Live Your Core Values or Die Trying

I’ve heard it a lot from business owners lately: “I can’t find good employees.” 

This problem is not industry-specific or even related to generational differences. All brands across all hiring demographics are struggling to find the right people for their team. 

As a content marketer, my first question is, “Are you showing who you are before someone applies for a job?” Anyone (well, most anyone) can look good on paper, but unless they have seen your company - behind the scenes - they are telling themselves a story of who you are and what it will be like to work for you. 

And they usually have very little to go off of as it pertains to living your brand. 

Who are the people they’re going to interact with? What is the company culture? Do people hang out together outside of work? Do employees work for a long period of time at your company? What are the expectations of working at your company? 

Believe it or not, social media is not just an excellent way to recruit the right talent for your company, but it also builds community and comradery with your current employees. After all, if you don’t have buy-in from your current employees on your core values, then you might have bigger problems than trying to find the next best candidate to join your team. 

And before you tell me, “My HR recruiter is on LinkedIn, why do I need to also be on it?” Two things: first, you need to be active online so current and future teammates know you are committed to the brand outside of the four walls of your business. Second, I’m not talking about LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn is a great recruiter tool and it’s where a lot of people do find their next professional gig, but it’s not the only place people are finding jobs today. Facebook has also become a major recruitment tool for connecting companies to the right candidates. With tagging and sharing a common occurrence on this platform, this is a key tactic that companies are using to get their brand out there. 

Instagram and TikTok are also growing in popularity - and it’s not just with the kids. CEOs and other high-ranking professionals are taking cues from their “younger employees” and jumping on the latest viral video thread to show their humor and approachability. 

These “soft” marketing tactics may seem like a waste of time, but it’s important to consider how much the world has changed since 2020. We are operating in an impermanent hybrid world with newly-found anxieties. Work is important because it’s a necessity, but it’s not the only choice employees have. From start-up dreams to freelance opportunities, there is a myriad of ways people can find a way to make a living, and the brand that gives them that sense of belonging and connection - is the brand that will win.