Introduction

Finding the right people is a daunting enough task. As a recruiter, you
know that your organization’s long-term success depends on hiring
candidates who are not just highly qualified, but well-suited to your
company culture-but what is it that attracts top talent to a
company in the first place?

More importantly, what causes businesses to struggle and fail at
finding strong culture fits for their organizations?
The answer to both questions is the same: employer branding.

A strong employer brand is a complex mechanism, consisting of
multiple elements, from company culture (mission, vision, and core
values) to candidate experience and employee engagement, to
name just a few. It’s a rich story you tell employees and candidates
alike about your business and its unique place in the market.

To put it more concretely, your employer brand is your company’s perceived image and reputation as a place to work — your organization’s corporate identity filtered through employee experience.

Many businesses don’t place enough value on creating and promoting a strong employer brand. As a result, when companies can’t find and retain top-quality hires, a weak employer brand is one of the most likely culprits.

The facts listed above are just some of the reasons we felt that employer branding deserved its own eBook. Here are a few others:

• Employer branding is an excellent way to define and promote the kind of value you have to oer future employees
• It will help you differentiate yourself from other organizations competing for the same talent.
• Your organization's chances of attracting talented job seekers
  and retaining valuable employees will increase
• You'll control the online conversation about your brand.
  

"If there is a lack of communication, people fill in the blanks."
Peggy Frazier VP Global Talent
Acquisition, Blackbaud (Formerly Microsoft & Apple)

Perhaps the most important fact about employer brand, however, is that your ability to build an all-star team and retain top talent depends on it. In such a highly competitive talent market as the one we’re experiencing now, it may be time to re-examine your talent acquisition strategies with an eye toward the importance of employer branding and to ask yourself if you’re focusing enough on developing and promoting a message that will attract new recruits.

If you’re not sure how to answer this last question, fear not! We’ve put
together a comprehensive guide to developing and promoting a strong brand narrative that speaks to your target audience. Think of
this as your playbook for effective employer branding.

As the competition for high-quality employees heats up, it may be
time to re-examine your talent acquisition strategies and focus more
on developing and promoting your message as a brand.