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Employment Branding: Part of the Brand Experience

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

Employment-Branding-02 (2)

At first glance, you see the term “branding” and immediately visions of Times Square with infinite billboards and advertisements appear. Or, maybe it’s standing in the shampoo aisle at your local big-box store and all of the elaborately (or minimalistically) designed labels are begging you to take them home. Personally, I think of the sometimes subliminal, sometimes not, splashes of red in a Target commercial, evoking a kind of internal game as to whether or not what I’m seeing is, in fact, a Target commercial — the logo at the end always instills a sense of victory.

Whatever it is that you think of, the idea of “branding” is very clear. It was for me at least, until I entered the human resources sector. In the HR world, “branding” almost always refers to “employment branding” or “employer branding.” It’s “consumer branding” that we encounter when we’re hunting down our favorite laundry detergent or watching Super Bowl commercials. But, the ideas behind the two are relatively the same — entice, engage and retain. In fact, we can liken the customer experience of consumer branding to the employee and candidate experiences of employment branding.

Fun fact: Simon Barrow and Tim Ambler, the founders behind the idea of “employment branding,” define the term as “the package of functional, economic and psychological benefits provided by employment, and identified with the employing company.” Essentially, it means that there are a variety of perks to being employed and a company recognizes what those benefits are. To take the lesson one step further, “employer brand” refers to how a company is perceived by employees and outsiders, while “employment branding” is the act and promotion from within the company to define why it’s a desirable place to work, again, to both current and future talent.

When you discover a brand or product that draws you in, do you ever stop to consider why it’s captured your attention? Chances are you haven’t – at least not beyond the initial attraction. However, subconsciously, it might spark a certain emotion or reaction from you that will either invite you to make a purchase, cause you to continue on without consideration or, if the branding is extremely successful, inspire you to tell friends and family what you’ve discovered.

The same idea applies to a company’s internal branding. Engaging, informative and transparent branding leads to a greater chance of attracting talent that aligns with the organization’s culture and increases the likelihood of organic marketing. If you love working for an organization, why would you hide that experience? This is why organizations should start considering (or further hash out) the concept of employment branding as a permanent fixture in the talent acquisition process, rather than treating it as an industry fad.

After watching the video below, do you feel that Facebook’s employment branding aligns with its overall consumer branding strategies?

Written By: Kirsten Robinette
After a few years working as a creative in the consumer advertising world (@ The Zimmerman Agency), Kirsten has taken her talents to the HR sector as an in-house creative and marketing specialist for WilsonHCG. While her roots are firmly planted in creating visual solutions through both traditional and non-traditional mediums, new passions have surfaced for topics such as employer/employment branding and social media tactics. When breaks from Adobe Creative Suite and Twitter present themselves, Kirsten is often busy Instagramming (@meanmug), reigning in her wild dog, Bentley, and checking out the local Tampa scene. Follow her on Twitter and/or LinkedIn!

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Posted in Branding, Talent Acquisition | 3 Comments »

Tech and the TA Professional– The Tip of the Iceberg

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Gone are the days where employee files are jam-packed with paperwork and stuffed in endless rows of filing cabinets; say goodbye to walk-in applications. These situations are a thing of the past now that technology has come into the Human Resources world. Thankfully, these times are now filled with options to make the life of an HR professional much more efficient. Technology makes an impact in HR and Recruitment from all angles of the industry.

Recruitment functions are especially influenced by these upgrades. Think about a work day without the ability to use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or where candidates could not apply online to a position. I know it’s a crazy thought, but this record keeping was all once done by hand. Also consider the instantaneous capabilities of posting a job online and attracting candidates from around the world in seconds. This changes the entire recruitment landscape and standard of candidate quality across the board and was not possible just a few decades ago.

Attracting and retaining talent is one of the biggest hot buttons in HR today and technology is the shining star of this show. Social collaboration tools, like Yammer, allow employees to easily collaborate with one another, also making their presence more visible to HR and leadership acting as a key tool for internal mobility purposes. Employers are also branding themselves to attract talent by creating videos about their work environment through social media forums, reaching candidate pools they would have never dreamed feasible in the past. Even the use of Gamification, such as GOLD, can spice up the way an employee feels connected to their company. HR can use Gamification as a way to not only engage employees, but also use it as a reward and recognition tool.

