External employer branding

Why authenticity is the be-all and end-all

Highlighting all possible positive aspects of an employer and using them as important points for your company may be quick and easy - but it can also quickly backfire.

Everything that is carried to the outside world as a company must also be taken seriously. Otherwise, you may have quickly gained an employee, but you will quickly lose him or her again if the promised work does not match the actual work. Authenticity is therefore the be-all and end-all when it comes to employer branding. No ideal should be communicated to the outside world if it is not subsequently fulfilled, but rather the reality with the individual company benefits.

Who is shown? Is it exclusively people in management roles or all employees? The more employee-centric the employer communication is both externally and internally, the more essential it is that people from all areas of the company are visible. This has two advantages: Internally, it strengthens the sense of belonging and identification with the employer brand, and externally, it paints an authentic and diverse picture of the people who make up and shape the company.

Highlight important values for your target group

Who is your company looking for and what is your target group looking for? As an employer, it is important to think carefully about your target group and take appropriate measures. Not everyone is interested in a high salary as a stand-alone feature. Some people may be more interested in flexible working hours and remote working. It can be particularly striking and helpful for the employer, for example, to look at the age groups and consider whether they are newcomers or experienced professionals.

Important attractive features of a company can include

• Further training opportunities

• Work-life balance offers

• Home office

• Flexible working time models

• Bonus models and premiums

• Benefits for employees

Every company works with a mix of different attractiveness features. Successful employer branding is therefore always based on an analysis that assesses what is attractive about the company and what should be communicated to the outside world.

Use relevant communication channels

Once it has been determined what can be communicated to the outside world as a company, specific measures must then be planned and implemented. How, where and when should communication take place?

Relevant measures and channels can be, for example

• Website with separate careers page

• Image film or video

• Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing etc.)

• Newsletters

• Application portals

• Apprentice, employee or career blog

• Career fairs

• Trade fairs

• Graduate fairs

• Evaluation portals

Depending on the target group, different platforms and approaches prove to be useful. Not every target group can be found on all channels. Especially when it comes to social media presence, timing also plays a major role. Launching a campaign at an inappropriate time may mean that it is quickly forgotten without generating much interest. The question of how to do this is also a decisive factor.

How do I want to present myself as a company and how do I formulate my message around my attractive features? While a younger target group can be addressed in a more relaxed manner, people with many years of experience usually place more value on a professional approach. High-quality recruiting videos or image films also convey a different impression than company photos or employee photos.

Therefore, a comprehensive target group analysis creates a major advantage and simplifies the search for suitable channels and messages.