By Stephanie Alexander on October 16, 2020

Here’s a little–known fact: Recruiting is the money-making department you didn’t know you had. If your recruiting strategy is considering your employer brand, and your hiring process reflects that brand through great candidate experience, then your employee retention rates should be looking great and your costs low. If there is a disconnect anywhere in that ecosystem than it all crumbles, expectations aren’t met across the board, people quit or get fired, and your costs just skyrocketed. (Scary, right?)

Finding quality candidates quickly is essential to your bottom-line, as is keeping them retained and not having to backfill them. That whole cycle starts with recruiting, and your employer brand. When we say “employer brand” we are referring to the unique pieces of your company and culture that set you apart from other employers. Your employer brand is comprised of elements like your Glassdoor reviews, the voice and tone of your job descriptions, the media (social and news-oriented) on your organization, and of course what people experience when interacting with your brand as a customer OR as a candidate or employee.

In order to attract quality candidates in a market flooded with more jobs than talent, your employer brand is the most important differentiating factor you have control over. Your brand isn’t some logo or fancy webpage, it’s how people experience your organization, it’s what they think of when they think of your organization specifically.

Your employer brand begins with the hiring process and how your recruiting process is designed to reflect that. If candidates have multiple options in terms of organizations looking for someone like them, why should they choose you over someone else? What makes you stand-out? Do you have a great culture or mission that would attract candidates? Or would it at least help them take your Recruiter’s phone call? When looking for hard-to-find and highly sought-after talent (Everyone wants the A-Player!) you have to bring something to the table.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to determine the strength of your employer branding:

• Do you have a social presence?
  If the answer is yes, does it mirror your mission and values? Does it adequately speak for your company in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of feel? Do you have the projects you’re really proud of showcased on your website? Does your website promote diversity in practice?

• Do you have Glassdoor reviews?
  In the GovCon industry specifically, positive (and realistic) Glassdoor reviews are paramount to inviting and retaining top talent.

At BOOST, we work with our clients on building their brands day-in and day-out to help differentiate themselves in a saturated market. We craft recruiting strategy specific to each search we take on because one size does NOT fit all.

To learn more about the current state of GovCon recruiting and employer branding, keep your eyes peeled for Stephanie Alexander’s appearance on our New Normal in Government Contracting series!

For assistance with all your proposal development needs, reach out to our experts today!

About the Author

Ms. Stephanie Alexander has spent over a decade supporting government contractors in making connections to grow their bottom line. She is the CEO and Founder of BOOST LLC which supports back-office functions for government contractors. She is a Co-Founder and Partner at govmates, a free teaming platform to connect business across the federal landscape. Her prior experience as a Chief Financial Officer and VP of Corporate Administration for Precise Systems, Inc. during a high growth phase and at a Department of Defense contractor gave her great insight into the inner-workings of the federal procurement system.  She began her work in DOD as a Program Manager working on innovative software for communications on Army Helicopters.

Ms. Alexander has accreditations from several sought after establishments including Virginia Polytechnic and State University (BS, MBA), George Mason University (Professional Certificate in Leadership Coaching), and Babson College (Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program). She has her MBA, SPHR, and PMP certifications as well.  She serves in a volunteer capacity on the National Veteran Small Business Coalition as the Co-Founder of Matchmaking as well as on the Virginia Tech MBA Advisory Board.

Ms. Alexander is a frequent writer and speaker on a myriad of government facing subjects including successful teaming, growth & sustainability, navigating the seasons of business, and insight into the world of subcontracting. Her clients include a broad variety of government contractors who routinely seek her advice on matters including traditional business tripwires and sustainable get-ahead strategies.

If your business is in need of government compliant back-office operational support and/or candid business advice, reach out to Stephanie and her team of experts here.