The overhaul of the industry has also dramatically impacted the way employees are trained and skills developed. Training software, like the PeopleMatter “Learn” platform, allows managers to easily create training material, offer training resources, and even test employees. Assessments are also a great way to assess candidates or employees in their abilities, skills and areas of strength. This enables HR to know if the individual meets the job requirement needs and areas of potential growth within an organization. All of these tools can quickly be updated and function in real-time, optimizing efficiency and managing change at levels we have not seen in the past.

Technology has completely changed the way Human Resources industry functions. As processes continue to develop and are streamlined to become more fluid, agile and efficient, we will continue to see the workforce benefit in the best ways possible. These are exciting times and I’m sure this is only the beginning of a long marriage of technology and the HR world.

Written by: Ashley Perez
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Posted in Talent Acquisition | 1 Comment »

The “R” in RPO

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Recently I heard a representative from a competitor billing themselves as an Industry “Expert” speaking about RPO. The entire discussion was around a specific boxed process propped up by technology that is supposedly the greatest thing since sliced bread.  He completely downplayed the need for talented recruiters.   It took every bit of strength I had not to stand up and tell him he was crazy!  When did a client’s corporate culture and their business objectives become irrelevant?  I will save the importance of customization and optimization for another time.  The frustration I felt was mostly a result of the lack of importance placed on recruitment and true talent sourcing.  Will RPO become a solution where smoke and mirrors are more important than results?

You wouldn’t know it by watching the news but we are in a very competitive market for talent.  I think it is important to remember the first letter of the RPO acronym stands for, RECRUITMENT.  The “P” is behind recruitment for a reason.  Process certainly is very important but if built properly should be a repetitive act that can usually be taught and fine-tuned.  Recruitment is a skill.  Think about a pitcher in baseball.  Thousands of kids have dreams of playing in the Major Leagues and some learn to have perfect form and are taught all the proper techniques and processes but if they don’t have the skill to throw over 90MPH their career will most likely end in high school.

There are two major expenditures in recruitment.  One is technology and the other is labor.  As I mentioned earlier, I believe technology if optimized, can handle most of the processes (back office) of recruitment but; technology will never be able to direct source a candidate out of a competitor or best position your company, your brand or sell your job to a top candidate.

Posted in Recruitment, RPO, Social Recruiting, Talent, Talent Acquisition | 1 Comment »

Can New Media and Job Boards Coexist to our Benefit?

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Despite a constant stream of articles proclaiming their demise, job boards and job postings have yet to go quietly into that good night.  Should we be surprised?  Job boards will remain vital to the recruiting industry by doing what they have always done:  providing candidates to recruiters.  They can also serve to highlight the attributes of an organization, drive traffic to corporate sites, and even act as an advertisement or marketing tool.  This potential marketing function was illustrated by the buzz generated last week when a wave of Apple job postings for “an exciting project” set off speculation that the iPhone 5 release had been slated for mid-August.  Job boards have also demonstrated a remarkable willingness and ability to adapt to the ever-improving technology and ever-changing recruiting trends.  But tools are no better than their user and, despite the myriad of upgrades and updates offered by these boards, it is the ability and the creativity of the recruiter using them that will ultimately determine their viability.  And a good recruiter can make any site into a job board.

The exploding popularity of social media recruiting is a great example of this.  As major social networking sites incorporated their own job boards (Facebook’s BranchOut service, LinkedIn Jobs, etc.), recruiters started turning social networking sites into job boards themselves, utilizing their profiles and social networks to reach out to candidates (passive and active), network for referrals, and move job opportunities through the online social sphere.  For the WilsonHCG recruiting teams, job boards are a starting point – a research database, a direct sourcing tool – that we use in conjunction with our social networks, Boolean search strings, and tweets. It is often a combination of these tools and networks that help us source candidates and, in the right hands, even MySpace can be relevant when burrowing into the recesses of the internet to target a stellar candidate.  We dig through job boards, incorporate our job postings into our social media, spread the word through Twitter, we network in relevant LinkedIn groups to generate referrals, and we pick up the phone to direct source.  Job boards, social recruiting, face-to-face networking – sourcing methods old and new – no tool needs to fade to irrelevancy if it can deliver the information our recruiters need.  It’s all in how you use it.

