In 2024, job seekers have plenty of career opportunities at their fingertips.
Companies looking to hire the best talent can’t rest on offering competitive salaries and bonuses anymore.
What you need is a more strategic approach to positioning your company as a desirable destination for candidates.
This is where employer branding comes in. Simply put, employer branding means having a clear and consistent message about the experiences your company provides to the candidate.
We’ve compiled a list of the five trends shaping successful employer branding strategies today.
Following these trends will increase your chances of landing your dream candidates.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Storytelling - founder’s journey
Telling your company story in a sincere and authentic way will leave a lasting impression on potential candidates. Instead of relying on old corporate narratives, focus on showcasing the hero’s journey the company’s founders are on.
What does this mean?
Before candidates apply or even consider working at your company, they want to learn about the backgrounds, visions, and values of the people driving the company forward.
By focusing on these aspects in your messages, you provide insight into your company’s growth trajectory and spark genuine interest in candidates.
Remember, candidates are drawn to compelling stories rather than company names.
2. Purpose-driven branding
In 2024, the best talent isn’t just looking to collect a paycheck — they crave making an impact.
You have to show what tangible impact candidates can have at your company, and how their role aligns with your company goals.
Today, there are three motivators for people: contractual, emotional, and impactful. Let’s have a look at these in detail.
Contractual: These include traditional motivators such as competitive compensation, bonuses, and benefits. It’s the foundation, but not enough to attract and retain top talent.
Emotional: These include networking, and building work relationships. Fulfilling these aspects will increase one’s sense of belonging.
Impactful: This category involves motivators related to challenging the status quo, pushing boundaries, and working on meaningful projects with a broader impact. This appeals to individuals who seek purpose and innovation in their work.
What does this mean for your recruitment communications?
Consider these motivators and reflect on your current strengths and weaknesses. Then, take a purpose-driven branding approach. Communicate the higher purpose that your company has on the world, and how the candidate will make an impact in their job role.
3. Personalization and Candidate Experience
With AI emerging, it can be difficult for candidates to understand whether the messages they receive from companies are from an actual human.
Also, is the CV read by the hiring manager, or does it end up in an algorithm?
This is where smaller companies can stand out from the crowd and attract top talent — by providing personable hiring experiences.
You can achieve this already during the first touchpoints — candidate reach-out letters. Don’t just rely on AI-generated messages. While it can be effective when sending out many reachouts, prioritize quality over quantity.
Find something about the candidate’s background or experience that caught your interest, and start your message with that. From there, be honest and direct about your recruitment process, and keep the candidate from guessing.
Small details like these can go a long way in enhancing your candidate experience, and therefore, your employer brand.
4. Emphasis on Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
An employer value proposition (EVP) means you have a clear and compelling answer about why someone should work for you.
A common misconception about EVP is that it’s merely a nice slogan or a statement on a careers page.
In reality, a complete EVP takes a value-oriented approach. It talks about your culture, the kind of people you are, the employee experiences you provide, and your commitment to your employees.
How do you know whether your value proposition is good?
Here are the five aspects that make up a compelling value proposition with questions that guide you in crafting your EVP.
Brand alignment and values:
Does your EVP connect to your product/service?
Does your EVP align with your company values?
Uniqueness and originality:
Does your EVP have standout features?
Is your EVP different from your competitors?
Resonance:
Does your EVP appeal to your target audience?
Does your EVP evoke an emotional connection among candidates?
Memorability:
Can you remember your EVP by heart?
Does your EVP stick in your audience’s mind?
Conversation generation:
Does your EVP generate stimulating discussions?
Does your audience engage with your EVP?
A compelling EVP covers all of these aspects. Your EVP should be so obvious that when you say it, your employees agree without hesitation.
Remember that you should build your EVP from the ground up. It means surveying and interviewing employees from all levels and gathering info about what makes your company a desirable place to work. Managers, CEOs, and leaders can have an idea that is very different from reality.
To learn more about how to get started with employer branding, check out our interview with Wolt’s Head of Employer Brand, Isabella Lampela.
5. Personal branding
People want to work with people who are successful and who inspire them. A way to make your company more attractive among candidates is to invest in your personal branding. This is especially relevant for early-stage founders who must make their first hires and beyond. For these founders, building a reputation within the industry will work wonders for candidate attraction.
Start by building an online presence on channels where your target candidates are active. By consistently sharing expertise and engaging with the community, founders can attract potential hires who resonate with their values and goals.
To learn more about how to get started with personal branding, check out our webinar with multi-time founder and marketer Peep Laja.
Takeaways
In 2024, more than simply offering competitive salaries to candidates is needed. Top talent seeks purpose, personalization, and authentic connections. Adopt these practices, and you are prepared to position your company as an attractive destination for candidates.
Curious to know your company’s ability to attract talent? Check out our employer branding self-assessment guide.