Just last week, as I was building out an employer brand strategy for a client, I found myself in the wilds of career pages, hunting for inspiration.
But instead, I kept landing on the same old "stuff":
→ A quick ‘about us’
→ A laundry list of open roles
→ The same cookie-cutter perks
→ A stock photo of 2 guys playing ping pong
→ An impersonal call to ‘upload your CV/resume’
It’s no wonder we’re not bringing in “top talent.”
And it's no wonder “finding qualified employees” remains a top challenge for SMBs.
We’re clinging onto a boring recruitment playbook that we haven’t updated in years.
So, join me in tossing the stale recruitment playbook and early 2000's best practices out the window -
Let’s hop in the shoes of our ideal future employees.
And let’s build an employer brand that helps attract the right candidates to your team.
But before we dive in, an important disclaimer:
You can’t build a strong employer brand if your current workplace culture isn’t backing it up.
Say it louder for the people in the back, Adam Karpiak.
Your employer brand is as strong (or weak) as your culture.
If you’re going to build a vibrant employer brand, you’ve gotta have a thriving culture.
Otherwise, it’s like promising your kids an epic slip-and-slide, only to unbox a measly 3-footer plastic sleeve from Amazon - it just won’t slide (Ok.. still getting over this one 😉)
Or this:
So, numero uno: A thriving workplace culture.
If you’ve got this in place, you’re ready to build out your employer brand.
Here’s a sneak peek into the first 3 steps of my process when building an employer brand for a client:
1 / First, I interview team members to get the inside scoop
I go in armed with questions on:
→ Leadership
→ Culture & Core Values
→ Workplace Environment
→ Professional Development
→ Collaboration & Teamwork
The goal:
Talk less, listen more. I give them the floor to share what really counts.
2 / Next, I sift through interview notes and company info to craft their employer brand identity.
Here, I'm dialing in the messaging on:
Culture
Core Values
Vision / Mission
Employer Brand Position
This sets the stage for the employer brand story we're about to unfold.
3 / With our employer brand identity ready, I create a recruitment plan much like a marketing campaign.
The aim:
To broadcast the company's vision, culture, and values in a way that a) truly reflects the culture b) makes candidates care To showcase a true day in the life at your company.
Some of the assets include:
A career website or landing page
Revamped job descriptions
Career fair and event print materials & swag
Social media assets
Recruitment messaging templates
An employee advocacy kit
A new hire welcome kit & onboarding process
Team internal communications strategy
Once these elements are in place, we’re ready to hit the ground running on strategy & execution.
So there you have it.
Recruitment shouldn’t be pushed to HR, alone.
It’s marketing in another guise.
It’s a narrative of your culture begging to be shared with the world.
Oh, and amidst all the boring career pages - I did find a few gems.
Here’s my Career Page Swipe File for inspo ✨
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