In executive recruitment, brand authenticity is becoming an increasingly important moral obligation and tool to attract top talent from your industry. With COVID-19 restrictions loosening up across the nation, more candidates are looking to get back in the office with a company they can trust. The core elements of brand authenticity lie in integrity, transparency, and credibility. 

 

Have Integrity 

Maintaining a moral backbone draws the right candidates to your doorstep. But what does business morality mean? In simple terms, morality is the act of enabling people to perform honestly. In business, it starts by leading with ethics and treating your employees and customers right. Operating your company with integrity will have lasting positive effects on your organization’s reputation and employer brand. 

 

Be Transparent 

Think back to your past. Have you ever gotten a job and been disappointed within your first few days at the company? This means there was a disconnect between how you perceived the company during the hiring process versus the realities of your role and organization. Avoid this pitfall by having clear-cut messaging that addresses your company’s operations, purpose, values, and culture. Being transparent about what your candidates can expect when working for you will strengthen their trust as well as prevent employee turnover and increase employee retention. 

 

Encourage Brand Advocacy 

Make sure the people you employ have good things to say about the business you’re running. Check-in every so often and ensure your work family is satisfied with the jobs they perform and the work they do. Oftentimes, when new talent considers a position, they reach out via platforms such as LinkedIn or Glassdoor to gain insider perspectives on what it’s like working for your company. If your team is empowered by their work, they will gladly advocate for your organization to prospective candidates. 

 

Social Media Marketing 

Spreading awareness of your brand via social media is crucial to attracting the right candidates. Focus your efforts on building up the platforms that make the most sense for your target audiences such as LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube. Use these channels to reinforce your company’s purpose and share your value proposition in the market. Make the content effective, appealing, and easily digestible in a way that seamlessly matches your brand’s voice. 

 

Why Focus on Branding? 

Good branding provides your recruiters with a higher caliber of candidates instead of a higher volume. In the long run, you and your team will be thankful for the strides you made early on to establish your brand in its most authentic light. People these days are less willing to compromise on their values and happiness in a position, so being straightforward early on weeds out who doesn’t align with the brand’s vision. 

 

In Summary 

As industries across the nation advance the ways in which they recruit top talent, we will continue to see authenticity take precedent. By weaving these elements into the core of your business standards, top industry talent will gravitate to your doorstep and the hiring process will yield more promise than ever before.

-Written By Aisha Kaddi