Employer Brand Headlines: The "Suddenly Last Summer " Edition (#59)
In this edition:
Are you the best? Or something better?
Information into insight
What is engagement?
Community development?
Donuts and tacos
The Big Idea
“They’re not the best at what they do, they’re the only ones that do what they do.” - Bill Graham about The Grateful Dead
A company (I won’t name) launched its career site recently and posted its… values? Brand pillars? And I was stunned: there wasn’t a single one I hadn’t seen a dozen times at a dozen other companies.
I bet I could put together a pool of 12-15 of the most common (most over-used) pillars and sell them to companies: they shuffle the deck, pull four, pat each other on the back and start making posters. Even if I sell the deck for $10k, the companies would be saving a bundle on consultant fees.
Sorry, not sorry.
The goal of employer brand isn’t to find the most common threads that run through your company, but to find the things that make you distinctly YOU. Your dating profile doesn’t say how much you like converting oxygen into carbon dioxide, does it? Saying you are passionate about your customers or that everyone can bring their whole selves to work (especially without defining what you really mean by those things) is a waste of effort.
You should be thinking: I want my company to be know for one single thing, not because we’re the best at that thing, but because no other company can do this like we do. That’s the path.
Every brand can differentiate if they choose (you can even differentiate makers of plastic buttons), so the question is: why are companies choosing to differentiate? What are they worried about? Why don’t you truly differentiate?
On to the Headlines
We are awash in information and data. You’d think it would be easy to take some of that and turn it into brand pillars, strategies and messaging, but in reality it seems like there’s too much information. Don’t shut it out: here are strategies on how to turn info into insight.
We always like to talk about engaging candidates, but… what constitutes “engagement?” An impression? A like? A click? Watching a video? Signing up for your newsletter (I won’t call it a talent “community” until you let members talk to each other)? How long does it take to become engaged in your brand? Perhaps we’re measuring the wrong thing. Rather than focus on an action, maybe engagement is a function of time and intensity.
Speaking of community, we’re not the only ones struggling with the idea that we want to get people excited to learn more about us before we have the right role open. Turns out, consumer brands are trying to figure out the same puzzle. The first question you should ask is: what can I help my community members do?
What kind of video should you make? Well, it depends on what stage of the funnel your viewer is in.
Ye olde “day job” has me remembering that old line: The biggest mistake in communication is the belief that it has happened. One solution? Keep your communications clear. Which means making them simple.
Let’s face it: things aren’t going to get normal (or potentially much better) any time soon. Companies and brands that attempt to weather the storm rather than build a weatherproof shelter are not going to succeed, and that includes employer brands. So what are some things you should be doing now (and not doing any more) to embrace this reality?
Thinking that it may be time for a bit of a re-brand? Here are some questions you should ask before you do (because this is what your leadership will be asking you).
Technically, this article has nothing to do with employer brand, but Google’s three things marketers can do to accelerate digital marketing transformation sure sounds dead on: know your own first-party data, understand your customer journey and prioritize cross-functional collaboration.
Oof. When HBR is arguing against “talent management optimization,” you gotta ask: why aren’t we treating each and every employee like an artist? How is it that Taylorism is still alive and well?
Quick Hits
How 6 Brands Use Instagram Live in Their Marketing Strategy
Doughnuts, tacos and employer branding: Why hiring is a game of quality, not quantity (Except of my book on Recruitment Marketing Magazine
EB Tip Of The Week
Have you asked your marketing, comms and TA teams what they are getting from you of value? It may open your eyes. Good employer brand work should make a clear and obvious impact on all three of those teams. If they don’t see that impact, you need to figure out how to make it happen.
Thanks, everyone!
The mission of this whole thing is to help you get better at employer branding, so if you have questions or want me to consider other articles, just let me know (reply to this email and it comes straight to me).
Cheers!
-James Ellis (LinkedIn | Twitter | Podcast | Articles)
I tried to write the best book ever written on employer branding. I don’t know if I completely succeeded, but for 99 cents, you can decide for yourself.
By James Ellis, Employer Brand Nerd
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