Don't Be the Amy Winehouse of the Recruiting/Employment Branding Scene....

Someone recently asked me what I do, and it was really hard to answer. But, as I looked around and saw colleagues immersed in compensation or diversity, I felt strange without a sub-brand, and anyone who reads anything I write KNOWS I'm no generalist.

So, harkening back to what I love, what I'm good at, and what gets my juices flowing, I realized for me, it's all about attraction and communication, about the Wooing.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to get slapped with a sexual harassment suit anytime soon; I'm not trying to attract people to ME, just to the end goal.

Since we run a full recruiting desk at HCI, I find myself "wooing" the clients over to our offerings, "attracting" the candidates to companies various packages and "enticing" industry insiders to see what it is we're up to.

Attraction isn't about the look of something, if it was, my friend Tanya would be the world's awesome-est recruiter. What's that old saying?

People don't buy products or services. They buy the way you make them feel.

If that's true, why aren't more people talking about attraction? Probably because it's just what gets you in the door. If you get people to "Look Over Here" and there's no (substance, service, quality, take your pick) then what? It immediately decreases your relevancy.

Ah, to be attractive AND relevant, something only Zooey Deschanel can seem to do simultaneously. Oh, yes and the ubiquitous Apple, Inc. This is the level to which your offering (what you are selling, candidate, company, experience, service) must rise.

Find it difficult? I do too. To be the prom queen and the valedictorian is no small task.

For recruiters:
- get involved in your community
- don't be a "poser" for BAD companies, even if they pay well
- don't fight among yourselves (or with HR Pros and HMs)
- find a niche and plant yourself there

For companies:
- listen to the "thought leaders"
- survey employees and make incremental changes
- find a "company mentor"
- focus on the company you WANT to be
- get involved in your community

For HR Pros:
- make yourself available
- focus on distribution of "change metrics"
- be proactive and selective about the recruiters you partner with
- get involved in your community
- talk to marketing, become a marketer

So, that's it.  Attaction is not only about making people look, but having some depth once they do take a peek.  Don't be the Amy Winehouse of your space.  Look inward and figure out whether you have something to offer once someone looks.

Editor's Note - Maren Hogan is a millennial living the dream in Omaha, Nebraska.  When she's not plotting the downfall of Gen Xer's like me, she's doing marketing and development for an IT recruiting and outsourcing firm called HCI.   I had no idea who Zooey Deschanel was, it took me 10 minutes to figure out she was the love interest in "Elf", but with different color hair...

Comments

[Pam Claughton]

Maren,

Great post! Something I've been thinking about lately too as I look for innovative ways to extend and build my brand.

~Pam