Being in retained search , I believe part of my value proposition is that if I do my job properly I can enhance the employer brand in the marketplace. Too often, I think this is ignored by both corporate recruiters and search firm themselves.
How do I think I enhance the employer brand?
Firstly, I think it is easier for a retained search firm to support and enhance the employer brand than a contingency firm.The reason for this is you have one partner conveying a single message in the market and there is less likelihood of mixed messages.
Be knowledgeable on the client and the value proposition of the opportunity.
There is nothing worse than having a search consultant who cannot answer any potential candidate’s initial questions. I always remember that a candidate’s first impression of an employer may be influenced by their contact with myself.
Treat all candidates as you would like to be treated.
Too often (and it has happened to me several times), the search firm will only focus their energies on the successful candidate. Feedback to the other candidates may be forgotten or overlooked. My philosophy is that every candidate -successful or unsuccessful can shape your employer brand in the market. If you treat all candidates with respect and keep them informed throughout the process, it is beneficial to both your search brand and the employer brand.
Talent Scouting.
I came up with this idea to assist one of my clients in Calgary who had ongoing requirements for Project Managers and Project Engineers when new projects came on line. We decided to start to market the company brand with prospective candidates who might be interested in a career opportunity with my client at some point in the future. By developing a group of candidates we encouraged them to submit their resume on the client career site or sign up for twitter feeds on future opportunities. Many companies are doing this already with their internal talent department, but this is an example of a third party partner providing that support for a client who may not have the resources or the expertise to develop this channel of prospective employees.
This is how I support the employer brand in the market. For many of my clients, this is important and one of the reasons why I maintain long term relationships and become an extension of their talent team.