While it may not always be top-of-mind for companies, employer branding is important in attracting skilled employees. And, per a new report [executive summary download page] from Hinge Research Institute, one of the top elements of an employer brand – for almost three-quarters (73%) of the professionals surveyed – is having a defined and clearly articulated culture.
While culture leads in terms of branding, other options also ranked high. For example, about half of the more than 1,000 respondents also cite the ability to attract qualified candidates (51%) and strong brand differentiators (48%) as top elements of a strong employer brand. A substantial minority say a website that reflects their employer brand (37%) and content that supports their brand (34%) are important elements.
Data from earlier this year shows that CMOs still believe there is a gap in talent in various areas of marketing. With that in mind, it’s beneficial to look at what potential employees seek out when looking for a new employer.
The majority of job seekers appear to be on the right track insofar as prioritizing having a clearly articulated culture. Along with competitive salary/compensation (57%), job searchers list company culture and values/good fit (also 57%) as being among their top search criteria.
About two-fifths (39%) of job-seekers are also attracted to employers that offer an opportunity for growth and career advancement. This is particularly important to entry-level job seekers, with 56% of these candidates prioritizing career growth and advancement opportunities when searching for employment, compared to 33% of mid-career seekers and 34% of leadership/senior-level seekers.
Meanwhile, entry-level job seekers are more likely than those seeking higher positions to consider the geographic location or the distance from home of a prospective employer.
For employers seeking out prospects in leadership or senior positions, one of the top priorities for these candidates is the ability to work remotely. Indeed, 31% of these job seekers are interested in the ability to work away from the office, while only 19% of mid-career seekers and 10% of entry-level seekers feel the same. Those looking for leadership roles are also concerned about not having a voice or having their opinions heard (39%), which appears to be less of a concern for entry-level (29%) or mid-career (25%) seekers.
Despite the reported scarcity in talent for some positions within marketing, the study reveals that the marketing and communications industry has a higher percentage of active job-seekers (24%) than non-seekers (15%). This point may be of some comfort to marketing leaders, as CMOs state that having the right talent is the most important factor for organic growth.
However, only two-fifths of employees in the marketing and communications industry show a willingness to recommend a career in their industry. The marketing and communications industry also has one of the lowest percentages of respondents who would be willing to recommend a career in the industry (40%) and the second-highest percentage of those who would discourage friends or colleagues from a career in the industry (29%).
The executive summary of the report can be found here.
About the Data: Findings are based on a survey of 1,034 professions in 10 professional service industries. Respondents included talent evaluators and job seekers.