Job boards are not dead but their definition and the focus of the industry is evolving.  In fact, an increased presence of niche boards serves to make it even easier for recruiters to target the type of candidate they need by honing in on a specific industry, skill set, or geographic location.  Instead of fading with the times, it seems there are now more job boards available than ever before.  They will continue to exist as long as they provide recruiters with thousands of resumes to sift through and job opportunities for candidates to apply to but, by being creative and utilizing new technology and trends, recruiters are able to use job boards for so much more.

As boards continue to evolve and/or specialize with the introduction of new tools, social media, and other recruiting trends, how will their services affect your recruiting methods?

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Posted in Job Boards, Social Recruiting, Talent Acquisition | 1 Comment »

The Future of Executive Search

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Having the right talent at the top is critical today if a company is to be ready for the challenges of tomorrow.  To be truly effective in finding and attracting well-qualified executives for senior management openings, I think of it as a formula consisting of matching the right candidate, location, culture fit and the right position, all at the right time.  Although tools and technology methods may change the way we conduct an Executive Search, properly understanding the company’s needs and the responsibilities associated with the position along with the needs of the candidate remain constant elements.

We’ve come a long way with recruitment in general.  In the past, we had to rely on newspaper ads, cold calling and company directories to build our network.  One of the biggest changes in Executive Recruitment has been the evolution of social media.  While online job boards help connect with active job seekers, until recently, there wasn’t a great resource available to reach the passive job seeker.  Employers are seeking candidates for Executive Level roles who fit the passive job seeker profile.  The passive job seeker is mid to senior level, with a higher level of expertise in their field, and employed.   This is the group of candidates where most of the “top talent” is found.  Now with the development of professional and social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, we are able to reach out and communicate with those passive job seekers.   Proactive candidate networking, referral-based networking, along with direct sourcing are all necessary to target passive job seekers and develop a well-qualified talent pool of candidates desired by companies for management and leadership opportunities. 

Social media provides access and targeted networking.  However, that’s just one piece of the Executive Search puzzle.  Executive Search is not just a transactional process.  The Executive Search now and in the future will utilize the social networking tools along another trend on the rise, cultural compatibility.  Gone are the days when a candidate could count on their resume or work experience guaranteeing a job offer.  Now, more employers want to hire candidates who share their values and general outlook of the company.   Searching for a candidate who is culturally compatible is now a key factor within the Executive search. 

 Although tools and methods may change the way an Executive search is conducted, the future of Executive Search is to continue providing value to the client by focusing on consulting aspects of recruiting. It is with this commitment of time and effort to understand the market within its industry, maintaining a network of suitable candidates, providing a short list of qualified candidates and ultimately, hiring talent that contributes to future success of the company that makes an Executive Search a success.

Author: Cari Castillo http://www.linkedin.com/in/caricastillo

Posted in Executive Search, Talent, Talent Acquisition | 4 Comments »

3 Benefits of Corporate Mentorship Programs

Monday, April 18th, 2011

Author: Kim Mika - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kimberly-mika/20/464/b71

Corporations across the globe have implemented mentorship programs in an effort to contribute to the development of their employees. Whether entry level or a seasoned career veteran, employees are able to learn and progress in their positions with the assistance of a mentor. Designed to act as both a professional and personal resource for new employees, mentors can be all the difference in an employee’s success within a company.

Here are 3 reasons that corporations should consider implementing a mentorship program for their employees:

Leadership Development:

No matter where an individual may be in their career, mentors can provide a helping hand in both professional and personal development. Those early in their careers are able to learn core lessons in transitioning into a professional environment, and those in later stages are able to learn how  their new employer may differ from the environments they had grown accustomed to.  Putting mentors in place promotes an environment of growth and development to help create future leaders in a company.

