You already have an employer brand
Step 1 / 4·Not something you create — something you're described as
0/4 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Understand where an employer brand actually comes from
- Identify the three groups that decide your hiring reputation
- Measure the gap between what the company says and what people experience
Not something you create — something you're described as
Reset the definition before discussing campaigns.
Many companies start employer branding by commissioning visuals and writing a few posts. But an employer brand isn't what you publish — it's what people SAY TO EACH OTHER about working here when you're not present.
Which means you already have one, even if you've never done anything. The job isn't to create it; it's to understand what it currently is and close the gap to what you want it to be.
Three groups and their weight
| Group | Who they tell | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Current employees | Friends, industry contacts, candidates weighing an offer | Highest — one sentence from a current employee outweighs your careers page |
| People who applied | Peers in the field, professional groups online | Very high with people who've never applied — they retell the experience whether hired or not |
| People who left | Former colleagues, new contacts at their next employer | Lasts for years and is usually treated as the most objective |
A campaign can't fix an experience
If the actual working experience has problems, good communications only spread the problem faster: they pull in more candidates, who experience something different from the promise, and then tell people. Employer branding always has to start inside.
Key takeaway: An employer brand is what people say to each other about working here — you already have one; the job is to close the gap.