6 Employer Branding trends for 2018

18

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February 20th, 2018

Every year, employer branding is changing due to a mix of technology and growing expectations
of talents.

The newest report from Hipo.ro reveals that the hiring volume will increase in upcoming years,
as 76% of companies declared that their needs for recruitment are constantly rising. We are now
experiencing a candidate driven market. That means you no longer pick talent, talent picks you.
The future of an effective strategy lies in approaching your candidates, the way you are attracting
your customers.
How will it affect the future of the recruitment process? Check out the most important trends that
will alter the employer branding line of business in 2018, according to our experts.

1. Talent Attraction & Employer Branding as a main topic

in the Board Rooms
There’s been a lot of talk about HR being a strategic partner in business development. In 2018
we have an ongoing talent shortage across the country endangering the execution of business
strategies, settling for good this argument. In some sectors, it is easier to attract clients than it is
to recruit the teams delivering the products/services. The companies which will master the art of
talent attraction and retention in the shortest of time will gain an important competitive
advantage. A strong employer brand is a keystone to this process. As innovation and technology
impacts the entire economy, time to market becomes crucial. Some companies will be able to
attract the right talent in time to adjust, while the rest will risk losing their competitive edge.

2. Adjusting the recruitment process to the mobile

revolution
The trend of using mobile devices to research employers and apply for jobs is growing. In 2017,
over 65% of the career related traffic was coming from mobile devices only. Keeping pace with
this smartphone revolution will be an important challenge for employer branding efforts in the
upcoming year. Statistics show that 89% of job seekers think mobile devices play a critical role
in the job hunting process. In a recent research we analyzed major IT&C employers and found
out that 40% of them don’t have a mobile friendly career website. That means, many
organizations lack important adjustments and keep missing out on candidates. So, better make
sure:

1. The content and formatting of your job postings are mobile friendly;
2. Your career website is optimized for mobile devices;
3. Your application forms are fully compatible with smartphones;
4. The application process is streamlined for a friendly candidate journey – one click
application is ideal;

3. Authenticity and Personalization with the help of your

current employees
In the digital age, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Most companies have the same
look and feel when it comes to the recruitment process. What might set you apart from
competition are your current employees. They can become the secret weapon in your employer
branding strategy, as they can share their employee experience and humanize your company.
Listen to what they have to say about your organization, by putting together focus groups,
surveys, interviews and learn what they value about your company. You can even go further and
turn them into brand ambassadors by empowering them to tell their stories. Personalization is
crucial in building a modern candidate journey. You can engage them with tailored programs
built around the employee experience, like the one from Nokia, or catch their attention with
video testimonials like Endava
The latest Most Desired Employers Survey reveals that candidates’ most trustworthy sources are
the direct interactions and informal discussions with your employees. So, speaking of upcoming
trends, we shouldn’t forget the referral programs at your company, which are known to be the
top source of quality hires. Now you can even choose to automate this process, which take us to
next trend of 2018.

4. Technology will change the way we do employer branding

Big data and automation drive effectiveness and speed up the communication flow , becoming a
necessity in every recruitment process.

Adopting software that uses Artificial Intelligence technology will speed up the workflow by
targeting, selecting and evaluating candidates. It will help you with getting to know your target
audience and keep them engaged through a customized candidate journey.

We can expect, that in upcoming years VR and AI will continue to alter the way employer
brands are communicated. Companies will start to take the candidate experience to the next
level, just like British Army did. They used VR in their recruitment campaign to present the
roadshow to their candidates. In the end, they received 66% more recruitment applications than
usual.
5. Content marketing that creates a community around your
company
Creating appealing and engaging content is not an easy task, but it’s essential for your employer
brand. Once you hit that sweet spot between what your audience expects and what the company
represents – you are all set to go! Remember, content marketing is much more than social media,
it can take the form of an eBook, video, e-learning platform or even a live event. One rule – the
more your target audience can learn from it, the better it gets. Instead of selling the job, try to
invest in building relationships first. It takes time and effort, but it pays off in engagement, trust
and a strong sense of community around your employer brand. Let the magic happen and you
will start to receive applications not only from active candidates, but also from passive talents
who simply feel empowered by your organization. A recent project we developed together with
DB Global Technology is a good example of empowering a community: IT Community
Relocation Guide
6. Omni-channels – integrating the candidate experience
Omni-channel campaigns are key to employer branding success as candidates engage with
companies in a variety of ways – including events, websites, career pages, job portals, social
media not to mention the whole recruitment process. The challenge for you is to create a synergy
between these tools and make the candidate the center of the experience. When your employer
brand is consistent across multiple channels, you eliminate candidate confusion—moving
candidates more swiftly down the talent pipeline.

