Picture a recent university graduate looking for jobs in the tech industry. What kinds of factors are they going to consider when deciding where to apply — or, after they’ve received some job offers, where they’re going to work?
If this person is like 86 percent of job seekers, they’re going to take the company’s reputation into account, as well as how the business represents itself online. They might ask themselves questions like “Does this seem like a fun place to work?” or “Does it seem like I’ll be regularly challenged and given opportunities to grow here?”
An employer’s brand will reveal the answers to these questions and help the job seeker make the decision that seems right for them, their goals, and their values.
Employer branding refers to other people’s perceptions of you as an employer. Good employer branding helps you attract talented individuals, fill vacancies at your company, and maintain a positive reputation.
If you’ve never thought about your approach to employer branding, now is a good time to change that.
In this article, we break down the importance of employer branding and the elements of an effective employer branding campaign. We also spotlight 10 excellent employer branding examples to inspire you and help you improve your future recruiting efforts.
Why Focus on Employer Branding Campaigns?
When you take employer branding seriously and craft effective employer branding ads, a lot of great things can happen for your company. Here are 3 of the greatest benefits of focusing on employer branding:
Attract Top Talent
Let’s return to the person mentioned above looking for a tech job.
If they graduated with a computer science degree and a high GPA, they know what they have to offer various tech companies. They’re probably going to look for an employer who seems to value their employees and gives them room to grow.
By making these things clear in your branding campaigns, you can draw the attention of top performers and get them interested in your company.
Save Money
You can also save money and reduce your cost per hire when you create effective branding campaigns. With the right branding ads, you can catch people’s attention quickly and encourage them to apply for openings.
Increase Retention Rates
Not only will you draw people in faster and encourage them to accept jobs at your company, but you’ll also have an easier time retaining them if you brand your business properly.
Good branding shares your company’s values and mission right from the start, so people know what they’re getting into. This helps you set clear expectations and ensure people are happy at your company.
What Are the Elements of Good Employer Branding Campaigns?
If you’re going to be attending employer branding events or publishing employer branding ads online, you need to know what elements to include in your campaigns. Listed below are 3 essential factors to consider when creating an employer branding campaign:
Clear Values
As we mentioned above, good employer branding highlights your business’s unique values and mission. Make it clear what your company is all about so people don’t feel duped after they join your team.
Detailed Benefits
This goes beyond health insurance and 401(k) matching — although you should highlight these things in your branding if you offer them. You need to sell your company and let job seekers know why they should choose a job with you over a job with one of your competitors.
Practicing What You Preach
Make sure your branding materials align with your values and mission. For example, if you value creativity and innovation, include images or videos in your branding materials that showcase creativity and innovation at your company.
Top 10 Employer Branding Examples
Are you still feeling unsure of how to promote your brand effectively? If so, check out these 10 employer branding examples:
1. Apple
Apple is one of the great examples of effective employer branding, particularly in the tech sector. Apple has long prided itself on being an innovative, creative company that isn’t afraid to think outside of the box. They even have an entire campaign called “Think Different.”
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
The video linked above perfectly aligns with Apple’s brand position as a unique, one-of-a-kind company. It appeals to people who see themselves as standing out from the pack and draws in job seekers who want to do something different.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Don’t be afraid to promote your brand differently than your competitors. By choosing to stand out with your branding materials, you’ll attract stand-out job seekers to your team.
2. Google
Google is another example of a tech company that has nailed the concept of employer branding. Google’s employer branding materials place a significant emphasis on the company’s generous benefits. Just look at this recruiting video published on Glassdoor.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
This video features real Google employees talking about their experience working for the company. They’re being honest about what they love about working for Google, which has more of an impact on job seekers than reading a simple list of benefits the company offers.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Get your employees involved in your employer branding campaigns. Interview them about their experience and include clips or quotes from those interviews in your ads.
3. Netflix
The streaming giant Netflix features a variety of videos on its Jobs page highlighting the benefits of working at the company. This includes a long-form video explaining Netflix’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
This video breaks down the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Netflix. It highlights the commitment that everyone at the company has to diversity, including the top executives. When it comes to job seekers who want to work for a diverse and inclusive business, this video could help them decide to choose Netflix over another employer.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
If your business is committed to a particular issue — diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, etc. — share that commitment in your recruiting materials.