Morale and Retention:

Here is where mentorship programs are win-win. Those assigned a mentor receive insight into how to succeed as an employee and those who are chosen as mentors are seen as leaders within the organization. As a mentee, employees feel they have access to a trusted adviser who cares about their successes.  Mentors take pride in giving back, and contributing to the success of the corporation.  

 Productivity:

Mentors can help new employees reach the next level of productivity. Providing insight and first-hand knowledge of what it takes to be a top performer, mentors can be an extra source for new employees learning how to be most effective in their position. Having a trusted resource allows new employees to feel at ease when asking questions that will elevate their performance. 

Mentorship programs contribute to retention, productivity, and leadership development within an organization. It is a way to partner top performers with new employees and allow that relationship to produce the new leaders at that company. At a low cost, mentorship programs can help a company improve in 3 core areas that contribute to the success of an organization.

Posted in General, Human Capital, RPO, Talent Acquisition | No Comments »

Hiring in Different Demographics

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Author: Cynthia Cancio - http://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiacancio

As one who is always up for a challenge, I was presented with a project some time ago to recruit positions in South America and Canada. Not knowing the specifics, I was quick to accept the opportunity as I wanted to expand my horizons outside of just recruiting in the US. The ball got rolling and I conducted intake sessions with the client to gather their needs and a picture of their ideal candidate—and as I hung up the phone, panic set in. How in the world would I pull this off? It started to dawn on me the language barrier, the international search, dialing into another country; you get where this is going. I sat back, took a breather and the search was on.

I was asked to write this blog to give some insight into a few demographic differences in hiring, aside from the obvious differences. To begin with, how are American based companies viewed in other countries; is this welcomed? Would this be a hard sell during the recruiting process? Have they even heard of my client? In an effort to curb my over-analytical side, I jumped in. Direct sourcing into another country was unique (partly due to my observation of them not getting bombarded with constant solicitation calls). My South American candidates seemed to embrace my efforts in contacting them creatively and were all ears with what I had to present to them.  Conversely, I felt my US candidates seemed more guarded when it came to direct sourcing them meanwhile Canadian candidates were very curious about my client. Another notable distinction was each country’s explanation of the offer packet; it was interesting to note the 13th month of compensation in Brazil, Canada’s maternity leave and the US benefits package.

As for how my client was perceived with being US based but in South America and Canada, I guess that’s a commonality amongst any demographic anywhere- a new career opportunity will always have an audience.  My search progressed and I learned that while the statistical data between countries might’ve varied, the main objective remained the same; to secure the best candidate for the client. As a recruiter, we are entrusted in fulfilling the staffing needs of our client with a quality candidate that is going to achieve their employers’ business plan. Obtaining top talent is key no matter where in the world your focus is.

Posted in Executive Search, General, Human Capital, Talent Acquisition | No Comments »

Embedding Diversity and Inclusion into Your Company

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Author:  Andrea Neal, http://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaneal

As a continuation of our monthly interview series, we had the pleasure and honor of speaking with the Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at one of Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies.” Not only is this organization the world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, but they are also ranked as one of DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity. 

Before getting to the interview, we have to point out a few quick facts. First, unless you can personally relate to the commercial of the guy living under a rock, you have noticed that diversity and inclusion have quickly become buzzwords within the workplace. Many organizations are stressing the importance of diversity and inclusion without completely understanding their meaning, much less what they are truly trying to accomplish.  Wikipedia says that, “Diversity is the range of ways in which people experience a unique group identity, which includes gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and age.” An organization’s culture tends to determine the extent to which it is culturally diverse. It is reasonable to believe that in order to promote diversity, you need to actively practice inclusion. Inclusion is defined as 1) the act of including 2) the state of being included 3) something that is included.  Adam Lloyd, President of Executive Search, at WilsonHCG comments, “Before a company can implement strategies for diversity and inclusion, they must first evaluate and define what diversity means to their organization. The same characteristics that make an individual diverse within one company could also make that same individual the majority at another.  It’s about acquiring unique experiences, points of view and strategies in order to create a rich culture.”

