First impressions count: How hiring processes shape your employer brand

In the battle to attract top talent, jobseekers want authenticity and respect and companies who fail to prioritise their own values during recruitment are putting their brand at risk, according to leading HR academics.

“Research shows people are increasingly looking to work for companies with values that align with their own – this can be more important than salary,” Associate Professor Sarah Bankins from Macquarie University's Health at Work Centre.

Each time a potential recruit goes back and forth with a company, they are getting a message about the business and how they’re likely to be treated if they got the job, Bankins said. 

“Every interaction is giving them a sense of what it would be like to work there.”

Companies should avoid recruitment practices that aren’t aligned with their brand and culture, or risk setting up future employees for failure, Bankins said. For example, a company that prides itself on inclusion might scrap one-on-one interviews and instead hold group interviews with shared tasks.

“Be authentic and genuine – you want candidates to be able to make their own, accurate assessments of fitting with the company – otherwise it risks wasting your time and theirs," Bankins said.

While recruitment processes also tend to prioritise the successful candidate, Bankins says treating unsuccessful applicants with respect can create goodwill, strengthening your company’s reputation.

“(We) forget that treating the latter group respectfully, for example by keeping them informed and ideally offering some form of feedback, can help create positive word-of-mouth and new ambassadors for your company.”

Values and first impressions matter

When it comes to meeting face-to-face, first impressions matter, and candidates use public-facing elements of the company to build a picture of what it would be like to work there.

“Job candidates can almost sense whether their personal values are in line with the company’s values when they view the company’s website or step into the front door – the receptionist is friendly and happy to do their job or not,” Connie Zheng, Associate Professor in Human Resource Management from the University of South Australia told HRD.

“Whether these people are good listeners, kind to the candidates’ questions or feedback, or collaborative themselves, can be reflective of the company’s culture and values too," said Zheng, who is also the co-director of Centre for Workplace Excellence at the university.

Protecting your brand from poor online feedback

Candidates, former employees and “revenge quitters” are increasingly sharing their opinions online, and research shows informal company ratings can impact people’s intentions to apply, Bankins said.

Platforms including Glassdoor offer candidates, and current and former employees, the opportunity to rate their experience with companies, often anonymously, in a model similar to restaurant-rating website Yelp.

“These platforms, and social media more broadly, are channels for candidates to voice both good and bad experiences with employers across the employment lifecycle – right through from recruitment to ‘revenge quitters’,” Bankins said.

“How can companies manage this? Invest time and resources into creating positive candidate experiences that align with what your company stands for – that investment can help avoid the costs associated with poor recruitment practices down the track.”

Failing to properly engage with job applicants can harm a business’ brand, and hamper its ability to appeal to new talent, Dr Zheng said.

Recent data from Indeed showed 88% of candidates have been “ghosted” after a job application - where they send off a CV and cover letter, and never get a response.

“When candidates are mistreated or ‘ghosted’ without being given any due respect, this negative experience can be shared among their networks,” Dr Zheng said.

“This creates a bad reputation and image issue for the company, affecting talent attraction and effective recruitment for future job openings.”

Recruitment misteps 

Ghosting an applicant, dragging out the hiring timeline without explanation, or using vague or misleading job descriptions puts your company’s brand at risk, Emma Sestic, Associate Director at specialist recruiter Robert Half told HRD.

“Such missteps can make a company appear disorganised, disrespectful, and unprofessional, leading to negative reviews and a damaged reputation in the competitive talent market.”

Companies can safeguard their brand by developing hiring processes that are transparent and respectful, Sestic advises.

Using clear job descriptions, including salary ranges and giving candidates fair and structured interview processes “signal that a company values its people, is organised, and operates with integrity.”