We talk about employer branding a lot. And for good reason. It is, and should always be, top of mind. Something worthwhile considering is a competitive view of your consumer brand versus your employer brand.

What matters most in brand marketing always has been, is now and always will be, the relationship between a brand and its consumers. And the key to the brand relationship - as it is in any relationship - is trust.

Taking Ellen Ryan Mardik’s viewpoint one step further, I’d venture to say that through the eyes of a candidate, a company’s consumer brand isn’t that different from its employer brand. Think about it. In the consumer world, people do business with companies they trust. Just the same, candidates work for companies they trust. Unfortunately - or fortunately - depending on how you view it, candidates have access to more information than you think. Take JobVent, for instance. Candidates can check out employee reviews of their work experiences within your company in a matter of seconds. Reviews can be good, bad or ugly. It can potentially dissuade a candidate from considering work at your company. Most employers are not aware of unapproved content about their consumer brand either. Try placing your favorite company’s name in front of any unpleasant word into a url and see what pops up. Chances are, it will surprise you.

So who owns your employer brand? One might say it belongs to your employees, as they are the ones who live it. Every company has an opportunity to listen to the voice of their customers, and by that I mean employees. To stay competitive and top of mind (in a good light) in the marketplace, you must survey your employees to gain insight into potential challenges. And you absolutely have to address issues with immediacy. Don’t ignore what is being said about your company online. Your employer brand livelihood depends on it.