It’s fair to say that when most people think about branding, they think about it from a customer perspective. Things like how your business looks to the outside world, what tone you use on your website, and how you stand out in your market.
And that’s all important but it’s only half the story. Because branding isn’t just for customers, it’s also one of the best tools you’ve got when it comes to hiring the right people. A clear, consistent brand doesn’t just attract more applicants, it attracts the right ones. The ones who get what you’re about, who believe in the same things, and who’ll actually enjoy working with you. Just as importantly, it helps weed out the ones who probably wouldn’t be a good fit which is really a win for everyone involved!
Your brand sends a message
Even if you’re not actively hiring, your brand is already doing quite a bit of legwork for you. Every time you post on social media, update your website, or publish a job ad, you’re telling a story about what your company’s like, what matters to you, and what kind of people thrive in your team.
So when a potential candidate is scrolling through LinkedIn or browsing your site, they’re not just looking at your products or services. They’re actually asking: Could I see myself here? If your brand is strong and honest, it’ll speak directly to the kind of people you actually want to hire. It helps them picture themselves as part of your team and gets them excited about the idea too!
Attracting people who actually get you
We’ve all seen those job ads that feel like they could belong to quite literally any company. They say things like “fast-paced environment”, “competitive salary”, and “must be a team player”.
And whilst there’s nothing really wrong with these ads, they don’t say anything about what it’s actually like to work there. Strong branding changes that as it gives candidates a real sense of your culture before they’ve even sent an application.
It might be the way you talk about your values, the tone of your job descriptions, or even the types of photos you post from team away days. These things might seem small, but they add up to a bigger picture, one that helps people feel either drawn in… or quietly opt out.
Putting some people off is a good thing
This part can feel counterintuitive, after all, you want as many applicants as possible, right? Well, maybe not. If you’re hiring just to fill a seat, sure, cast the net wide. But if you’re building a team that’s going to grow with your business, share your values, and stick around? Then you don’t want everyone, you want the right ones. And to get those, you’ve got to be honest about what you’re like.
That might mean turning off people who prefer a different kind of work culture. Someone who’s looking for lots of structure might not enjoy your fast-moving startup vibe. Someone who values hierarchy might not thrive in your flat team. And that’s totally okay. If your brand makes that clear from the start, you’ll naturally attract people who’ll enjoy the way you work and save everyone the pain of a bad hire later on.
So, what does this all look like in practice?
Now you know why your branding can help you attract the right team, let’s talk about how you can do it!
Job ads that sound like humans wrote them
Please drop the buzzwords and just write like you talk. It’s fine to be playful too (if that’s your brand’s vibe!), the days of job ads needing to be serious and stuffy are long gone.
A careers page that actually shows your culture
Use things like photos of the team and quotes from real people to help give a sense of what a typical day might look like. Don’t forget to capture the fun stuff like team days out!
Show off on socials
Don’t forget that your social media isn’t just for marketing products and services, you can also use it to share behind the scenes bits, celebrations, the silly everyday moments, pets… you name it! This all feeds into showing off your brand’s authentic personality.
An interview process that feels like you
If you’re informal and collaborative, don’t suddenly turn into a corporate robot at interview stage. It’ll leave your candidate thinking they wandered into the wrong office. People can sniff out inauthentic branding a mile off, so if there’s a mismatch between what you say you’re like and what you are really like, it creates distrust. And no one wants to work for someone they can’t trust!
Need some help making sure that your brand is saying all the right things to the right people? Come have a chat with our team, we’ll help you get your branding on point!
