Attracting and hiring the right candidates is important for not only your company’s growth, but also your brand image; how you manage interviews and your overall hiring process can affect your companies brand image. Prospective candidates will most probably use it to judge factors like your company culture, gauge if you truly uphold what your brand stands for etc, and then ultimately decide whether to join your company or not – they could also go as far as discouraging other candidates.
In the current digital age, not to mention, the ever so competitive market, every stage of the interview matters; you cannot afford to be unprofessional – that’s why making your hiring process pleasant to the candidate is crucial.
Remember, Candidates Are Consumers.
When looking at hiring external staff into your organisation, it is important to remember that people research like consumers, because in fact, that is what they are. Your meeting with the candidate may not result into a successful interview but they could be consumers of your product so make the hiring experience positive.
During your interview process, many candidates will remember the recruitment experience (a representation of your brand) – always remember that you, the management of your organisation are representing this brand and can influence the way they will speak about your brand forever.
A Bad Interview Doesn’t Stop There
Lack of feedback after an interview is one of the biggest challenges that candidates face. Sending them an email or letter thanking them for their application goes a long way in ensuring that your brand is acknowledged and respected
Similarly, a bad interview experience can leave you with a terrible reputation, which in turn affects factors like customer loyalty and satisfaction. Many of us have had bad interview experiences – in reality, we don’t remember the interviewer’s name, but we never forget the brand – which stays with us for life.
Avoiding a bad interview experience is in your best interest. Whether you hire the person or not, you should aim to leave the candidate in awe about your organisation; they will undoubtedly share their experience through word of mouth.
Final Thoughts On Acquiring Talent And Your Company Brand
Upholding your company brand image should not only be left to the marketing and public relations team; it should be every employee’s responsibility, hence, communicating what you stand for with your employees is important. It takes years to build a brand and mere seconds to damage it – the interviewee’s impression counts. Ensure that your hiring process does not tarnish your company’s image.
How do you ensure that you uphold your company’s brand image during the interview/hiring process? Share with us in the comment section below.