Synkd Blog
The Brand Entrepreneur

Brand: its recruitment, but not as you know it

If ‘your people are your brand’ (see my last blog), then how do businesses and business owners navigate the complex minefield that the recruitment game has become to identify, qualify and appoint the ‘right’ people and person for your business? Easier said than done right?

Speaking from my own experience many years ago now as an employee in the corporate world when in pursuit of employment opportunities, I recall that the real ordeal was securing an actual interview, despite offering significant experience and management of brand blue chip campaigns, rather than the actual interview itself!

Due to other market forces at play (cost cutting exercises such as HR downsizing, a desire for businesses to increase efficiencies within the recruitment ‘system’ itself, whilst justifying expenditure on expensive ‘recruitment software’, an expanding ‘wish-list’ of employee skill sets to cast the net ever wider (yet met with frustration and disbelief when no candidate matches the specs list because ‘their’ ideal candidate doesn’t actually exist – I’m not bitter, really, I’m not), the process of recruitment has become automated and taken over by computer algorithms and keywords rather than the human touch or insight. Its ironic given that humans still need to do the work and make the ultimate choice. Fear of making a ‘bad’ appointment is a key factor. Which is where ‘the rub’ lies. How do we take the pain out of recruitment, help decision makers make the ‘right’ choice, and be confident of making a ‘good’ appointment? Brand and brand values might just be your answer!

Regardless, taking a ‘brand’ new approach to recruitment can pay off by focusing your attention, thoughts and desires on your brand values. Instead of focusing on skills and experience (which while important, can always be developed), instead focus your attention on your beliefs, values and behaviour to foster the right culture, create positive internal dynamics and seek the ‘right’ personality mix for your respective business. Get these dynamics right by focusing interview questions on employee beliefs and attitudes, rather than the usual trick questions designed to identify, elicit and expose weakness, mistakes or shortcomings. Look for negativity, get negativity!

eg. Do you passionately believe in the value of technology and bridging the human gap? Cool.
Now look for people with similar beliefs and attitudes who will express that through your workplace and see your business take flight. Why? Aligned values leads to synergies, mutual respect, a collective mindset and shared sentiments – key elements for creativty and productivity to flourish hand in hand. All that is left to add is a clear direction and focus that can be determined by leadership and supported by management. Its like winding up an old toy car and pointing it in the desired direction.

Yes, ‘brand’ is about belief, but whatever that ‘belief’ is and whatever it means to you, it needs to be expressed throughout your business and embodied by you the business owner in order to resonate with your staff. The solution is not just a cynical or superficial mantra or poster stuck up on a shared kitchen wall or near the water tank. Employees won’t resonate with this superficial form of culture or environment. They’ll see through it because they don’t ‘feel’ it. At best you’ll come across as insincere, at worst you’ll come across as two-faced or deceitful. BE transactional with your brand values and employees and guess what? – that’s your brand. Actually, you won’t even have a brand because there’s no trust.

Empower your staff through training and development to live that belief everyday and they will help build the brand for you – thus taking the burden off you and freeing up your time. Its all part of the brand blueprint for business growth.

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I hope you learned something new, insightful or useful from this blog.

As The Brand Entrepreneur, I believe in helping businesses build a ‘brand blueprint’ for business growth. I do this through a series of workshops designed to help businesses realise and communicate their ‘Why?’ to resonate with ideal customers and make a difference in the world. Successful brands in the future care about customers, not branding. I believe that future is now. I’m passionate about creating brand stories & design assets that help brands get ‘in sync’ and connected to customers they care about.

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