If you want to attract top talent, it requires more than just a competitive salary and benefits package. Employees are increasingly looking for companies with whom their values align. So defining your company’s core values, and understanding how to brand yourself can go a long way. Creating a strong employer brand will help distinguish your company and is essential for attracting and retaining high-performing employees. Employer branding encompasses your organization’s reputation and core values. And creating your employer branding helps to show candidates why they should want to work with your company. Keep reading for tips on how to expand your employer branding and attract top talent.

Defining Core Values

Understanding and defining the core values of your company will help guide how you want to pursue employer branding and create a clear foundation for general decision-making. If you are having trouble defining your values, think back to the origin of your company and what it stands for. Think about the company culture and the values that will help shape and grow your organization in the right way. Values that are actionable are also important to help ensure alignment between your mission and your actions. Here’s an example: ATHENA’s Core Values statement.

What Does Employer Branding Look Like?

Employer branding involves both the experiences of your employees and applicants as well as communication efforts to brand your organization. This can look like a well-designed website with a careers page, an “about us” page and a core values page. It can include your company’s social media presence, blog page, and well-crafted job descriptions. Employer branding also happens during the interviewing and hiring process.

1. Effective Website

Having an effective website is one of the most important elements to employer branding, and it’s a key touchpoint for potential candidates to learn about your organization. To make a strong impact your website should be well designed and tell a story about who you are as an organization. This includes an engaging “About Us” page and a dedicated “Core Values” section that lets candidates know about the company’s mission, history, and team. This can give candidates a sense of who you are beyond the job postings.

2. Job Descriptions

Job descriptions might seem straightforward, but they’re often the first interaction candidates have with your company. Ensure that job descriptions not only outline the roles and responsibilities but also convey your company’s personality, culture, and employer branding to attract the right talent.

3. Candidate Experience

Every interaction a candidate has with your company reflects your employer branding, so it is crucial that these interviews, emails or other interactions align with the values and culture you’ve promoted. Having a positive candidate experience can help you attract top talent and enhance your employer branding and reputation.

4. Core Values and Social Media Marketing

Lastly, a way to expand your employer branding is to engage in social media marketing. If you don’t have a company blog or social media presence, think about creating one because leveraging these social campaigns can be a powerful way to amplify your brand’s presence and connect with a wider audience. By regularly sharing content that highlights your company culture, core values, or employee experiences, you can engage with potential candidates where they are most active.

Embedding Your Core Values

Embedding your core values into your employer branding is a highly effective strategy for attracting top talent. Highlighting what makes your company unique and consistently upholding those values will establish your reputation as a preferred employer in your industry.