This is a continuation of Part 3. Hence, if you missed the earlier parts, you can access it through the below links. Recommend reading them before proceeding below. Let’s continue with the macro reasons why Employers don’t find good candidates
Can’t Hire Good Candidates? This is why (Part 1)
Can’t Hire Good Candidates? This is why (Part 2)
Can’t Hire Good Candidates? This is why (Part 3)
In this part, I want to focus on the impact of branding & competition.
# 8. Do not have a Cohesive Employer & Consumer Brand
We live in a branded world. Companies that manage to have a cohesive and integrated Employer & Consumer brand appeal tend to be more attractive to candidates. Companies such as Nike, Apple and Google have a very balanced Employer and Consumer branding. These are not my top 3, but just an example of the several other companies who manage to do so. This aspect needs great amount of attention as it determines the “Pull Factor” towards your company.
You don’t need to be a big brand to attract talent, but you need to be big in branding
Brand appeals to all – Whether you are hiring for junior or Executive roles, millennial or baby boomers, technical or functional roles, New York or Beijing. Brand is an efficient enabler – without you saying or doing anything, a positive brand experience/perception will help candidates to respond warmly towards your recruiting efforts. At the same time, the negative experiences that people have or heard about your brand will make them think twice. Hence, you want to get this right – as much as possible.
Companies that have a good consumer brand but not an attractive employer brand as well as a company that has an attractive employer brand but not a good consumer brand will fail to attract top talent.
How is your recruitment team and efforts portraying your brand? What branding picture does your website offer? What brand image and message do you emanate during your contact with candidates? Do you behave consistent with your external and internal brand image? Is there a gap between what you portray and what exists?
What do you do to promote your employer branding? How do you know it works? How do you stand out in terms of attracting top candidates? How great is it to work in your company? Are you branding around your strengths?
What do your current employees think about working for you? Do they love it? Will they refer your company to others?
# 9. You do not fare well with Competition
Competition for good candidates is fierce. They are in short supply. Ask anyone who regularly recruits candidates – they will tell you how difficult it is to find good candidates. To find a candidate who has a good balance of personality, attitude, skill and experience is daunting.
Technology has grown rapidly, created a more connected world, given innovative tools. Yet, these have not helped in solving the problem – To find good candidates quickly and cost effectively remains to be the biggest challenge.
Competition is likely to get hotter. It is an interesting fact that we live in a well networked and globalized economy, yet competition for talents have never been so fierce unlike now. If you are not going to get good candidates, somebody is going to get them
Your competitors deploy aggressive strategies and practices to snap up top talent. Unless you are proactive, aggressive and act with a sense of urgency, you are going to lag behind. It doesn’t do good to hire anything less than good candidates.
What strategy do you deploy to stay ahead of your game? What competitive advantage do you have? What do you have in your arsenal to beat competition? What do you do to pick up the slack? How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?
If you really want the key to success, start by doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing – Brad Szollose
Summary
To conclude part 4, the reasons why Employers are not able to hire good candidates are
- The Employer and Consumer Brand of the company is not cohesive
- Companies struggle to keep up with the competition
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