How does Employer Branding help in Outbound Recruitment?

Raj Abishek

August 17, 2023

If you work in the recruitment space - you’ve probably heard ‘employer brand’ a thousand times, especially in the past few years. With outbound recruitment topping the priority list for organizations, you obviously want to leave no stone unturned in this volatile talent market.

The most vital force of attraction for candidates today is an appealing employer brand. But the bigger question is - how do you practice employer branding effectively?

As per a survey by LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers research a company's reputation and employer brand before applying for a job. While employer branding primarily empowers your recruitment efforts, helping you attract and retain top talent, it should be looked at as a holistic approach.

It’s high time we start considering employer branding as something a lot more than random posts on company culture, values, and employee experiences. Wondering how will it help you ace your outbound recruitment? This guide will help you with an in-depth strategy for employer branding. So stick around for some valuable insights and actionable steps on boosting your outbound recruitment with employer branding.

What is Employer Branding?

Employer branding refers to the reputation and image a company creates as an employer, and how it is perceived by current and potential employees. It encompasses everything from company culture, values, benefits, and employee experiences to how the company communicates its brand message.

Establishing a superior employer brand has become increasingly important in recent years as the job market has become more competitive, and job seekers have become more selective in their job search.

So organizations now need to differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a positive image that resonates with potential employees.

A great example of effective employer branding is Google. Known for its innovative and employee-centric culture, Google has consistently ranked among the top companies on various "Best Places to Work" lists. Google's employer brand emphasizes a fun, collaborative, and diverse work environment that fosters creativity and personal growth. This has helped Google attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.

Elements of Employer Branding

Before we move on to the impact of employer branding on recruitment, let’s first break down the different elements. Together they help you attract and retain quality talent, which is the key to any business’s growth.

Culture: The values, beliefs, and behaviors that define a company's work environment.
Values: The principles and ethics that guide a company's decision-making.
Benefits: The perks, rewards, and incentives that a company offers its employees.
Employee Experience: The interactions and experiences employees have with the company during their employment journey.
Communication: The way a company communicates its brand message to potential and current employees.
Reputation: The perception of the company in the eyes of the public and its employees.
Leadership: The effectiveness and vision of the company's leaders in creating a positive work culture.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The company's commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Why is Employer Branding Vital for Your Organization?

Employer branding has become a crucial aspect of all types of recruitment, whether it's inbound or outbound. According to LinkedIn, companies with a strong employer brand receive 50% more qualified applicants, which can significantly increase the chances of hiring the best candidates.

Additionally, according to a survey by Glassdoor, 84% of job seekers say that the reputation of a company as an employer is important when deciding where to apply for a job.

These statistics emphasize the critical role of employer branding in today's job market, where candidates have a wealth of options and are increasingly prioritizing company culture and values in their job search.

Now, let’s take a look at the top 5 benefits of a strong employer brand:

Attracts Top Talent: A strong employer brand can attract and convert top talent for your organization. When job seekers are looking for a new job, they want to work for companies that align with their values and offer a positive work environment. A strong employer brand can help establish your organization as an ideal employer, which can attract the best candidates.

Employee Retention: Employees who are proud of their company and feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves are more likely to stay with the organization. A strong employer brand can help establish a positive work culture, which can lead to higher retention rates.

Recruitment Cost Savings: When your organization has a strong employer brand, you are more likely to attract high-quality candidates, which can reduce recruitment costs. Additionally, a positive work environment reduces turnover rates, which can also significantly save the recruitment spend.

Competitive Advantage: With an established employer brand in the industry, you are more likely to attract the best candidates and retain top talent, which can lead to increased productivity and innovation.

Reputation Management: A strong employer brand also plays a vital role in reputation management. When your organization has a positive employer brand, it can help mitigate negative publicity and promote a positive image of the organization.

It’s clear that by investing in employer branding, organizations reap a multitude of benefits.

But how does it impact outbound recruitment? And what are the steps you need to take to build a remarkable employer brand? It’s high time we dive in deep.

How Employer Branding Empowers Outbound Recruitment?

Outbound recruitment, also known as external or proactive recruitment, refers to the process of identifying and approaching potential candidates who are not actively looking for a job. Unlike inbound recruitment, which involves attracting candidates through job postings and other public-facing efforts, this practice requires a more targeted approach and a strong employer brand to be effective.

Even from a high-level view, one of the key ways in which employer branding impacts outbound recruitment is by creating a positive perception of the organization among potential candidates.

Establish an appealing reputation in the workforce

A strong employer brand helps you position your organization as an attractive place to work, with a positive reputation and a strong sense of purpose. This can be particularly important for outbound recruitment, where candidates may not be actively seeking new opportunities and may need to be convinced of the benefits of working for the organization.

