Employer Branding: How Candidate Experience Will Drive Recruitment Success in Media & Entertainment’s Recovery
As IBC 2024 approaches, the media and entertainment industry is showing encouraging signs of recovery after the challenges of 2023 and early 2024. Mergers and acquisitions are gaining momentum, and there's a renewed sense of optimism and growth in the air. Historically, the latter half of the year has been the most productive and crucial for our industry. This pattern extends to recruitment as well, with these months being the busiest for hiring and talent acquisition.
Given the importance of this period, companies need to prioritise an often-overlooked aspect of the recruitment process: candidate experience. Unfortunately, many organisations still stumble in this area, a factor that can make or break recruitment success and significantly impact your company’s market reputation. In an industry already grappling with challenges in attracting new talent and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, delivering a positive candidate experience is not just beneficial, it’s essential.
Values and Purpose: Know Who You Are
A successful Employer Branding strategy starts with understanding and clearly communicating your company’s identity. Your culture, values, and position within the industry should be evident at every touchpoint during the recruitment process. Companies undergoing transformation or experiencing significant internal changes often reveal these issues through disjointed messaging. Conversely, those with a clear sense of identity and purpose attract candidates who align with their vision, reflecting these qualities in their hiring practices.
With recent redundancies, particularly in HR and administrative functions, many companies are dealing with overstretched teams. This strain can lead to a breakdown in the recruitment process, ultimately resulting in a poor candidate experience. If your internal resources are limited, consider partnering with an external recruitment agency. The right one can act as your PR ambassador, as well as efficiently manage the process, ensuring that your company is presented in the right way.
Budget and Role Definition: Lay the Groundwork Before You Start
Before kicking off any recruitment process, it’s crucial to have all the essentials in place, starting with budget approval. It sounds obvious, but there’s nothing more frustrating for a candidate than to go through an entire recruitment process, only to find out the role’s budget isn’t finalised. This not only wastes time but also tarnishes your company’s reputation. Ensure that your budget is firmly established and clearly communicated from the start. This includes being transparent about salary ranges and ensuring that candidates are aligned with these expectations before moving forward.
Beyond the budget, clarity around the role itself is equally important. All stakeholders involved in the recruitment process must be on the same page regarding the role’s requirements and expectations. Over the past few years, more stakeholders have become involved in hiring decisions, which can be beneficial, as candidates gain a broader perspective of the company culture. However, this can also lead to mixed messages if stakeholders have differing expectations for the role. Establish a clear decision-making hierarchy and ensure that everyone understands the role’s requirements and objectives.
Interviews: A Two-Way Street at Every Phase
One of the most common pitfalls in recruitment is the outdated belief that companies are in the driver’s seat. In reality, recruitment has evolved into a two-way process where candidates evaluate potential employers just as critically as companies assess candidates. This shift is particularly important in a sector that is struggling to attract younger and more diverse talent. Ensuring a positive candidate experience isn’t a mere ‘nice-to-have’ - it’s crucial for your company’s success.
Communication and Momentum: Keep the Process Moving
Effective communication is the backbone of any successful recruitment process. Candidates form opinions about your company based on how the recruitment process is conducted. Timely and constructive feedback helps candidates understand where they stand and enhances their perception of your company, even if they don’t get the job. On the other hand, “ghosting” candidates or failing to provide feedback can leave a lasting negative impression.
Maintaining momentum throughout the recruitment process is equally important. Delays and stalls can cause candidates to lose interest or question their fit with your company. If delays are unavoidable, communicate them clearly and set new expectations for timelines. Transparency about the process, from the number of interview stages to the expected decision-making timeframe helps manage expectations and keeps engagement levels high.
Building and Protecting Your Reputation
A company’s reputation isn’t just built on its products or services; it’s also shaped by how it treats people, whether they are customers, current employees, or potential new employees. A well-executed recruitment process can enhance your company’s reputation, while a poorly managed one can cause significant damage. Candidates who have a positive experience are more likely to speak well of your company, even if they don’t end up joining.
It’s vital to put yourself in the candidate’s shoes and understand their perspective. We’re all busy, and the past 18 months have been challenging for many in the industry. However, taking the time to ensure a positive candidate experience can pay dividends in the long run. Engaging a professional recruitment agency can help manage this process more effectively, acting as an ambassador for your brand and ensuring that your company is portrayed positively in the market.
The Path Forward
In the fast-recovering media and entertainment industry, attracting the right talent is more critical than ever. By focusing on candidate experience, maintaining clear communication, and ensuring a unified approach among stakeholders, companies can enhance their recruitment processes and secure the talent they need to drive their business forward.
As we approach IBC 2024, it’s important to remember that the impressions we leave on candidates today will shape the future of our industry. By getting recruitment right, we can build stronger, more innovative teams ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities of tomorrow.
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