4. Chipotle
While many businesses — especially restaurants — floundered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chipotle expanded its empire.
One reason for this was its effective recruiting ads, which included videos posted on TikTok. They even allowed applicants to submit resumes through the TikTok app!
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
This approach to employer branding was a brilliant move on TikTok’s part. By meeting young people — including young job seekers — where they were already spending time, they were able to speed up the recruiting process and show people what a fun work environment they offer.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Don’t be afraid to be silly, and don’t sleep on social media. Use TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms to reach your target audience and encourage them to apply for jobs at your company.
5. Tony’s Chocolonely
This Dutch chocolate brand perfectly clarifies its mission and values with this branding video. If job seekers want to work for a company that cares about using ethical and sustainable practices, Tony’s Chocolonely explains in this video that they are a company worth considering.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
In the video linked above, Tony’s Chocolonely tugs on people’s heartstrings and highlights what makes them different from their competitors. For job seekers who are civic-minded and want to work for employers that share their values, this branding might encourage them to apply for a job with Tony’s Chocolonely over another company.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Share your values and appeal to job seekers who share them. Let people know what you stand for and explain what makes you different from other businesses in your industry.
6. Marriott International
Marriott International is an excellent example of using social media to build a better employer brand. In the post featured below, the hotel brand talks about how much it values its employees’ mental health and well-being and explains the resources it provides to team members.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
This example of branding on social media shows that the folks at Marriott International truly care about their employees. Many job seekers want to know that their mental health won’t suffer if they take a job at a particular company, and seeing ads like this can give them the reassurance they need.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Highlight benefits and perks that separate your company from others. Show job seekers that you care about employees and clarify how you demonstrate that care.
7. IBM
This video posted on IBM’s YouTube channel follows a young woman on her journey from being an intern to a software developer. With this content, the company shows that it provides employees with opportunities to grow and rise through the ranks within the business.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
Many job seekers want to know that, if they take a job at a particular company, they’ll have a chance to grow and won’t stay stagnant. By sharing an employee’s journey at IBM, the company makes it clear that they give employees opportunities to gain new skills, earn promotions, and build their careers.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Explain how you contribute to your employees’ career goals. Bring them into your branding materials and let them tell their stories if possible.
8. EventBrite
Eventbrite has made a lot of changes to its company structure over the years to accommodate employees’ needs and requests. As a result, Eventbrite has received a Great Place to Work certification, as shown in the image below:
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
In this example, Eventbrite highlights what makes it different from other employers. It shows that the company will go the extra mile to create a great workplace for its employees and ensure they’re happy with their jobs.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Look into earning certifications that separate your business from others. This might include the Great Place to Work certification or the Best Places to Work Program.
9. PayPal
In this tweet, PayPal shares that the company had maintained 100 percent gender pay equity for the 5th year in a row.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
This is another example of a business sharing its values to build its employer brand. By highlighting its commitment to gender pay equity, PayPal appeals to job seekers who care about equal pay and want to know that they will be paid fairly regardless of their gender.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Again, share your values and explain how you’re upholding those values within your company. The clearer you make this, the easier it’ll be to appeal to job seekers who align with your company’s mission and goals.
10. Chewy
In this video, representatives from Chewy explain how the company gives back to pets in need. Even though this isn’t a recruiting video, it can still appeal to job seekers who care about animals and want to work for a company that is committed to helping them.
What Makes This Employer Branding Example Successful?
Chewy tugs on people’s heartstrings with this video. The company also lets job seekers know that theirs is a company where employees can give back to the community while also earning a living and finding satisfaction in their work.
How to Apply This to Your Brand?
Showcase the ways your company gives back to the community and helps others. This can help you attract job seekers who also want to give back and value doing good in the world.
Let These Employer Branding Examples Inspire You!
After reviewing these employer branding examples, are you feeling more confident in your ability to promote your business and attract skilled job seekers?
Keep the examples discussed above in mind so you can create employer branding events and campaigns that are specifically geared toward your target audience and ideal candidates.
If you need more help building your employer brand and recruiting the right people for your company, check out GrabJobs today.
GrabJobs offers a variety of tools, including a robust applicant tracking system, to help you streamline recruitment workflows, fill vacancies quickly, and build your business.
