If you want to attract the very best in SaaS talent, creating a strong employer brand is an essential part of your recruitment strategy. Long gone are the days when a paycheck is all that candidates are interested in. Today’s workforce wants to be part of a company whose values align with their own. If your SaaS employer brand isn’t well-thought out, clear, and ‘out there’ for all to see, you’re likely to lose out to your competition when it comes to landing the best SaaS talent.
What Does Employer Branding Mean in SaaS Recruitment?
Despite the huge pool of SaaS talent out there, recruiting just the right person to fill the desired role isn’t always easy. Even with a great recruitment campaign in full swing, you need a clear and concise employer brand to attract the best-quality SaaS candidates. According to the 2023 Employer Branding Guide, a huge 75% of applicants will only apply for roles at companies that have a clear and concise employer brand, regardless of the wages being offered.
Employer branding in SaaS recruitment really is key if you want to beat the competition and hire top talent quickly.
What Is SaaS Recruitment Employer Branding?
If you want to recruit talented individuals, you need to work on building up your company’s reputation and showcase it as a fantastic place to work. Think of it as a form of marketing, with your company as the product you are trying to sell – to both existing employees and those you are trying to recruit.
Your SaaS recruitment process can include a huge drive in employee advocacy, encouraging current employees to ‘big you up’ on social media and share their experiences of what a great place your company is to work for. Because employer values are so important to potential candidates, you can also make your positive policies on diversity, equality, and inclusion a big part of your employer brand. It’s important that you show these values in action as part of your SaaS recruitment drive – rather than just sticking a list of values on your business website.
Why Focus On Employer Branding?
Having a strong employer brand is going to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to the SaaS recruitment process. Being a reputable company will ensure that potential candidates already know who you are, what you stand for, and will be familiar with your office culture. They may have already interacted with your employer branding on social media and are much more likely to apply for available SaaS roles than if they’d never heard of your company.
Employer branding in SaaS recruitment also means that you can speed up the hiring process by up to 50%, allowing you to fill roles as soon as they become available, rather than having job posts languishing on job boards and on your website for ages. Of course, the faster you hire new SaaS talent, the quicker you can start reaping the ROI.
As well as saving you time, a strong SaaS employer brand is also going to save you money (now we’ve got your attention!). Why? Because instead of having to advertise available job openings on third-party platforms, you’ll find that you’ll organically attract candidates who have already decided they like and trust your brand – they may even start contacting you before you have a role available.
The money you’ll save on constantly searching for new talent can be spent on more employer branding efforts that will attract even more SaaS talent!
What Strategies Enhance Employer Branding in Recruitment?
Creating a winning employer brand for your SaaS recruitment drive isn’t a case of simply increasing your presence on social media, getting some office bean-bag chairs, and asking all your employees to post pictures of
themselves looking happy on Facebook. If you want to attract the very top SaaS talent, you’ll need to put some carefully thought-out strategies in place.
- Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
You need to start with a solid foundation – your employer value proposition (EVP). Your EVP is what sets you apart from other companies in the industry, and you need to think beyond ‘we’ll pay you more than they will.’ To be an attractive employer to potential candidates, you need to showcase the unique opportunities and experiences that your company offers. It’s never a good idea to change your innate EVP to match what you think people want to hear because it won’t come off as authentic. If you’re unsure what your EVP is, speak to your current employees and ask them for their feedback on what they love about working for you and what they feel you offer that no one else does.
- Create an Ideal Candidate Profile
If you want to attract the best SaaS talent, you need to know exactly who you’re looking for. Creating an ideal candidate profile is an essential part of your team branding in SaaS recruitment. It doesn’t have to be complicated; simply list the job requirements and key competencies that are required, make it clear what personality traits are necessary to succeed in the role, and then have a ‘must-have’ and ‘would be nice to have’ list of criteria for candidates to tick off.
- Diversify Your Recruitment Message
Deciding how to get your recruitment message out there to potential new employees is crucial. Are you going to rely solely on traditional text job ads? Will you use infographics that can be shared online? Or perhaps you’ll run recruitment ads on the radio or via video to be posted on social media? For the best results, try multiple approaches. However, if your budget doesn’t allow it, the most effective method is an employer branding video. The Employer Branding Guide states that job postings that include an embedded video have an 800% higher engagement rate than traditional ads and a 34% higher application rate.
- Target the Right Platforms
When deciding where to showcase your employer branding, you need to know where to find your target audience. For example, if you’re looking to attract SaaS talent from a specific location, then posting on location-specific online communities is your best bet. Hip young go-getters are more likely to be scouring platforms like Instagram and TikTok for opportunities, whereas more experienced and likely older SaaS talent can be more easily attracted through LinkedIn and Facebook.
- Monitor and Adjust
One of the best strategies you can use when it comes to employer branding for SaaS recruitment is to keep a close eye on how successful your branding is. Monitor the number of applications you’ve received since you emphasized employer branding, and assess the quality of candidates who are applying for the roles. Are you attracting diverse talent and people who are a good fit for your company culture? If uptake is lower than you want or you’re not attracting the types of candidates you desire, it might be time to go back to the drawing board and ensure that your values are succinct and visible, and that you’re casting your net in the right places.
Additionally, survey applicants asking them where they heard about you, what they love about your company, and where they feel you could make improvements. Then make changes accordingly.
Best Practices for Attracting Top Talent through Employer Branding in SaaS Recruitment
Don’t think of employer branding as a chore whose only function is to help out with the SaaS recruitment process. Make employee branding a part of your company culture, and you’ll attract the very best talent naturally. Here are a few final best practices to consider:
- Consistency is key: Ensure that your employer branding is consistent across all channels – from your website to your social media profiles. This helps build a recognizable and strong employer brand.
- Encourage employee advocacy: Encourage your employees to be brand ambassadors and share their positive experiences of working for your company on social media. This boosts your employer brand and shows potential candidates the positive aspects of working for you.
- Highlight your company culture: Showcase your company culture through videos, photos, and employee testimonials. This gives candidates an inside look at what it’s like to work at your company.
- Keep an eye on your online presence: Regularly monitor and respond to online reviews and comments about your company. Address any negative feedback promptly and publicly demonstrate your commitment to employee satisfaction.
- Provide a positive candidate experience: Treat every candidate with respect and provide a positive experience throughout the recruitment process, regardless of the outcome. Word of mouth travels fast, and even rejected candidates can become brand advocates if they had a positive experience.
In the highly competitive world of SaaS recruitment, having a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting top talent. By focusing on creating a clear and compelling employer brand, showcasing your company culture, and engaging in effective recruitment strategies, you can position your organization as an employer of choice. Investing time and effort in employer branding not only helps you attract and retain high-quality SaaS professionals but also contributes to the overall success and growth of your company.
If you’re ready to take your SaaS recruitment to the next level and build a strong employer brand, contact us at Abika Consulting today. Our team of experts can provide you with tailored solutions to attract the best SaaS talent for your organization.
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