Events can be a great way to engage your audience and if you combine them with instant follow-
up (through e-mail, SMS, or other digital channels) the results will become far better.

An employer branding strategy that levels up to 2018’s methods should provide a seamless and
effective candidate journey.

On a market where companies need to fight for talent, candidate experience is important like
never before.

Now everything is about people and for people. So, in 2018 you need to take your talent for a
technologically optimized journey, be consistent and engaging in a personal way. This is the
recipe for not falling behind in the upcoming year, in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Must have channels for successful

graduate recruitment campaigns
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September 27th, 2018

One of the growing challenges on the employment market is attracting young talents with a
dedicated graduate recruitment campaign. Coming up with an effective strategy involves
choosing the right mix of channels through which you can reach your desired audience.

The sourcing entry-level candidates should start way before they actually access the employment
market. Engaging with them by providing dedicated internship programs or campus visits will
build a strong core of your graduate recruitment strategy, but those are not the only ones. During
the last 12 years we have tested multiple ways of communication with all sorts of candidates.
Based on our experience, we will take you through must-have channels you should utilize while
running a recruitment campaign dedicated to graduates and students.

Coffee talks
Turns out, in the age of technology offline networking is highly valued. Especially for young
people who lack professional connections and wish to interact with potential employer in a safe
and friendly environment. Setting up an event like Coffee Talks is a perfect way to meet talents
face to face and showcase what your company is all about. Informal character of the meetings
and small but carefully preselected audience is an advantage that pays off in quality hires. This
event is a must to include in your graduate campaign if you wish to build solid relations with
quality applicants and taste great coffee on the side.

Career portals
Career portals like Hipo.ro are becoming increasingly popular for brands, and likewise, they
have become an effective way for organizations to raise awareness and mark their spot on the
employment market. Online applications via job boards enable recruiters to access a pool of
talented applicants and target them with their opportunities. From our experience banners
featured on Hipo.ro are very effective or you can even go further and boost reach of your
campaign by creating a dedicated microsite for your company in order to gain more exposure
and measure the effects.
Job fairs
If you decide to attend such an event and your focus are graduates and students make sure you
put in focus the social aspect and give visitors a chance to connect with current employee or, if
possible, a trainee who can talk directly and share his/her experience. Getting to know potential
coworkers face to face is priceless in building authentic candidate experience. Every year, beside
the professional audience, events like Angajatori De TOP are attracting thousands of grads and
students who are setting their first steps on the job market. The way you present company will
have a crucial impact on awareness of your employer brand among the young generation.
Social Media
Engaging with candidates on social media is a very effective way to reinforce your campaign and
create a strong employer brand in their eyes. You can see social platforms as a space for building
deeper connections with your audience. Aside from posting your job listings, start displaying
your company culture – post photos of your employees, company events and blog posts written
from the perspective of your employees or CEO. Also, you can make sure that your campaign is
reaching the right audience by incorporating pay-per-click campaign in which you have option to
pre-define the right profiles of candidates you want to communicate with.

Campus presence
Well taught presentation or a special event that reflects your company vision will put your
employer brand in spotlights and create awareness among entry-level candidates. Another
effective way to grab attention of students is being promoted in employer guides distributed on
the campus. For example, Ghidul Angajatorilor is a nationwide publication that features brand
ads, latest job openings and career articles, providing useful information for every student.
Having your message featured in this type of publication will build a foundation for future
recruiting and hiring efforts.
Video
Videos are a powerful way to communicate with entry-level candidates during your campaign. It
can reduce the fear of the unknown by showcasing the true employer experience viewers can
relate to. Make sure the stories of your employees reflect with company culture and cover people
going through all different stages of their career. It’s important to give it a natural and
conversational touch and show dynamic of the work environment at your organization.

Newsletters or Job alerts

From our experience newsletters is the most efficient channel in terms of converting applicants
you have already interact with. Newsletter should inspire candidates to envision a career with
you, and depending on their stage in the candidate journey, drive them to apply for your jobs.
Utilizing this channel don’t require much effort, but on the other hand your message can get lost
in the communication traffic. That’s why you should take a creative approach and come up with
a catchy subject line so the candidates will be tempted to read into it and follow up with a call to
action.

