HOW YOU MIGHT BE DAMAGING YOUR REPUTATION WITHOUT EVEN REALISING IT
Part of running a successful business is building your brand reputation. Your goal should be to reach the point where someone sees your logo and immediately knows what you stand for as a company and an employer – your values, your aims, the way you deal with your customers. This is not a quick process. Every communication, every interaction. Each tweet, each phone call. All these little things add up to create your reputation, bit by bit.
REPUTATION IS A KEY TOOL IN YOUR RECRUITMENT ARMOURY
Your employer reputation can make the difference between attracting the top talent you need to take your company forward, or always struggling to fill those vital vacancies. It can give you a massive competitive advantage. LinkedIn research suggests a strong employer brand reputation can decrease the cost per candidate hire by 43%.
GETTING IT RIGHT
Whilst it can take years to establish your reputation, it can be lost almost overnight. And the worrying thing is that it might be damaged by something – or someone – outside of your direct control.
When you work with a recruiter, they are representing you, and the way they operate is an extension of your company brand and your reputation within the market. So you had better make sure that the one you work with is aligned with your own values.
HOW CAN I BE SURE?
The simple answer is – do your due diligence. Key questions to ask include:
What is your recruitment process?
What is your method for engaging and attracting candidates?
How do you manage and measure candidate satisfaction?
What is your knowledge of our market?
What is your experience recruiting for these required skills?
Can you provide evidence of a track record?
What references or testimonials can you provide?
And remember, it’s not just the organisation you need to check out. It is also crucial to get to know the people who will be dealing with your account and conducting the search on your behalf. First impressions count. These individuals could be your candidates’ first impression of your company. So arrange a meeting with anyone who will be talking to your candidates, and make it clear how you want to be represented and what approach is required for the role.
THE PARTNERSHIP SEARCH MODEL
Looking for a recruiter that uses a partnership search model is a great starting point. This model is a mutual, exclusive commitment between the recruiter and client that brings the focus back to quality.
In a partnership search model, there is enough time and resource for the recruiter to provide a much more comprehensive service to the client and a much more professional approach to candidates.
It’s an approach we use at Callum James and enables us to engage fully with the market on your behalf, and we’ll work incredibly hard to find the best candidates for you.
And in turn, you’ll have a much greater control of the recruitment process and how your company is represented, when you work exclusively with one firm who knows the market inside out.
I guarantee that if you find a recruiter who gives the right answers to the tick list above and who you trust, then a partnership approach will always provide better results – in quality of hire, longevity of hire and perhaps more importantly, through a better candidate experience. You’ll end up with a partner who helps you in building a positive reputation in the market and strengthening your employer brand for future hires.
Would you like to learn more about how to choose a recruiter than enhances your reputation? If so, give us a call or drop us a line to arrange a chat.