Updated: September 19, 2022
Ask ACE
Ask ACE: How to brand yourself as a great employer
By Holly Smevog of HMS Career Coaching
Q: Why aren’t my usual hiring strategies working?
ACE Advises: Maine employers face a short supply of workers, in part because of Maine’s aging workforce. Most people have felt the impact. A local grocery announced a new closing time of 6 p.m. because of staffing shortages. That is the time when many people shop for dinner supplies.
Gov. Janet Mills’ “Welcome Home Talent Attraction Program” and initiatives like Live + Work in Maine hope to attract out-of-state workers. Maine’s unique issues are compounded by national trends like the so-called Great Resignation and “quiet quitting.” Opinions about what makes a job worthwhile have shifted and employees are taking a closer look at wages, culture, flexibility and growth potential. It’s an employee’s market and job seekers are holding out for the best offer.
Employers need to assess the implications of this shift. Rachel Knight from Destination Occupation helps employers reposition themselves and design a culture to attract, develop and retain workers. She advises companies to “sell yourself like you sell your product or service. Use your marketing muscle to recruit.’” Knight acknowledges it’s hard for human resources to take on more of a marketing role or to ask the two departments to collaborate more. But she has evidence that applying a marketing model to the development of teams attracts candidates.
So, what is the best advice for more successful hiring? Re-evaluate wages and develop a workforce plan that adds marketing to the budget. Create awareness about your brand as an employer. Let available workers know what you do, what you stand for and why it matters.
Holly Smevog is an ACE member and independent consultant with HMS Career Coaching. She can be reached at holly@hmscareercoaching.com or hmscareercoaching.com
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