Building a consistent talent pipeline depends upon many things, but one of the most important is your branding. Whether you are Ed-Exec, Inc. or Apple branding is key. This article will help you take a good, hard look at your brand and messaging and how it is perceived by your current staff and to candidates who may be an excellent fit for your open positions.
Vincent Scaramuzzo, President, Ed-Exec, Inc.
BETTER BRANDING = BETTER RECRUITING PIPELINE
There are three fundamental questions to ask when you are looking at your branding as it relates to recruiting.
1. What is the tone of the current branding?
2. What do your hiring managers and employees think of the branding?
3. Do you make promises that you do not or can not keep?
Wikipedia aptly defines employer branding as such: “Employer brand denotes an organization’s reputation as an employer.” Essentially, the employer brand is the company’s lifestyle. This lifestyle is the foundation for advertising, marketing, public relations, and talent management. Your brand and your reputation is the basis for your talent pipeline. It should have a clear value proposition and be authentic.
Utilize your company’s website to share the organization’s values and mission. Do not bury this information on pages that are rarely viewed. It is important to remember that all customers are potential employees, thus creating and sustaining your recruiting pipeline.
One of the best ways to bolster your recruiting pipeline is through compelling job posts. The first three sentences of the post should pique the reader’s interest in the organization AND the opportunity. Highlight perks such as “cutting edge technology,” “professional development opportunities,” or “volunteerism.” Including a brief video illustrating a day in the life at your organization will allow candidates to imagine themselves working with you. When you tap into a person’s imagination, they become excited to become a part of the team.
Even if you do not have specific job opportunities at the moment, always be open to hiring. Allow candidates to submit their application and resume to create a robust pipeline. Top talent is in high demand; most organizations can find a need fora Grade-A candidate regardless of vacancies.
Finally, utilize referrals from existing team members to fill your recruiting pipeline. Referrals makeup 40% of all hires, but are only 7% of applicants. Create a referral program that encourages and rewards your employees for referring people. Filling your pipeline with referrals is a great way to have a large pool of potentially pre-screened talent.
Branding is necessary not only for attracting customers, but for attracting talent. Make sure your branding is authentic, positive, and honest so you can create a recruiting pipeline that is full of top talent at all times.
*Not all articles are original works of Vincent Scaramuzzo or Ed-Exec, Inc.*
Vincent Scaramuzzo is the President of Ed-Exec, Inc. A leading Education Executive Search Firm. He is also a contributing author to various education publications regarding education recruiting. As a specialist in the education field for over a decade, Scaramuzzo works nationally. He can be contacted at vincent@ed-exec.com 860-781-7641.