What makes a compelling employer brand

- Where do you dream of working? What's the company you drop everything to go work for, and why? The way is that company's employer brand. The fact that you'd drop everything to work there, means it's a compelling employer brand. And that's what your company needs to have. So let me tell you four basic things, that will help you build a compelling employer brand. It starts with the candidate experience. Early in my career, I interviewed with a well-known financial firm. The company flew me down to Florida, and put me up in a nice hotel. So far, so good, right? Unfortunately, the experience went downhill from there. I had a full day of interviews scheduled, but none of them were on time. And when we did finally get together, the interviewers were distracted and unengaged. I went from excited to disappointed in record time. They offered me the job, and I turned them down. I kept thinking if this is how they're treating me, when they're putting their best foot forward, imagine what it will be like after I've signed on the dotted line. We call this the candidate experience. It's how candidates view the organization, after going through the hiring process. Those companies, who provide great candidate experiences, treat job candidates as well as their customers. And just as satisfied customers spread the word about your business, job candidates will spread the word about their experience. A compelling employer brand is honest. Resist the temptation to embellish, and let people see what you're like, warts and all. To paraphrase advertising legend David Ogilvy, nothing will kill your reputation in the labor market faster than doing a great job advertising a work experience you don't deliver. Organizations that promote themselves as an employer of choice, when they're anything but, end up with an angry, cynical workforce. And those workers are only too happy to counteract their employers paid branding efforts with more credible word-of-mouth advertising. So let's say you're one of those companies who've fallen on hard times, and you're now rising from the ashes. Whether you like it or not, most people will know your story with just one Google search. You might as well get in front of it, and tell your story the way you want to tell it. A brief two-minute video from the president, sharing your hopes and dreams for the company and the employees, can go a long way towards building empathy and trust. Something many candidates appreciate, and look for when selecting their next employer. A compelling brand tells a story. Almost everyone can tell the story of how Apple was started in Steve Job's garage. What's your company's backstory? How did you come to be who you are today? What obstacles did you have to overcome? What's your future look like? And what kind of people are you looking for to take your company to the next level? Seed your story throughout the organization, so that the legend lives on. And finally, the work experience has to be positive. When I worked for an overnight delivery service, our leaders try to make it a pleasant experience. They gave us lots of autonomy, and recognized employees for a job well done. Employees gladly told others what a great place it was to work. And the company grew exponentially, as did the employer brand. So, don't just create an employer brand, but work hard to make it compelling. Start with a great candidate experience. Be honest. Share stories, and work hard to make working at your company a great experience. When you put those four things together, you'll be on the way to making your company the place everyone dreams of working.