The employer brand

When searching for their next career opportunity, today’s job seekers are looking for purpose, belonging, and alignment. They want to work at a place where they can show up as themselves, do meaningful work, and grow. It’s not just a Gen Z thing; individuals in all stages of their career and at all levels in the organization are craving a genuine connection with their employer.

If your brand doesn’t resonate with them on a personal level, you’ll lose top talent before the interview even begins. Great brands attract customers, but, more importantly they attract people. The type of people who bring passion, creativity, and purpose to their work every shift, every day.

That’s why the employer brand should be considered one of your most powerful recruiting tools. Now is the time to treat it with the strategic focus it deserves.

Here’s how I’m using the employer brand to turn curious candidates into excited new hires:

Job descriptions that actually sound like you
Most job descriptions are boring and repetitive. We challenged ourselves—and I’d challenge you—to flip the script on job descriptions and use them as an invitation into who your company is and what you’re all about. We weave in pieces of our manifesto, speak in a tone that matches our vibe (bold, human, maybe a little humorous), and paint a picture of what life is like on the team.

Yes, list the responsibilities, but also use this as an opportunity to tell a story that reflects the energy and culture of your organization.

Culture comes first in interviews
Skills matter but so does heart. In interviews, you’re looking for both. Encourage hiring managers to craft questions that reflect your core values and help you understand how someone might bring those to life in their own way.

More importantly, make interviews a two-way street. This is a chance for candidates to get to know you too. From leadership training and lunch and learns to charitable contributions and team retreats, managers should be ready to speak about what makes the organizational and departmental culture unique and approachable.

We let people meet the team before day one
The people who make up your organization are your greatest asset. So show them off!

Create job ads and a dedicated career site that feature real team members doing what they do best—collaborating, creating, celebrating wins. Use photos and videos to bring the culture to life so candidates can picture themselves there long before they apply.

Be known in the community
Don’t just say you’re community-driven, show it. Whether you’re hosting local events, supporting nonprofits, or just showing up where it counts, people notice. That reputation becomes part of your employer brand.

Encourage your team to share their career-related stories and wins on social media; it spreads the word, keeps things authentic, and helps future team members see what it’s really like to work with you.

Consistency is key
We’ve all experienced the bait-and-switch: a fun job post followed by a robotic interview. Make sure the energy of the brand carries through every interaction. From the way you write offer letters to the onboarding process, everything reflects who you are. At our organization, that means fun, welcoming, intentional, and just a little outside the box.

Build hype with pre-boarding
Once someone accepts an offer, the excitement shouldn’t stop. Keep the good vibes going before their first day. Send a series of branded touchpoints that might include a team welcome, a sneak peek behind the scenes, or a few words from your leaders. New hires should feel part of the crew before they even walk through the door.

Track what works and evolve as you go
We’re always learning. That means tracking where our best candidates come from, asking new hires about their experience, and tweaking as we go.

Employer branding isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s something that should be nurtured. The better we get at telling our story, the more we attract the right people to help us write the next chapter.
At the end of the day, your employer brand is how people feel about working with you. Put in the hard work to make sure that feeling is real, consistent, and full of possibility. That’s what employer branding is all about and why it’s your most powerful recruiting tool.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.