Spice Up Your Startup's Employer Branding Game with These Tips

Building up your reputation as an employer can be tough, especially as an early-stage tech company competing with bigger, more well-known brands.

But if you get your employer brand right, you could actually end up saving money and attracting more applicants. According to LinkedIn, having a strong employer brand could help you hire talent for 50% less and receive up to 50% more applicants.

a lot of startups don't put in the effort to work on their employer branding before they start recruiting. This means they could end up spending an extra $4,723 per hire! So it's definitely worth taking the time to develop your EB.

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Mapping your employer brand and identifying its strengths 

If you want to get noticed in today's job market, you need to figure out what sets your company apart and highlight it. That's where your employer brand comes in. It's basically how you communicate what makes you special. According to McKinsey, if you can come up with a compelling value proposition, you'll attract top-notch candidates.

To figure out what makes you unique and what you want to offer candidates, you'll need to take a look at seven key areas that make up your employer brand. These areas include things like your company culture, your benefits package, and your approach to professional development. Once you've identified your strengths in each area, you can create a winning value proposition that will help you stand out in a crowded job market.‍

• Company (e.g., mission, vision)
• Leadership (e.g., relationships with managers, strengths of profile)
• Culture  (e.g., inclusive, collaborative and can be evidenced by employee reviews).
• Citizenship (socially or environmentally responsible with initiatives to evidence) 
• Career catalyst (will someone’s career take a leap forward by working for you? does your business have the latest tech, a fast-track to leadership, is it know as a centre of excellence amongst its peers) 
• Rewards (compensation and benefits) 
• Flexibility (wfh, work from anywhere, flexible hours, 4 day week) 

Creating your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

Now that you’ve established some of the core selling points within your EB, it's time to craft an EVP. An EVP is a powerful way to differentiate your company and stand out from the competition. Start by crafting an engaging, concise paragraph that outlines exactly what makes working at your organization special; 

Its vital your EVP has 2 core things, authenticity & differentiation 

You’ll need to incorporate elements from the mapping exercise as well as use responses from surveying current employees. You can uncover why they find your company an attractive place to work - beyond salary and benefits. To craft a truly memorable EVP, focus on the most popular and noteworthy elements found in their feedback. 

Here are some questions for eliciting your EVP:

• Who are we as a company?
• What do we do?
• Why does it matter?
• Why do people join us?
• What do people like or dislike about working here?
• What are the typical non-negotiable aspects of our working culture that people need to be able to cope with?
• What does everyone have/need right now to thrive within the current environment?
• What are the employee behaviours that drive our business forward?
• What are the employee behaviours that hold us back?

"If you want to get noticed in today's job market, you need to figure out what sets your company apart and highlight it."

Produce a culture deck

Creating a compelling deck that embodies who you are as an employer can transform a candidate's perception of you. Solidify your company's message and stand out among the competition. Showcase a thoughtful vision, clear values, and standout selling points to truly make an impact on potential job seekers. Don't just settle for seasonal posts or employee testimonials! Check out this awesome medium article which kindly curates some of the best Examples of culture decks out there.

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WRAP UP‍

An Employee Value Proposition (EVP) isn't just a recruitment tool – it's an effective filter that helps your organisation and potential employees make better decisions. To get the most out of your EVP, be willing to recognise hard truths about what you can offer professionals so there are no nasty surprises in onboarding.

HOW MOVE CAN HELP 

Move's embedded talent service ensures you get it right when you most need to. We’re experts at securing top talent that thrives in early-stage tech businesses. And, we’ll set you up for hiring success so you can do it without us in the future 🚀 Work with your own dedicated, expert talent team on a subscription basis during periods of growth. No long contracts. Guaranteed hires.

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