Company Branding – Why It’s More than Just Your Colors and Logos
When some people hear the phrase “company branding” they only think of colors and logos. While this is a part of the branding effort, it’s much more integrated and layered than that.
What Does Branding Mean to You?
It’s not necessary to get into the nitty gritty of creating a brand as a marketing professional would think about it. However, it is important to consider how your company’s branding is affecting the hiring functions in your office.
As managers or professionals in charge of talent acquisition, you must consider how your company’s brand and message might affect job recruitment. You have to ask yourself (and maybe colleagues in a brainstorming effort) these questions:
What messages are being sent out to your hiring audience?
Is your company sending out messages that will attract the person you want or don't want. For example, don't post in your job descriptions that the position offers autonomy and creative input if this is a structured, systems driven position.
What quality are your job postings, recruitment materials, or general marketing material?
Are your job postings easy to read and understand or are they too lengthy?
Is the application process straightforward?
Are your marketing materials (or any other form of presence) done professionally? Or do they look like an intern took an inexperienced try at Photoshop?
What does your social media presence say about your company?
Social media should look different depending on the brand of each company. Make sure your company’s personality and branding message are conveyed across all marketing platforms, including social media.
Understand Your Company’s Brand as a Job Seeker
As part of your company brand audit or reflection, you should consider how job seekers view your company. In particular, focus on what a job candidate would experience when applying to a job at the company. Consider these questions:
What is the experience like for job seekers?
Do you post clear job descriptions? If a job posting is confusing, too long, or too short, a potentially great fit for your company may not even apply. Be sure to communicate or demonstrate relevant company brand attributes in the job description.
Are you or team prompt with responses? Communication during the hiring process is a crucial way for the job seeker to develop a relationship with your company. While they might be in need of a job, they may think twice about a company who doesn’t communicate in a timely manner. This could, unfortunately, make them believe that the whole company operates at a slow, unproductive or unprofessional pace.
How does your company culture affect your true brand?
During the interview process, job seekers will get a preview of your company’s culture, which should be a delineation of your company’s branding efforts. To better understand if this is true for your company, you will want to know:
What do your current employees think about your company?
What are they sharing with the public?
After you take the time to review these branding ideas, you will have a better time understanding how your company’s brand is truly affecting your recruitment and even employee retention efforts.
