Approach to Recruiting

Every employer wants to attract high-caliber candidates.  However, much too often, employers lose sight of how their search process can negatively impact not only the candidate’s experience, but also their company brand.     

When establishing your search process, begin by thinking of your candidates as customers.  What kind of experience do you want for your customers? When your candidate completes the process, regardless of the outcome, what do you want them to say about their experience with your company?  Given the current hiring challenges facing employers, it’s important now more than ever to ensure candidates have a positive, engaging and seamless experience from start to finish.   An intentional approach to recruiting and your search process not only increases the chances for success, but it also helps support your company’s brand integrity.     

Convey Authenticity

Experiencing a strong sense of authenticity is extremely important for candidates.  They want to be part of organizations where they align with their mission, values and culture. This begins with the information that is accessible through your website, social media and online reviews.  Top quality candidates will do their research as they want to know if you are who you say you are.  Begin by evaluating the communications you’re crafting to attract candidates.  Are they consistent with your brand identity?  Are you able to distinctively articulate the value proposition on what sets you aside as an employer?   

Develop a Strong Job Description

It’s important that your job description accurately reflects the responsibilities, requirements and qualifications of the position.  A description that is too vague will not provide the candidate with a strong understanding of the role. If it’s too detailed, it may come across as overly confusing.  Be sure to put in the time effort to really understand what you want from the role.  A well-developed job description will clearly reflect the company’s mission, culture of the organization, the realities of the job, and the qualities you’re looking for in a candidate.  Once you’re set on it, be sure to stick with it!  Don’t find yourself changing the specs mid-process as this will send up immediate red flags for candidates.   

Be Realistic About Your Process

When you’re prepared to launch, be intentional and strategic with how you plan to conduct the search and who will be involved.  How many interviews and steps will be part of the process?  How long do you want the search open?  Who will be involved with interviewing?  Who will be the decision maker(s) in the process?  All too often, companies drag out searches over several weeks and months.  Candidates are left hanging in the balance and the more time that passes, the stronger the likelihood that you’ll lose out on quality candidates.  An interview process should include no more than two interview stages within a two-week period.  It’s important that the process and timeline is clear to the candidate.  Remember, you’re helping to build brand satisfaction and loyalty.  

Ensure the Search Process is Engaging

Let’s be frank, serving as the hiring manager brings its own set of challenges with balancing your daily responsibilities while running a search.  It’s important to prioritize the time and effort you put into making the process both seamless and engaging.  Ask yourself these important questions:  If I were a candidate going through this process, how would I walk away from each step in the process?  How would this reaction impact my opinion of the company brand?  Remember to be intentional with establishing candidate touch points or check-ins throughout the process.  While utilizing technology such as automated online scheduling, texting, and voice-recorded interviews are advantageous to streamlining processes, it’s really important for candidates to feel a connection to your team and company during the process.  Don’t miss out on important opportunities to keep them engaged.   

Avoid Low Ball Offers

There’s nothing worse than getting an all-star candidate to the finish line and then extending a low-ball offer.  This is not only insulting to the candidate, it can also impact your company’s reputation.  First, be transparent with candidates about the position’s salary range.  Candidates should have a clear understanding of the background, skills, and experience needed to align with your target salary.  Second, when you reach the offer stage, don’t undercut the candidate.  It’s much more effective to entirely pass on a candidate, then provide an offer that will offend the candidate and potentially damage your brand.  Word travels fast, particularly if you consistently extend below-market offers. 

As you consider your strategies for recruitment, remember that as much as you’re interviewing a candidate, they’re also interviewing you.  More importantly, they’re sizing up your brand.  The experience you provide during the search process has a far-reaching impact well beyond just the decision to hire or decline.  As you work to create a positive brand identity, be sure not to lose sight of the importance of promoting it during your search process.