Recruitment isn’t just about filling roles – it’s about telling a story. At the centre of that story is your employer brand: the perception people hold about your organisation as a place to work

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in Recruitee

A strong employer branding strategy is what transforms a standard job advert into a compelling opportunity and turns your organisation into somewhere people genuinely want to join. This article is the first in a three-part series exploring employer branding, and here we’ll focus on the crucial first stage – planning.

What Is an Employer Branding Strategy?

Your employer brand is how candidates, employees and even customers see you as an employer. Your employer branding strategy is the intentional plan to shape and strengthen that perception. It touches everything: the tone of your job descriptions, the way you show up on LinkedIn, the stories you share about your culture and how you treat people throughout the hiring and employee lifecycle.

Why It Matters

In a world where remote roles are abundant and people value purpose as much as pay; your employer brand is a differentiator. It tells candidates not just what the job is but why it matters – and why they should choose you over someone else.

A strong employer branding strategy helps you:

• Attract stronger talent
• Hire faster and more cost-effectively
• Retain your people
• Stand out in competitive markets

Building this reputation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes clarity, consistency and ongoing refinement. Think of employer branding as a cycle of three repeatable phases: Planning, Execution, and Refinement.

Phase 1: Planning Your Employer Branding Strategy

Before posting job ads or launching social campaigns, you need solid groundwork. Planning is about understanding who you are, aligning with business priorities and defining how you want to be seen. Without this foundation, your messaging risks being inconsistent or disconnected.

Here’s how to set up for success:

Align with business goals Your employer brand should reinforce your organisation’s direction. Whether that’s international growth, closing skills gaps, or evolving culture, make sure your brand strategy supports it.

Assess your culture honestly Candidates don’t just want a job; they want to belong. Look closely at your culture. Do your values show up in everyday behaviours?

Set measurable goals Decide what success looks like. Do you want more referrals, shorter time-to-hire, better offer acceptance rates? Pick KPIs that can track progress.

Get leadership on board Employer branding is most effective when leaders embody it. Your CEO, managers, and senior team should actively advocate for your EVP – and live it.

Allocate resources and roles Employer branding isn’t just HR’s job. It’s a cross-functional effort involving HR, marketing, recruiters, leadership and employee advocates.

Create candidate personas Know who you’re trying to reach. Build profiles based on top performers and insights from hiring managers. What motivates these people? What are their goals and challenges? Use this knowledge to guide your messaging.

Develop your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) Your EVP is your promise to employees: what they gain by working with you. It might be growth, flexibility, purpose, or culture – but it must be authentic and resonate with your candidate personas.

Choose your channels wisely Not all platforms are equal. Identify where your target candidates spend their time – LinkedIn, Instagram, Glassdoor, or others – and focus your energy there.

Once you’ve laid the groundwork, the next step is Execution – bringing your EVP to life across every candidate and employee touchpoint – followed by Refinement, where you measure, listen and adjust. Employer branding is never truly finished; it evolves alongside your people, your goals, and your market.

We’ll be diving deeper into both Execution and Refinement in the next two articles in this series.