Easily convert and retain talent

Another way in which employer branding impacts outbound recruitment is by helping to attract and retain top talent. Candidates are often drawn to organizations with a strong employer brand, as they perceive these organizations as being more likely to offer fulfilling and rewarding work experiences. This can help organizations to build a pipeline of high-quality candidates who are interested in working for the organization, making outbound recruitment efforts more effective.

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Top Outbound Recruiting Metrics Defining the Impact of Employer Branding

What can’t be measured, is highly unlikely to improve. To find out the effectiveness of a strong employer brand on outbound recruitment, we must not miss out on the following metrics:

Candidate engagement: Employer branding helps organizations attract and engage potential candidates who may not have been actively looking for new opportunities. By creating a positive perception of the organization and its values, a strong employer brand can increase the likelihood that candidates will respond to outreach efforts and be more willing to engage in the recruitment process.

Time to hire: The time it takes to hire new employees is a significant metric for recruitment success. When organizations have a positive reputation and are viewed as an attractive place to work, they may receive a higher volume of qualified applications, reducing the time and resources required to find and vet potential candidates.

Employee retention: A strong employer brand also contributes in promoting employee satisfaction and retention by creating a positive work environment and a sense of purpose. This further also reduces the need for constant recruitment efforts, saving time and money for the organization.

‍For example, consider a software development services company that is looking to hire a senior developer to lead a new project.

Through outbound recruitment efforts, the company identifies a candidate who is currently employed but has expressed interest in working for the organization. The candidate is hesitant to leave their current job, however, as they are satisfied with their current work environment and the opportunities available to them.

If the software development company has a strong employer brand, they can use this to their advantage in convincing the candidate to make the switch.

By highlighting the organization's positive reputation, values, and sense of purpose, the company can create a more compelling case for the candidate to consider the opportunity.

This can help to reduce the time and resources required to hire the candidate and promote long-term retention if they accept the offer.

How to Create a Strong Employer Brand to Ace Your Outbound Recruitment?

Creating a strong employer brand for outbound recruitment requires you to follow a dedicated strategy involving a number of steps. But you don’t need to worry, here’s a detailed approach that will help you ace your outbound recruiting efforts.

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Define your brand

Start by defining your employer brand. This involves identifying what makes your company unique, what values you stand for, and what kind of culture you want to create. Once you have a clear understanding of your brand, you can start building a brand identity that reflects these values and resonates with your target audience.

Craft your messaging

Develop a compelling message that clearly communicates your employer brand to potential candidates. This message should highlight your company's values, culture, and mission, and should be consistent across all channels, including your website, social media, and job listings.

Optimize your online presence

Your online presence is crucial for building a strong employer brand. Make sure your company website is up-to-date and visually appealing, with a clear focus on your employer brand. Use social media platforms to showcase your company culture and values, and actively engage with potential candidates.

Provide an exceptional candidate experience

Creating a positive candidate experience is critical to building a strong employer brand. This involves everything from the application process to the interview experience and follow-up communication. Provide timely and personalized communication to candidates, and be sure to keep them informed throughout the hiring process.

Leverage employee advocacy

Encourage your employees to become brand ambassadors and promote your employer brand on social media and other channels. This can help build credibility and trust with potential candidates.

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Why Do You Need to Automate Your Outbound Recruitment?

At a ground level, outbound hiring is a lengthier process which can also be tricky to scale, especially when done manually. Sourcing candidates one at a time and continuously engaging with them are all mundane tasks that recruiters often struggle with.

Amidst all the hassle and potential chaos, automating your outbound recruitment can be the ideal option for your organization.

Here are the top reasons why you must use a tool for automating your outbound recruitment:

Scalability: Automating your recruitment process can make it easier to scale your hiring efforts. Such tools can handle a large volume of applications and can easily scale as your hiring needs grow.

Time and Cost Savings: By automating repetitive tasks like sourcing, screening, and scheduling, recruiters can focus on high-value activities that require human skills like engagement and relationship building.

Enhanced Candidate Experience: Automated systems can keep candidates informed about the status of their applications and provide them with feedback in a timely manner. This can lead to a positive impression of your company, even if they are not selected for the role.

Improved Hiring Quality: Automating your recruitment process can lead to improved hiring quality. Automated systems can screen and rank candidates based on qualifications and fit, helping you to identify the most suitable candidates for your open roles.

Data-Driven Insights: Automating your recruitment process can provide you with valuable data-driven insights into your hiring process. By analyzing recruitment data, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize your recruitment process.

How does Nurturebox help you scale Your Outbound Hiring?

Do you often get overwhelmed by the scaled-up requirements when it comes to outbound recruiting?

What stops you from dedicatedly focusing on your employer branding even after knowing its importance?

Recruiters already have more than enough on their plates and handling it all manually directly harms their productivity. The road to redemption?

Automate the repeated mundane tasks of recruiting and focus just on the human-centric ones. Nurturebox empowers your recruitment process with comprehensive candidate sourcing and engagement automation.

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