Selling the Brooklyn Bridge to an Iowan Tourist

JOB SEEKERS: BEWARE OF EMPLOYER BRANDING

According to Glassdoor, 84% of you would consider leaving your current job if offered another role with a company that had an excellent corporate reputation (or perceived reputation)

According to an article by Sarah Lybrand, “employer branding, is simply how you market your company to desired job seekers. You can do this by showcasing your organization’s unique cultural differentiators, and then working to amplify them so you can position yourself as a top place to work.”

As a candidate advocate—heed this warning. Employers are using content marketing to shape your perception of their company. They are creating beautiful image-filled blogs with stories about their employees, videos with testimonials & even Glassdoor reviews.

Here’s the thing—it’s marketing.

Sometimes, the stories they are putting on their website are simply not reality. I’ve heard of companies wanting to boost their Glassdoor rankings so they buy coffee and donuts for their HR staff and have everyone write a glowing review.

What can’t be faked? Retention, innovation, upward mobility & diversity.

Check out this post on LinkedIn and view the over 100 quality comments from hiring managers, job seekers and industry leaders on the subject.

Author

  • Sarah Johnston

    I’m a former corporate recruiter and industry “insider” who got tired of seeing talented high-achievers get passed over for opportunities because they did not have the right marketing documents or know how to position themselves in interviews. I have relocated multiple times across the country as a “trailing spouse” and have had to execute job searches in completely cold markets (where I literally knew no one!) I have been named a LinkedIn Top Voice in the career space in 2019, HR Weekly’s Top 100 Most Influential People in HR, named the owner of the “best resume writing firm for experienced executives” by Balance Careers and a “top follow” by JobScan in 2019 and 2020.

Sarah Johnston

Sarah Johnston is a former corporate recruiter and industry "insider" with a passion for empowering high-achievers in their career journeys. Frustrated by talented individuals being overlooked due to ineffective marketing documents and interview strategies, Sarah made it her mission to equip professionals with the tools and knowledge to succeed. As a seasoned "trailing spouse" who relocated multiple times, she understands the challenges of executing job searches in unfamiliar markets. Sarah's expertise and impact have earned her recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice in 2019 and a spot on HR Weekly's Top 100 Most Influential People in HR. Her resume writing firm has been acclaimed as the best for experienced executives by Balance Careers, while JobScan listed her as a top follow in 2019 and 2020.

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