Any smart job seeker knows that having a strong personal brand helps you land primo job offers.

But there’s another side to the equation. Top talent is attracted to companies with strong cultures and employer brands.

According to the 2022 Connected Leadership study by the Brunswick Group, 82 percent of employeeswill research a CEO’s online presence when they’re considering joining a company.

New Talent is Watching

The best way to build that strong employer brand is to have your executive leadership be active, authentic, and accessible. That means (among other things) regularly posting on platforms like LinkedIn.

Not just CEOs, as Stephanie Roberts says in the video above, but other executives as well. It’s reasonable to assume job candidates will look at the social media feeds of any and all executives they can find.

What they see (or don’t see) will help them form their opinions of the company and decide if they want to work there. And how flexible they’ll be on things like salary.

Stories Get Results

How do you build that employer brand, reliably and consistently?

By telling stories, of course! By celebrating the people you have now, showcasing the work they do, and letting them – and everyone – know why it matters.

That’s what Dr. Joe Phillips did when he was technology director at Kansas City Public Schools. He told the stories about his team, and how they were working hard to make life better for disadvantaged kids in an urban school district.

Then a funny thing happened. Joe started getting more and better job applicants, even though he could only offer modest salaries, at best.

Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe

Prospective employees are just like any other target audience. They want to know the organization they’re joining has the culture, mission, and story that fits them.

When executives in your organization tell those stories, consistently and authentically, you’ll naturally attract the right kind of people.