<p>Your company has a reputation for the product you sell and services you provide, but have you also thought about your company’s reputation as an employer? In order to attract the right candidates to apply for roles within your company, you will need to market yourself as a great employer to work for. Businesses create employer branding strategies to attract, engage and retain candidates and employees that are the right fit for their company.<br />
<img style="margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5021/5621810815_185b86a50d.jpg" alt="People often research a company before applying for a role there so a good employer reputation is essential!" width="500" height="333" /><br />
<strong>Improving your company’s employer branding</strong><br />
Before you begin marketing your company to potential candidates it is essential to carry out thorough research on your intended audience, similarly to when you are marketing a product. It is also recommended that you take a look at the bigger picture by benchmarking your company against your close competitors, as well as the industry leaders. This will help you to identify the areas where you are doing well and those that require improvement.<br />
In order to get a better understanding of how your company is perceived as an employer you will need to gather information from your current employees. Employer branding also involves developing employee value propositions. This is your unique employment offer that entices candidates to join your company and motivates employees to succeed in their roles. Employees who receive a fair balance of rewards and benefits for their achievements and success are more likely to feel satisfied within their job roles. This is beneficial for a business’s employer branding strategy, as low staff turnover rates suggest to candidates that you value your employees and look after their needs.<br />
<strong> Marketing your business as a great employer</strong><br />
When it comes to marketing your business to potential candidates it is essential to do your research so that you target the right communication channels at the right time. Employer branding involves producing bespoke strategies for a wide range of channels which can include your company website, intranet and social media. You may even want to take it a step further by attending job fairs, events and workshops if you believe it will aid you in your search to find the right people to work for your business. Innovation and originality is always appealing to candidates, so finding unique qualities that make you stand out from your competitors is essential.<br />
Although marketing your employer branding externally is important, your business will also benefit from marketing internally too. Your current employees are essentially ambassadors for your company, therefore it is important that they understand the values the company promotes and its aims for the future. Their involvement in your employer branding strategy may even lead to improvements in other areas of your business, such as marketing strategies.<br />
<strong>Benefits of employer branding</strong><br />
An effective and well executed employer branding strategy will ensure that you attract the right candidates to your company. It is important to get it first time as the recruitment process takes up time, money and resources. The reputation of your company as an employer will have a direct effect on the decision a person makes to either apply for a job at your company, or to apply at one of your competitors’ instead. Marketing your employer branding will help you to define the values of your company as an employer to your target audience. It will enable them to see what kind of company they would be joining and why they should join your company.<br />
<img style="margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6125/5987710858_b32ef31480.jpg" alt="Employer branding will help you find the right candidates first time." width="400" height="300" /><br />
<strong>Conclusion</strong><br />
An effective employer branding strategy will aid your business in terms of growth and development. It will also enable you to become a stronger competitor within your industry, as people will perceive your business as the most desirable place to work. This will give you the first choice of talented candidates which will add value to your business over time.</p>
<h5>Featured images:</h5>
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<li> <span class="license">License: Creative Commons</span> <span class="source">image source</span></li>
<li> <span class="license">License: Creative Commons</span> <span class="source">image source</span></li>
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<p>An article by Megan Hunt who suggests SAS London, Bayswater for employer branding exercises.</p>

Understanding The Importance Of Employer Branding
