The job market is inconsistent. For the past year, it has teetered back and forth between being aggressively candidate-driven to extremely employer-driven. You never know when the market is going to change, but it’s always a good idea to pad out your employer brand. After all, you want to attract the absolute best. Your hospitality brand IS your safety net when the tides do turn.
Assuming that you’re pushing job ads and employing recruitment agencies to pull in talented candidates, it’s easy to forget PR. As part of a larger brand strategy, recruitment-focused PR provides “surround sound” for those targeted activities. Meaning that your candidates won’t have to just take the recruiter’s word for it. Sure, the recruiter is telling the candidate that this is an “amazing’ company, but you know who else is? LinkedIn, industry publications, Glassdoor, local businesses, press releases, the neighbor across the street, your mom.
You get the point. PR is important. Even if you’re just working as one business for a larger chain like Marriott or you run a boutique resort, you shouldn’t rely on your words alone to sell the job. Before the candidate even gets the chance to speak to a hiring manager, they should be excited.
This begs the question: what gets your average candidate excited to attend an interview? Well, here are a few things you can do to spice up your brand:
Select Your Representation
You need a spokesperson to represent your company online. In many circumstances, the CEO is the most obvious choice; they know the brand inside and out and have the last say on all problems. However, if the CEO is not media-friendly, they may wind up doing more harm than good.
It’s also good to look beyond the hierarchal lens and consider relevant representatives per job role. For example, if you’re hiring several people on the sales side, your Director of Sales & Marketing would offer a clearer perspective for potential hires. Showcasing the heads of specific departments or employees who have worked with the company for several years can be both inspiring and insightful for candidates. As we’ve said before, your team members are the real brand ambassadors. Write success stories and use them for articles and posts. Also, incorporate as many pictures as you can to humanize your talent and bring attention to your hospitality brand.
Get Rewarded
Some companies don’t realize that you have to apply for awards to get them.
Sometimes, awards come through a nomination or survey results. However, for a large portion of awards, you have to research and apply. Companies of all sizes can now apply for dozens of accolades. Getting awarded something like Fortune’s Best Places to Work is a fantastic badge of honor that can lead to a surplus of candidate applications. While they’re not always easy to acquire, many of them are significant recommendations that can help your organization stand out from the competition in the eyes of a candidate. Keep them on your radar and apply.
Build Relationships With Media
Cultivate relationships with journalists, bloggers, and other people in the hospitality space. Having a relationship with the press can be beneficial as you build your brand. There are numerous stories in the sector that could be considered newsworthy, whether it’s a promotional offering, an event, or just a large group staying at your property.
Utilize your network to its full potential. Creating and sharing authentic content can help you strengthen relationships with people you already know, as well as those who may be able to connect you with others in their networks. News outlets broaden your reach and can bring in different demographics to boost your hospitality brand.
At the end of the day, your brand is all that people from the outside see. So, manage it and create a brand that appeals to the dream candidates you’re seeking. If you need help with finding the right people, you can contact us for your executive talent needs.