As an organization, you know your brand is a huge component of how you are perceived and what helps bring in revenue. But branding is also necessary to find the right professionals to join your teams.
You're looking for the best and brightest software engineers to bring their A-game and curiosity to the job. In order to drum up that type of talent, your organization must have a tech talent brand. Keep reading if you're wondering what talent branding is and how it can benefit your recruitment efforts!
Isn't Talent Branding, Employer Branding, Rebranded?
You’re not the only ones asking, but as it turns out, they are slightly different. Let's break it down.
Employer branding is how you want your potential employees to perceive you. What benefits do you offer? Do you have a supportive work environment? Work flexibility? Do you have good leadership in place, competitive compensation, and career growth opportunities? These are the types of questions tech professionals will ask as they sift through their top choices. And if you don't think that candidates have their top picks, think again.
Talent branding is the art of shaping and communicating an organization's identity, values, and culture through your employees from their experience and perspective of working with you. Are they fulfilled in their work? Do they enjoy what they do and have a great time doing it? Are they excited to show up and do their best? Do they share their wins with others on social media and show enthusiasm to be a part of your organization?
The narrative that your employees bring to the table can make or break the ease of recruiting candidates and keeping them for the long term. A strong talent brand amplifies a sense of belonging among employees, leading to happy, motivated, engaged, and productive employees.
Everyone's Looking for the Best
The tech industry is notorious for its fierce competition in acquiring top-notch talent, which is why it's the leading industry in talent brand promotion, coming in at 53%. The demand for skilled professionals in software development, artificial intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity is insatiable. This high demand means that tech companies are constantly vying for the same talent pool. Without a distinctive talent brand, your company may struggle to stand out.
Drawing in Your Star Players
You wanna be like the cool kids on the block? If so, you have to bring the cool to your organization. No, we aren't talking about free snacks or a pool table in your lobby. We're talking about things that genuinely matter to tech professionals today. And the workforce has been loud and clear about what they want from their potential employers. It's no secret.
When potential candidates see a tech company with a compelling talent brand, they're more likely to be drawn to the organization. A well-defined talent brand communicates not only what the company does but why it does it and how it differs from the competition. This narrative can attract individuals who possess the required skills and share your company's values and aspirations.
Tech Talent Branding Enhances Retention
Once you've attracted top engineers to your tech company, it's essential to help keep them engaged and motivated so they don't move on to work for your competitors. Employees who feel a strong connection to your company's mission and culture are more likely to stay with the organization in the long term.
Up to 46% of candidates will leave if the company's values don't match theirs, and 52% are willing to take a pay cut (see, it's not all about the money) to work with organizations that align better with their values.
That's a large group, and with generations such as Gen Z moving into the workplace, this percentage will only continue to climb as this generation cares more about company values than others prior.
To reduce turnover rates, save recruiting costs, and keep the knowledge within your company, study what tech professionals value, ask your current employees, and build your talent brand in a way that amplifies the voices and needs of your employees.
Strengthen Your Competitive Advantage
No one is safe. Just because your engineers work for you doesn't mean they will be loyal to you, especially if they don't feel valued. Recruiters are knocking down virtual doors to pull employed tech professionals into their company, and having a strong talent brand can be a crucial competitive advantage in getting them to stay with you over them.
According to studies, 86% of qualified talent are employed and not looking for a change in employers, while those that are available may only remain so for about 10 days.
Companies with a compelling talent brand are often viewed as industry leaders and trendsetters. This perception can attract not only top talent but also clients, investors, and strategic partners who want to be associated with a company known for its exceptional workforce.
How to Build Your Tech Company's Talent Brand
So now that you know the importance of and benefit of a talent brand, let's look into what it takes to build one for your company.
Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
Start by identifying what makes your tech company unique. Is it your cutting-edge technology, commitment to diversity and inclusion, or innovative work culture? Your EVP should be the foundation of your talent brand.
Tell Your Story
Craft a compelling narrative that showcases your company's values, mission, and culture. Use this narrative across all your recruitment materials, from job postings to social media profiles. But don't do it all yourself; let your employees take the lead in building the story. After all, talent branding should come from the voice of your employees.
Leverage Employee Advocacy
Encourage your current employees to become brand ambassadors. To do this, start by showing off your employees within your company. Highlight team wins, projects, and successes through company channels such as newsletters, social media, and your website. Your effort to show how awesome your employees are will prompt them to share how excited and enthusiastic they are working with you. Their positive experiences and testimonials can be a powerful tool in attracting new talent.
Consistency is Key
Ensure that your talent brand is consistent across all touchpoints, including your website, social media, and in-person interactions.
Measure and Adapt
Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your talent branding efforts. Gather feedback from employees and candidates, and be willing to adapt and refine your brand as needed.
Start Building Your Tech Talent Brand
Talent branding is a strategic way for tech companies to capture the attention of the best tech professionals the industry has to offer. Investing in a strong talent brand can attract, retain, and nurture the best talent, giving your tech company a distinct advantage in the market. Take a look around; what makes your company attractive to candidates? What makes your engineers stay with you above other tech companies? Ask your employees and amplify their voices to build a strong tech talent brand everyone wants to be a part of.