Relevant content
Publishing relevant content is unique by itself because it doesn’t focus on selling a job, unlike
banners or job ads. Wrapping up your recruitment message in interesting story might reach your
target audience in a subtle yet powerful way. When done right articles can help form authentic
image of your brand. It’s important to find sweet spot between being informative and intentional
while doing it. That’s why you should leave the corporate jargon far behind and adjust to the
style of publication you will be featured in.

While coming up with a creative graduate recruitment campaign you have to think not only
where young people go but also where can you find the profile you wish to convert. Using a
multi-channel approach can be a powerful way to increase awareness of your employer brand
and secure talent pool of young talents. Years of experience gave us ability to define the right
mix of channels based on the individual needs of our clients. It would be great to learn more
about your next graduate recruitment campaign! For future collaboration, please contact us
at angajatori@catalyst.ro
Topul Celor Mai Doriti Angajatori in
2018
32

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18 Iulie 2018
Am lansat rezultatele studiului Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori, derulat in perioada martie-mai a
acestui an. Studiul dezvaluie perceptiile candidatilor in raport cu angajatorii care activeaza in
Romania. Acesta sondeaza gradul de atractivitate al brandurilor de angajator, precum si
asteptarile pe care candidatii le au de la acestia. Editia cu numarul 13 Cei Mai Doriti
Angajatori releva o competitie stransa dusa intre branduri de renume de pe piata din Romania.
Primele 10 locuri sunt ocupate de companii multinationale, de nume mari care activeaza in
Romania: Oracle, Continental Romania, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, OMV Petrom, Grup Renault
Romania, Vodafone, Google si Bosch Romania. Angajatori care activeaza in industriile IT,
Automotive, Finance, Banking, Telecom sau FMCG se regasesc printre cele mai puternice 20 de
branduri nominalizate de participantii la studiu ca top 3 companii pentru care si-ar dori sa
lucreze. Prezenta unei companii la nivel national, alaturi de numarul mare si diversitatea
oportunitatilor de cariera sunt aspecte care pot influenta locul ocupat de o companie in topul Cei
Mai Doriti Angajatori.

Topul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori este realizat la nivel national, pe baza a 12.567 de raspunsuri
libere, neasistate ale respondentilor.
 Sursa: Catalyst Solutions, studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori 2018
“Intr-o piata foarte aglomerata cu oportunitati de cariera si luand in calcul reducerea
semnificativa a numarului de candidati, una dintre provocarile majore ale companiilor din
Romania consta in atragerea candidatilor potriviti. In acest context, nevoia de diferentiere a
brandului de angajator este din ce in ce mai mare. Cum ma situez in topul preferintelor grupului
meu tinta in raport cu competitia? Cati candidati ma cunosc versus cati ma iau in considerare
pentru un job? In ce masura aspectele cu care ma asociaza potentialii candidati reprezinta criterii
importante in alegerea unui job? Acestea sunt doar cateva dintre intrebarile la care ofera raspuns
Studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori, reprezentand un instrument de referinta pentru a intelege
comportamentul grupului tinta si perceptia externa pe care o are brandul de angajator.” –
Dumitrita Ghenciu, Employer Branding Consultant, Catalyst Solutions

“Oracle este recunoscut pe piata din Romania pentru cultura sa organizationala, pentru
oportunitatile de dezvoltare si pentru mediul de lucru prietenos si inspirational. Angajatii nostri
formeaza o comunitate bazata pe colaborare, pe pasiuni si interese comune si pe cultivarea
hobby-urilor din afara sferei profesionale. Prin toate tipurile de activitati de dezvoltare pe care le
organizam – atat cele pentru angajati, cat si cele destinate formarii studentilor si tinerilor
profesionisti – ne luam angajamentul unui transfer de know-how catre piata muncii din Romania.
Ne dorim sa contribuim la crearea unui mediu sustenabil de dezvoltare in economia locala, atat la
nivel de tehnologie, cat si de business.” – Cristina Stoica, HR Director Romania in cadrul
Oracle

„Brandul nostru de angajator este definit la nivel global, adaptat si implementat la nivel local,
ceea ce ne permite sa fim autentici si sa castigam increderea potentialilor nostri candidati. Ne
dorim sa fim abordabili, usor de inteles, dar in acelasi timp dinamici si sa inspiram incredere.
Pentru a ne asigura ca suntem astfel perceputi, suntem in permanent contact cu potentialii nostri
candidati, fie ca vorbim despre incepatori – prin intermediul gamei largi de colaborari
universitare pe care le derulam, fie ca vorbim despre persoane cu experienta – prin participarea la
conferinte profesionale, hackathoane si alte evenimente de profil. Bineinteles, activitatea online a
crescut foarte mult in ultimii ani si ne asiguram ca suntem vizibili si pe aceste canale, prin site
modern, pagini de social media si banere pe cele mai importante site-uri.” – Maria Marcovici,
Continental Romania, Coordonator National Employer Branding Continental

