In the world of branding, rebranding, public relations, social media and consumer marketing; what your brand portrays about your business is extremely influential, and is therefore very important to monitor. Similarly, the reputation and portrayal of your company’s brand can heavily influence job seekers. As an employer, you know the value of finding and attracting the right kind of people to your company. So, being able to identify the relationship between your brand and prospective employees is paramount.

Perception is Reality

How are you perceived by prospects who are interested in your company? This is an important question to consider when managing your brand. You want to ensure that both customers and potential employees know who you are and what you stand for. Your current employees play a huge role in both developing and representing your company’s culture, brand and reputation.

Consider your current employers as brand advocates for your company. In the business scheme of things your employees serve three main purposes – (1) to work with your customers properly, professionally and efficiently; (2) to see that your company acquires and retains customers; and (3) to help your business grow and succeed. To do all of this effectively, your employees need to be fully immersed in your brand. So, it would be beneficial to meet with them once in a while and provide them with tips on best practices, and strategies for handling their day-to-day responsibilities properly. Ensure that your employees have a firm grasp and thorough understanding of who you are as a company and why.

Careers Page

Make sure to keep your Jobs/Careers page on your company website updated regularly. Maintain job descriptions and utilize your social media pages to share current job opportunities. Along with keeping this page current, check all links regularly to ensure they are working properly. This simple maintenance will show prospective candidates and recruiters the kind of company you are, representing your brand in a reputable way.

As of this SmartRecruiters Blog post, there are more than 260 million LinkedIn profiles. Do your employees have professional LinkedIn pages? What does your company’s LinkedIn profile say about the company? A professional LinkedIn page for employees should include their education, work experience, skills and current job positions. Your company’s LinkedIn page can be a great online marketing tool; it is a great place to showcase information about your company (products/services), and feature promotions to specific followers and LinkedIn group members. It will allow you to connect with qualified individuals in the job market and locate ideal candidates for your company.

Social Marketing

In addition to LinkedIn, your company could utilize several other social media capacities to build the online presence that you want. Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Klout, Youtube and Slideshare are all networks that when used correctly, could hugely benefit your company. Through your voice on these networks you can find prospects to connect with, and enable them to see the kind of company culture that they could potential be a part of.

There are plenty of resources for job seekers to utilize to discover nearly everything they need to know before they express interest in your company. People want to be a part of a company with a mission; make sure you and your staff know what you stand for, and how you represent that through the way you conduct business. This will work to attract people with the qualities and attributes that you want to represent your brand.

Claim and Monitor Your Glassdoor Profile

Glassdoor is a free jobs and career review site that provides inside access to jobs and companies. Monitor the reviews, add photos and create posts of your own – offering helpful and unique information about your company to users. [You can also post free and sponsored jobs to Glassdoor through SmartRecruiters].

Set Yourself Apart.

Determine what distinguishes your company from other companies in the same industry. Define who you are as a brand – once this is established you can ensure that all of your employees have a mutual understanding of your company’s identity. Who you claim to be as a company is the cornerstone of your brand; it is linked to every product or service you provide.

Consider your company’s recruiter(s) to be the spokespeople for your organization. They represent your company’s brand each and every time they conduct business on its behalf. Is their recruiter brand portraying the company culture in a positive light? Do they make a point to uphold interview and appointment times? Do they go out of their way to find the perfect fit for a position and prepare them ahead of time? Individuals committed to excellence in their professional interactions will not only make lasting impressions but also build and sustain your brand reputation.

There are many aspects that play a role, no matter how significant, in creating your employer branding. It requires persistent dedication over time, from each and every part, to build the brand that you want to be known for. In turn, this will continue to draw the quality of individuals you want to contribute to your business.

This article was written exclusively for SmartRecruiters by small business loan provider, Balboa Capital. Check out Balboa Capital’s previous articles: “How to Hire the Best IT Professionals” & “How Balboa Capital Interviews Sales Managers.”