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Attracting top talent is no longer just about offering competitive salaries or well-known job titles. Many employers struggle with low-quality applicants, declining candidate interest, or high offer rejection rates, even when the role itself is solid.
In a market where candidates actively research companies before applying, employer branding has become a deciding factor in whether the right talent chooses to engage with your business.
In this guide, we’ll break down the fundamentals of employer branding and show how it helps employers attract top talent more effectively.
Employer branding is important because it directly affects who applies to your company, how candidates perceive your business, and how easily you can hire the right talent. In a competitive job market, candidates don’t just evaluate job descriptions, they evaluate the company behind them.
For employers, a weak or unclear employer brand often leads to common hiring problems: low applicant quality, longer time-to-hire, high drop-off during recruitment, and frequent offer rejections. When candidates can’t understand your company values, work culture, or growth opportunities, they are less likely to engage, especially top talent with multiple options.
If you’re running short on ideas, don’t panic. We’ve got a comprehensive framework that tells you all you need to know about the main drivers of employer attractiveness. They’re grouped into four main areas, namely:
Reputation and image reflect how your company is viewed in the market by candidates, employees, and the public. This includes brand visibility, leadership credibility, media coverage, employee reviews, and word-of-mouth.
A strong reputation builds initial trust and encourages candidates to explore opportunities, while a poor or inconsistent image can discourage applications before candidates even read the job description.
People and culture define what it feels like to work inside your organization. Candidates pay close attention to leadership style, team dynamics, communication, and inclusivity. A healthy culture, where employees feel supported, respected, and heard, signals long-term career potential. For employers, clearly communicating workplace culture helps attract candidates who are more likely to fit and stay.
The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) represents the total value employees receive in exchange for their work. This goes beyond salary and benefits to include career development, work-life balance, learning opportunities, recognition, and purpose. A clear and authentic EVP helps candidates understand why they should choose your company over others offering similar roles.
The point is that they’re looking for genuine progression at every stage of their career. If you can give them that, you’ll be drawing them in like moths to a flame.
Job characteristics relate to the role itself, including responsibilities, autonomy, workload, flexibility, growth opportunities, and clarity of expectations. Candidates are more attracted to roles that offer meaningful work, clear impact, and room for development. Well-defined and transparent job characteristics reduce mismatched expectations and improve hiring outcomes.
Read Related Article : Beyond high salaries, what truly attracts top talent in 2024?
So, out of all these attributes and characteristics, what will really knock it out of the park for you, the employer? They prioritize these five key things as they search for their next employer.
Spoiler alert: all of these things lead to long-term employability.
Most candidates look for roles that offer clear opportunities to grow, both professionally and personally. Access to training, mentorship, skill development programs, or exposure to new responsibilities signals that the company is invested in long-term employee development.
When employers can demonstrate a structured approach to growth, candidates are more likely to see the role as a sustainable career path rather than a short-term job.
Beyond learning new skills, candidates also want clarity around career progression. They want to understand how performance is evaluated, what advancement looks like, and whether there are realistic opportunities to take on greater responsibilities over time.
Companies that communicate clear promotion pathways and support individual career goals tend to attract talent that is motivated, committed, and aligned with long-term business objectives.
Candidates are increasingly interested in the impact of their work. They want to know how their role contributes to company goals, customers, or the wider organization. Roles that feel disconnected from outcomes or purpose are often less appealing.
Employers who clearly articulate how each position creates value help candidates feel more engaged and motivated from the start.
Feeling valued is a core expectation across all career stages. This includes competitive compensation, but also recognition for contributions and effort. Transparent pay structures, performance-based rewards, and genuine appreciation reinforce trust in the employer-employee relationship.
When employees feel acknowledged and fairly rewarded, it strengthens engagement and retention.
Employer attractiveness is also shaped by daily work experience. Candidates assess flexibility, benefits, team dynamics, inclusivity, and overall work environment. A positive culture, where people feel supported, respected, and comfortable being themselves, adds significant value beyond salary alone.
Companies that offer a balanced and human-centered workplace are more likely to attract and retain top talent.
Now that you know what drives your employer branding and what candidates look for in an employer, it’s time to turn that knowledge into action.
Below are four practical strategies employers can use to move candidates from initial awareness to genuine interest.
Visibility matters. Candidates expect employers to maintain a credible and active presence across relevant digital channels, from career pages and LinkedIn to other platforms where your audience engages. Consistent communication, authentic messaging, and timely interaction help build familiarity and trust.
Beyond job postings, candidates want to understand your company’s values, working style, and personality. Employers that communicate clearly and engage openly are more likely to be perceived as approachable and relevant.
Workplace culture plays a major role in employer attractiveness. Inclusive practices, flexible work arrangements, and a respectful environment signal that the company values its people. These elements should not only exist internally but also be communicated externally through real stories, employee experiences, and transparent policies.
Rather than promoting perks alone, employers should highlight how teams collaborate, how diversity is supported, and how employees are empowered to do their best work.
Candidates want to know where a role can take them. Employers that articulate a long-term vision—both for the company and for individual growth, create stronger emotional and professional buy-in. This includes clarity around learning opportunities, performance expectations, and future responsibilities.
A clear roadmap helps candidates see the role as part of a broader career journey, not just a short-term opportunity.
Every role exists for a reason. Candidates are more likely to engage when they understand how a position contributes to company goals, customers, or society. Employers should consistently communicate the impact of their work and demonstrate genuine belief in their mission and values.
This narrative should be reflected across job postings, recruitment messaging, and interviews to ensure consistency and credibility.
Glints TalentHub is our complete talent solution that covers all aspects of talent acquisition, management, and development. Our team can help you access the extensive talent pool across Southeast Asia and build great teams quickly and affordably. Simply schedule a call with us and our dedicated experts will be thrilled to guide you in your journey towards building a borderless team.
This article is brought to you by Glints TalentHub. Leading companies are actively building their borderless teams in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and beyond. However, the prospect of going borderless can be daunting due to complex regulations and cultural ambiguities. With Glints TalentHub, you’ll have a dedicated team of in-market legal, HR, and talent experts by your side at every step of the way.
Glints TalentHub offers an end-to-end, tech-enabled talent solution that encompasses talent acquisition, EOR, and talent development. We empower businesses to leverage the strengths of regional talent efficiently to build high-performing, cost-efficient teams.
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