We hope this interview can provide you with information needed to incorporate diversity and inclusion into your company’s corporate culture.

Q:  Your Company was ranked by DiversityInc as one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity in 2010.  This marked the fifth consecutive year that your company has been recognized and in 2009, the company went from 12th to the 6th ranked position. Can you share with us some of the things your organization did to jump up to the top two in 2010?

A: It all starts with our CEO. We have diversity goals as an organization, and it’s a total company effort, not just within Talent Acquisition.  Our goals are measurable and every member of our management team is tied to and incentivized by those specific goals. If you look at all of the functions within our business, you will see that everyone is on board.

Q:  You were a keynote speaker at ERE’s fall expo where you discussed ways to build a diverse, multi-generational workforce.  What led you to this topic and what piece of advice do you have for companies looking to improve their diversity strategies?

A:  I wanted to share our best practices with other companies out there looking to build a stronger presence within diversity and inclusion. My advice for other companies is to have a clear picture of where you are right now.  Know exactly where you are, and where you are not.  Take baby steps because it’s a journey, it’s progressive, and it most certainly doesn’t happen overnight.

Q:  How exactly do you measure the success of your diversity and inclusion programs?

A:  We measure the success of our programs in several different ways.  First of all, people are incentivized, so you see that they are now actively participating in employee network groups and putting themselves in situations that cross ethnic and gender lines, when they otherwise would not.  Our employees take pride in these incentives and none of this happened overnight.  We have goals and take pride in making our company one that weaves diversity into our culture.

Q: Where do you see diversity and inclusion within talent acquisition evolving over the next five years?

A: I think that companies wanting to be successful will have to embrace diversity into their cultures.  The demographics of our country are rapidly changing.  If you look at a successful organization that is not currently including diversity and inclusion, and a competitor that does – you will see that the company with strong diversity and inclusion initiatives will be the one still here in years to come.  The bottom line is that companies are going to have to embrace diversity and inclusion or will suffer the possibility of no longer existing in years to come.

We would like to thank this organization for leading the way in embedding diversity and inclusion into their workplace and if you have any questions or would like to discuss ideas for doing the same, please reach out to us at marketing@wilsonhcg.com.

Posted in Diversity, Executive Search, General, Human Capital, RPO, Talent Acquisition | 1 Comment »

Is Spending Capital on Hiring a Good Idea?

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

I saw a question posed in the LinkedIn community asking business leaders if spending capital on hiring new employees was a good idea.   The question made me think about how risky of an investment human capital really is to any organization, large or small.  While CDS and MBS were able to bring Wall Street down one employee in a small company or a single “blood line” in a large corporation can have the same effect.   We have seen this happen in Corporate America time and time again (i.e. Enron, HealthSouth and WorldCom).  Once upon a time, these were great organizations that collectively employed hundreds of thousands of people, yet they went south due to the actions of a select few.  Those are extraordinary situations when a bad hire makes it all the way to the top.  Imagine for a second all the damage that occurs in a company’s vast population not in the C-suite or at companies not followed by hundreds of analysts or the Wall Street Journal.

In my career I have hired hundreds of people and every time I interview someone I think not only about the potential value they can bring to the organization but conversely, the damage they can do.  Hiring someone or more importantly not hiring someone, are the most vital decisions a leader will make.  I think it is safe to say we are in an economic recovery and I know at least our clients are starting to hire in mass therefore, now is a critical time to know who not to hire. 

