Have you ever wondered how to get more candidates for job openings, or candidates more suited to the needs of your clients? It can be tough, especially in a market with very high employment, such as the one we’re currently in.
Ah, but there’s a secret weapon. It’s the company culture. Culture is what determines whether a workplace is friendly and open or a place where everyone minds their own business. It can determine the degree of flexibility in a workday. It’s reflected in whether people would rather hike on the weekends or binge-watch television. If you create a “cool” culture in the working environment, you’re way ahead of the game!
You can potentially attract more candidates by focusing on a company’s culture. You’ll need to elicit aspects of the company culture from your clients, of course.
Here are three questions to focus on in building awareness of your company’s culture:
What do candidates look for in a job/where they work?
Company culture can offer strong components of what people look for in a job. Many people want flexibility, for example, in either the hours they work or the flexibility to work part-time. Others look for strong promotional paths. Some people want to hang with their co-workers,and would be relatively unhappy if there isn’t a friendly culture.
Don’t neglect salaries and benefits, of course. These need to be competitive, no matter what the culture is. But if the culture is to pay salaries on the high end of the scale or to have an extremely good benefits package, highlighting that will definitely attract candidates.
Once you’ve determined the aspects of a company culture that might attract people, publicize those factors in the job description and discuss them in the interview.
Why is a strong company culture important for the candidate?
A strong company culture is a way of giving the company a brand. Most companies have a brand for consumers of its products and services. But their employment practices, policies, and culture also create a brand for employees and potential employees.
Just as a consumer brand identifies a product by key indicators, like customer service quality or product availability, a company’s brand identifies key indicators of the culture for employees. The identifiability of the brand is important for candidates because it tells them what they can expect in a company. They can then identify whether they are a good fit for the culture, and whether the practices, policies and culture meet their needs. The employer will be doing this as well, of course, but the candidate needs to think about these crucial elements too.
How can a great company culture attract more job seekers?
Just as a consumer brand can attract consumers to buy a product, a company’s brand for employees can attract prospective candidates to an organization.
If the culture is friendly and supportive, that will be very attractive to candidates. If the company usually promotes from within, that can be highly desirable. If they offer flexible time or virtual assignments, candidates may find that appealing.
Promote your company’s culture in the job posting and other areas where candidates will see it. This is how great companies are built and candidates will want to apply because it’s “cool” to work there!