Care sunt cele mai importante criterii care influenteaza

alegerea unui angajator?
 Sursa: Catalyst Solutions, studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori 2018
Studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori ofera informatii cu privire la criteriile care stau la baza
deciziei in functie de care candidatii isi aleg compania preferata.
Daca in 2013, candidatii luau in considerare 10 angajatori pentru angajare, in prezent numarul
acestora aproape s-a dublat, ceea ce sugereaza rafinarea procesului decizional al candidatului
anului 2018. In acest context, angajatorii sunt responsabili de imbunatatirea ofertei puse la
dispozitie tinand cont atat de factorul uman, cat si de o serie de criterii mult mai complexe.

Pe primul loc ramane, cu o importanta ridicata, pachetul salarial constituit atat din venit, cat si
din beneficii (81%), urmat indeaproape de siguranta locului de munca (60%). Se remarca
totusi, o crestere in top a criteriului ce denota flexibilitatea in cadrul jobului (57%), devenind
astfel al 3-lea cel mai important aspect la care se raporteaza candidatii. Aproape la fel de
important pentru candidatul anului 2018 este ca angajatorul sa ofere o atmosfera de lucru
placuta si ca managementul companiei sa incurajeze si sa sustina dezvoltarea profesionala.
Care sunt canalele folosite de respondenti atunci cand vor sa
afle mai multe informatii despre companii si oportunitatile
de cariera?

Sursa: Catalyst Solutions, studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori 2018

Studiul Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori analizeaza canalele de comunicare si frecventa cu care
acestea sunt utilizate de candidati pentru a se informa cu privire la oportunitati de cariera si
angajatori.
Rezultatele studiului subliniaza faptul ca angajatorii trebuie sa acorde o atentie
speciala paginilor de cariera proprii, acestea reprezentand principalele surse de informare
pentru candidati (72%). Companiile sunt motivate sa investeasaca din ce in ce mai multe resurse
in a oferi o experienta cat mai placuta si favorabila dezvoltarii angajatilor, acestia fiind
ambasadorii brandului de angajator, canal de informare ce ocupa locul doi in cele mai sus cotate
canale de informare (67%).
Site-urile de joburi, precum www.hipo.ro, nu isi pierd nici ele din importanta, fiind al 3-lea cel
mai frecvent utilizat canal de informare de catre candidatii aflati in cautarea unui job (60%),
respectiv canalul principal atunci cand acestia intentioneaza sa aplice pentru un loc de munca.
Imediat urmatoarele canale sunt reprezentate de colegi sau prieteni, LinkedIn, dar si targuri de
cariera. Celelalte surse importante de informare sunt reprezentate de paginile de Facebook ale
companiilor, comunitatile profesionale online, dar si newsletterele/ mailurile de informare si
evenimentele online (ca webinarii, targuri de joburi online) – ce par a contura viitorul din aceasta
perspectiva.
Mediul online de comunicare este unul vital in informarea si atragerea candidatilor, insa
interactiunea directa, informala cu angajatorul este sursa ce le confera cea mai mare incredere,
conform rezultatelor studiului Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori. Candidatii cauta in continuare sa
interactioneze cu reprezentantii companiilor in cadrul evenimentelor de business sau dezvoltare
profesionala, la targuri de cariera, evenimente in cadrul universitatilor sau la sediul companiei.
Rezultatele studiului Cei Mai Doriti Angajatori din acest an se bazeaza pe informatiile
colectate in urma unui chestionar online in perioada martie – mai 2018. La studiu au participat
12.567 de respondenti cu studii superioare, atat juniori, cat si candidati cu experienta din toata
tara.
In urma colectarii datelor, informatiile prelucrate sunt centralizate sub forma de rapoarte
diferentiate in functie de interesul candidatilor pentru anumite industrii, de background-ul
academic si nivel de experienta. Tipurile de rapoarte disponibile: Business, Engineering, IT&C,
FMCG, Outsourcing& SSC, Retail.
Pentru mai multe informatii cu privire la structura rapoartelor, va rugam sa ne scrieti la
adresa angajatori@catalyst.ro