In this increasingly competitive candidate market, employers must now focus as much time on employer branding as would as they do on branding their products and services. Why? Well, if you want to create and deliver the best products and services you must promote your business to candidates in order for you to hire a high quality team of implementers.

As you may be aware, the best candidates will be choosing from several options and will select the employer that best meets their needs and desires. If you want to attract these candidates and make sure they choose your business you must actively promote your business during the interview process, so it stands out as an employer of choice; as a place that they should really want to work.

Below are several strategies which employers can use to promote and sell their business as an employer of choice during interview.

1. Evaluate The Candidate Experience & Improve It To Make It More User-Friendly

Chat to recent recruits in your business and even survey recent applicants if possible to get a firsthand view of how they feel about the candidate/interview experience in your company. Here are some example questions you could ask:

• How did you rate the communication and response levels during the interview process?
• Was the interview process too long, short or appropriate to the role being recruited for?
• Did you feel the style of interviewing was appropriate to the role?
• Were you given a tour of the office?
• Were you told about the company benefits?
• Were you told about the company culture and the positive aspects of working here?
• What overall rating would you give to this interview experience?
• Would you refer our business to a friend as a good place to work based on your interviewing experience?
• Did this interview process meet your expectations based on the image of us in the marketplace?

Use these questions to get an overall view of how attractive your candidate experience is and to help you understand areas that can be improved.

2. Develop An Individual Brand Message For Each Applicant, Based On Their Preferences

Find out as much as you can about the interviewee’s personal motivators; that is, what elements of the employer offering are they really drawn too. Then tailor your communication and make sure you emphasise the parts of your company's offering which really meet their needs. For example, if they are really motivated by career development, then spend time talking about your training and career development process.

3. Understand The Strengths & Weaknesses In Your Employee Offering

Do a simple SWOT analysis of other employers in the market place to see how your employer brand offering stacks up against the competition. Understand where you are strong and where you are weak - then deliver a brand message which accentuates your strengths and ensure you have counter arguments ready to address any weaknesses in your offering.

In summary, the most effective way to sell your business to candidates is to understand the candidate’s personal and professional motivators and to develop an individually tailored brand message in response to this, which promotes the company and role to them in the most attractive way possible.

Author Bio: Founder and Managing Director of MTD HR Consulting, Sean McPheat is widely regarded as a leading authority on modern day human resource management and training. Sean has been featured on CNN, ITV, BBC, SKY, Forbes, Arena Magazine and has over 250 other media credits to his name. For more information please visit: www.mtdhr.com.