There was a client of ours years ago that I bought a few shares of their stock at $35.  Two weeks later it was $28 and I should have sold.  I held on to that stock until it hit 17 cents.  I kept believing that they were going to turn it around and if I just held on to it a little while longer, I might make my money back.  This stock represents bad hires I have made.  Cut your losses as fast as you can!  If you make a bad hire, it’s best to get rid of the person as fast as you can.  I will let your HR department advise you on getting rid of bad hire.  Here are a few suggestions to avoid making a bad hire.  I have a friend who happens to be an executive at a very large company; she insists references are never really checked.   Of course a candidate fills out an application with references and may even put a few names on their resume but are those people going to say anything of real substance?  Then we have the background check that simply verifies dates of employment and salary.  Attention hiring managers:  you may not know this because some of you are not in HR, past employers won’t tell you if your new hire was the worst employee or the best, in fact, most won’t even state if the person is eligible for rehire.   Back to my friend, since she doesn’t believe references are really checked by HR, she actually takes ownership and isn’t afraid to ask around about a potential new hire.  If you are a hiring manager in today’s business climate, you are most likely connected to someone through LinkedIn or some other networking method who knows your potential new hire. 

Always have someone interview a potential new hire that does not have an agenda.  Sales organizations are the biggest offenders; they typically have the sales manager interview a candidate then the sales manager’s, manager. That is NOT the way to do get objective feedback.

Make the interview comfortable for the candidate; you will get a lot more out of someone if they are relaxed.  Don’t spend more than 25% of the interview asking pre-planned questions. 

Lastly, take ownership in the reference check process.  If you were going to spend $100K of your own money I would imagine you would do your own due diligence and not rely solely on others. 

One bad hire can haunt you for your entire career.

Posted in Executive Search, General, Human Capital, RPO, Talent Acquisition | No Comments »

3 Must Try Mobile Apps for Recruiting

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Mobile technology has changed the way the world communicates and recruiting is no exception.  Over the past few years, Mobile Technology has advanced rapidly and now smartphones have made it even easier for people to connect and communicate with each other anytime, anywhere.

Mobile recruiting strategies are changing the way companies communicate with potential candidates in real time as soon as a position becomes available.  With over 4 billion mobile device subscribers worldwide, companies are implementing strategies such as direct text messaging campaigns, mobile career site optimization, mobile video campaigns and mobile application development.  The overall goal of these campaigns is to improve efficiency and productivity in order to deliver higher quality candidates on a timely basis. So as these mobile technologies evolve, we as recruiters must adapt accordingly or risk being left behind. 

While there are a lot of applications out there and many more popping up in various forms, I have found it to be over whelming trying to decide which ones to use.  Here are my three recommended mobile applications I currently use to be more effective and increase productivity from my mobile phone: 

LinkedIn Mobile:  LinkedIn has largely proven itself to be a valuable networking tool for recruiting because it provides access to over 85 million professionals worldwide, but LinkedIn mobile takes it to the next level.  Not only can you search for candidates, but you can find contact information, post jobs, as well as send and receive invitations and messages from the palm of your hand.  In recruiting, we all understand the value of timing and connecting with potential candidates quickly.  This application definitely gives recruiters a competitive advantage with utilizing LinkedIn’s database 24/7. 

AutoSearch Mobile:  This application is truly amazing!  AutoSearch Mobile searches the web using a filtering technology and returns hundreds of names, profiles and resumes instantly by searching sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Jobster, and ZoomInfo.  It gives aggregated access to prospective candidates in a one-stop shop eliminating the hours wasted searching through multiple sites.  This application helps eliminate the time spent trying multiple Boolean search strings until you uncover the right resume.  

Global Recruiting Roundtable Mobile:  This application provides quick access to top industry news and trends in order to stay ahead in your profession and help you advance in your career.  Currently, I have been subscribing to multiple blogs, industry articles and research sites to stay up to date on current events until I found this Global Recruiting Roundtable app. It provides top recruiting industry articles surrounding the topics of Employer Branding, Human Resources or Recruitment in one place.  One click makes it easy to share and post these articles on social networking sites instantly.

There are nearly hundreds of different types of mobile applications and technologies accessible on smartphones these days. Other mobile apps to site are: mobile access to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, individual company career sites such as CareerBuilder, Indeed and recruiting technology apps like HireSyndicate and Interviewer. There are many out there depending on your needs and purpose.  These are just a few that I found most effective for the work I do. 

What mobile technologies do you currently use in your recruiting strategy?  We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted in Human Capital, Mobile Recruiting, Talent Acquisition | 1 Comment »

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