In times of a shortage of skilled labour, it is often the companies that have to present themselves to applicants in order to be attractive as an employer. Employer branding is becoming increasingly important.

Current forecasts show that the number of people of working age will fall from around 50 million today to 26.5 million in 2050. At the same time, the demand for skilled labour will continue to rise. This means that the roles in the application process have been reversed: Companies have to compete for employees and not the other way round. Those who fail to recognise and act on the signs of the times risk ending up as wallflowers in competition with innovative companies that attract applicants.

The 10 basics for successful recruiting are:

1. You know exactly who the target group is that you are looking for and where you can find them (e.g. on online platforms). Employer branding
2. You are aware of what makes you stand out as an employer and what makes you attractive compared to other employers. Companies apply to employees
3. They have recognised that today's generation of young, well-educated applicants value factors such as work-life balance more than steep career paths and top salaries.
4. They create customised job ads that grab attention instead of using old-fashioned, rigid wording.
5. You are aware that the best person for you is not necessarily the one with the best grades, but the one who best suits you as a person. Perhaps you had a difficult time at school or university and your grades don't say everything about you?
6. Present your advantages as an employer convincingly in the interview.
7. During the interview, pay particular attention to soft skills and how the candidate's personality fits in with you and your team.
8. You treat your candidates like good customers and keep them up to date on the progress of the application process with interim information.
9. They give the applicant an insight into their field of work and introduce them to their potential colleagues in / after the final application round.
10. Even if you reject an applicant, endeavour to communicate personally. Pick up the phone instead of writing an impersonal email. This way, it is more likely that the candidate will remember you fondly, even if the job doesn't work out. Perhaps you will meet again on another occasion or the candidate will recommend you to other applicants.

The magic word "employer branding"

"Employer branding is now mandatory. The aim here is for your company to be recognised as an attractive employer. Employer branding works best with a good combination of internal and external measures. With employer branding, it makes sense to start with existing employees, because who better to "advertise" your company than the people who work there?

Internal employer branding encompasses all measures aimed at the company's own employees. Some companies use their employees in the search for applicants in the form of photo shoots or recruiting videos. A good communication culture within the company is essential for this to have an authentic effect. If employees enjoy working for their company, they will tell other people in their private lives about it and thus promote their employer themselves. Don't forget: Companies apply to employees.

A question of image Companies apply to employees

In order to develop good employer branding externally, companies need to clarify many things for themselves. One important question is: What image can and do I want to convey? It is then necessary to develop strategies for the means by which this can be realised. In many cases, it makes sense to consult an external expert - if only because they have a neutral external view of the company.

In future, the task of companies will not only be to find the best and right employees. It is also important to offer prospective employees what is attractive to them. This is the only way to attract the best people on the market.

Our offer for you in IT recruiting

If you want to reach the best IT professionals, get in touch with us. indivHR helps you become even more successful in IT recruiting and avoid common mistakes.

As IT recruitment specialists with many years of experience, we know exactly how to organise the candidate journey so that you are always ahead of your competitors. So that you get the best employees.