By Rick Dacri 

Originally published in The York County Coast Star

 The economy is heating up and businesses are slowly hiring again. Employers are demanding that new hires be skilled, ready and able to immediately contribute. No one can afford to make mistakes in their hires. A steady stream of highly qualified and fully engaged workers who will mesh with their current employees and fit within their culture is a must. To achieve this, businesses must enjoy a strong recruitment brand.

So what is a recruitment brand and how can you develop one? A recruitment brand is a message that communicates what it's like to work at your company. It tells the world who you are and what you believe in-your mission, culture and values.  It's your way of telling applicants "this is who we are and individuals who believe and think like us are welcome." And, it's a magnet that draws those believers to you.

Your recruitment brand is built upon five pillars. The strength of each pillar, when working and supporting the other, ensures a continuous flow of quality candidates. To build your brand, you simply must do the following:

1. Develop a powerful message
2. Foster a positive company reputation in your community
3. Spotlight your key employees
4. Retain an active online presence
5. Cultivate a relationship with the media

Powerful Message: Know who you are. Ask yourself, why would anyone want to work here? Why do you? What makes your organization attractive? Organizations are good at promoting themselves as part of the sales process, and you must do the same with recruitment. In recruitment, you are selling the organization to prospective employees. So take a hard look at the things that distinguish your organization and promote them. Show candidates why they should want to work for you. Getting the answer to these questions will help you define your company's recruitment brand.

Company Reputation: Candidates want to be part of something special. They want to feel proud. Create excitement and exclusivity about working for your firm. Whether you're a leader in your industry, a contributor to your local not-for-profit, or a recognized "good citizen," all of these work to enhance your reputation in your area or industry community, drawing potential candidates to you.

Spotlight Key Employees: Employees are your company's most prominent billboards. As they are seen in the community and at professional association meetings, representing your company as volunteers, board members, or participating and leading industry groups, potential candidates take notice. Your employees are your best recruiters. Put them to work. Make them visible. Remember, out of sight, out of mind-a recruitment killer.

Maintain an Online Presence: A web and social media presence is a must. Your website must be attractive, include a clear message why candidates should consider you, and an easy way to get answers and apply for positions. Social media is the magnet that draws today's candidates. To be seen, at a minimum, you must have an active and interesting blog, prominence on Facebook and LinkedIn, and videos-without them, you'll be a well-kept secret.

Relationship with the Media: The media, made up of print, blogs, radio and TV, have the ability to quickly raise your prominence and draw candidates to you like bees to honey. A well-shaped media strategy will help frame your message to position your company in front of potential candidates. Cultivate a relationship with the media. It will pay dividends.

Building upon these 5 pillars, leveraging each to support the whole, will place your business in front of your ideal candidates. Being seen as a respected employer, fostering a reputation as a great place to work, with a team of employee ambassadors in the community, will guarantee you a long and continuous flow of qualified individuals who want to work for you. An abundance of candidates, allows you to make better choices and ultimately great hires, driving your organization forward. That's the beauty of a positive recruitment brand.

If you'd like to develop a recruitment strategy that attracts a steady stream of candidates , contact me at rick@dacri.com or 207-967-0837.