A key component of brand building, marketing and advertising is trust. And this isn’t only for consumer-facing companies that are hoping to promote their products and services. Trust also plays a huge role in in your organization’s ability to attract and retain talent that’s coveted by the most innovative and forward-thinking companies out there today. So how can you build trust with potential job seekers? Employee brand advocates, of course. But faith in your employer brand isn’t the only thing these people can help you with.
Trust as a Recruiting Tool
When you consider your own choices in life and what sways your decision to purchase one product over another or attend one event over another, it’s likely that the people you know are highly influential. But what about the reviews from users you don’t know. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers worldwide say friends and family are the most trusted sources, with online reviews coming in second at 70%. Assuming all job seekers are also consumers, these are likely the same sources referenced when selecting an employer, so utilize your employee brand advocates!
3 Ways Employee Brand Advocates Promote Trust in Your Company
1. Employer brand messaging. Your employer brand is comprised of a lot more than a single message or recruitment campaign focus, but one element that makes it really come to life is your people. Just as a consumer brand would make use of brand advocates to endorse their product or service, your organization should feature employees when showcasing culture and what it’s like to work there on a daily basis. Ask what attracted them to your organization and what motivates them to stay – these are the points you should highlight externally.
2. Candidate experience testimonials. On the forefront of many industry conversations is candidate experience and how it impacts brand perceptions and even the bottom line. But instead of focusing too much on the potential solutions, we’ll talk quickly about the ways in which employee brand advocates can gain job seeker confidence before the process even begins. Because so many organizations have yet to address their candidate experience issues, an efficient process and timely communication can work wonders. But how will potential applicants know unless they try? Get the word out by encouraging recent hires to share their positive candidate experiences via corporate blog, careers site or social media.
3. Employee referral participation. Ask anyone in the industry (and possibly even those who aren’t) what the number one source of quality hire is, and you’ll hear a collective voice saying, “Employee referrals.” This is true for many reasons, including the fact that quality employees often surround themselves with likeminded individuals and would only refer those who they legitimately endorse and know would be a good fit. Because current connections are the most trusted source of product advertising, it only makes sense that they would be for job advertising as well. It’s time to reevaluate your employee referral program and determine how to improve participation from your employee brand advocates – whether it be through social media, better incentives, ongoing training or all of the above.
What other ways can employee brand advocates build trust in your organization? Share your insight and examples below.
Image: opensource.com/Flickr
Author: Autumn McReynolds
Autumn McReynolds is a master of communication, and with two years in the recruiting industry and over five years of experience in journalism and content creation, she was thrilled to take her career in a new direction as a Blogger and Content Strategist focused on talent acquisition in the digital age. In addition to writing, Autumn spends her time managing social media accounts for business and pleasure. Follow her on Twitter @AutumnMcRey.
