New recruiting roles: The employer branding specialist

3 mins, 21 secs read time

WANTED: Individuals experienced in positioning companies as great places to work in order to attract, engage, and hire the best candidates.

Key responsibilities: Identifying what, exactly, about the company makes it attractive to candidates; highlighting key differentiators that set the company apart from competitors; leveraging candidate-facing communications, social media, and video to convey the corporate culture and employee experience; developing and projecting the employee value proposition; partnering with recruiting leaders and hiring managers to develop sourcing strategies to meet current and future hiring needs.

The recruiting world has changed in many ways. Most jobseekers are no longer content to apply to—or accept—just any job. They want a meaningful position with a company that can help fulfill their career ambitions and allow them to grow both personally and professionally. The result is that candidates are now more informed than ever before, as they take the time to research the position and company before they submit their resumes. In fact, research shows that a whopping 75% of jobseekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. This means that posting a simple job description that outlines job duties is no longer enough to compel top talent to apply.

Top Candidates Seek the Whole Story

Today’s candidates want to know the whole story—the company’s mission, its core values, its culture, and its commitment to social responsibility. They also want to know, if hired, what they can expect on a day-to-day basis—and they will look far and wide to find this information. Similar to consumers researching a product before purchasing, smart candidates also do their research before applying. Whether searching reviews on Glassdoor or digging through Facebook and Twitter posts from current or former employees, candidates are eager to learn whatever they can about the experience of working at a potential new employer.

A New Opportunity for Companies

While this new reality has presented some challenges for employers, it has also created a tremendous opportunity. The companies that take the lead in managing their employer brand can ensure their company projects the right image—one that helps to draw in right-fit talent and build a workforce of individuals aligned with the company and its goals. Key to achieving this is having a dedicated resource responsible for defining, maintaining, and promoting the company’s unique employer brand.

Enter the Employer Branding Specialist!—one of several new recruiting roles to emerge as the world of talent acquisition continues to evolve and more and more companies see value in defining their brand as a way to set themselves apart from the competition.

Defining the Employer Branding Specialist

As more employers recognize the value of a proactive approach to employer branding, these professionals are in greater demand. Given the nascent nature of this role, there is no one-size-fits-all job description. Still, individuals in these positions are typically responsible for activities like developing communications to drive candidate attraction and engagement, whether through social media, online marketing, or other digital channels.

While that’s the general view, the role can go a lot deeper. Search any job board for “employer branding jobs” and you’ll find a wide range of responsibilities that help position the company as an employer of choice for jobseekers, including:

• Building candidate pipelines
• Researching the talent market to find relevant audiences
• Finding the best candidate sources
• Setting up recruiting events
• Developing engagement programs
• Creating the employee value proposition

Employer Branding Is the Future

As more and more companies are evolving their talent acquisition practices to contend with other companies who are doing the same, competition for top talent in the market will only increase. So, don’t be the last company to jump on board the employer branding train! It’s getting ready to leave the station, and you want to make sure to grab a seat before it’s too late. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if top talent finds their new job elsewhere. Case in point: hire an employer branding specialist to define your brand and promote it!