Employer branding has been stated as a top priority for 2022 by 80% of companies, up 15 points in comparison to 2021 (Universum, 2022). Why, you may ask? 

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• 75% of job seekers consider an employer's brand before even applying for a job. (Glassdoor)
• Companies with strong employer brands see a 43% decrease in cost per hire. (LinkedIn)
• Organizations with effective employer branding experience a 28% reduction in employee turnover. (LinkedIn)

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It attracts talent, retains talent and reduces cost. 

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Most companies now deploy their employer branding on campuses to attract fresh and talented graduates. In fact, 93% of employers engage with students through campus career fairs and events (NACE). Undeniably, campuses are becoming a competitive field to attract young talent. 

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So, how can you differentiate yourself from your competitors on campuses? 

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The key is to adopt unique campus events to stand out. Amongst them, we can think of 

1. Competitions
2. Workshops
3. Showcases
4. Speaker series
5. Afterworks

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Competitions

What’s a better way to evaluate students in a fun manner? Competitions. These competitions can be directly related to the job such as hackathons for coders, case studies for consulting firms, marketing challenges for an advertising firm… Or more leisurely competitions like sports, cooking, trivia games and so on simply to get the opportunity to see students work as a team, create a bond with them and spread the word about your company and its culture. 

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Competitions are a key way major companies have been standing out on campuses. We can think of Microsoft's Imagine Cup that challenges students to leverage AI to solve today’s problems. Not only do they give the opportunity for young students to participate in such a challenge but they also provide resources such as lessons and toolkits to lead their project. 

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Workshops

Another interactive manner to attract students to your company is through workshops. These can be on topics like coding, data analysis, design thinking, digital marketing, leadership development and so on. By providing valuable training and skill-building opportunities, companies can position themselves as leaders in these fields and attract students interested in acquiring those skills.

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A major company that has adopted this is Dior. They invited certain students from NEOMA Business School to visit the HECTAR campus and learn about their partnership with dior but also participate in an infusion-making workshop. An ideal occasion to grasp talents attention through unique workshops and share about your company. 

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Showcases

Position yourself as the leader of your industry by showcasing your products and services directly to students. What more will give them the desire to work at your company? Showcases are ideal to gain brand knowledge and legitimacy to attract potential employees. Not only does it give the opportunity to share what you do but also that you’re the best at it. 

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A company that has recently done this is Keolis who introduced their autonomous delivery at a Swedish university campus. For companies who struggle to get attention from young students, this is ideal! 

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Speaker series

inviting a key speaker to one of your campus events is also key in attracting attention and standing out. This can be a speaker directly from within the firm, here to share their experience at the company, the role of their job or the company within society, or an exterior recognized speaker that can share about the industry your company operates in. This is an opportunity to reach out to a wide segment of students, gain brand knowledge and attract potential talents. 

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PepsiCo leveraged this regularly as their former CEO Indra Nooyi regularly spoke on campus as part of PepsiCo's employer branding efforts. With her notable leadership and business acumen, she shared insights on topics such as leadership, diversity, sustainability and global business strategies. PepsiCo managed to gain brand knowledge, share company culture and position themselves as leaders within their industry through such speeches. 

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Afterworks

It attracts employees as much as potential employees - afterworks! For students however, this would be more of an afterclass. It is the ideal networking event that gives the company an opportunity to easily break the ice and chat with top talent about their industry, company, jobs and culture. Undeniably, drinks and snacks are the best tool to attract a wide segment of participants. 

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L’Oréal recently did this at ESSEC Business School, inviting their students to a cocktail party after their conference on diversity and circular economy. A jovial moment to share about their company and meet tomorrow’s top talent. 

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As you can tell, employer branding has become a top priority for companies as they recognize its impact on attracting and retaining talent while reducing costs. As competition on campus grows, differentiation has become essential. Competitions, workshops, showcases, speaker series and afterworks are some effective approaches to engage with students and showcase the company's culture, expertise and opportunities.

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If you are planning on launching and expanding your employer branding on campus, contact us and we'll help you build and organize your campus events.

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Sources

Universum. (2022). Employer Branding NOW 2022 [Online]. From https://universumglobal.com/library/employer-branding-now-2022/#:~:text=Employer%20Branding%20NOW%202022%3A%20Recruitment,the%20World's%20Most%20Attractive%20Employers.

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LinkedIn Data Proves the Impact of a Strong Talent Brand. (n.d.). https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/roi-of-talent-brand

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What is Employer Branding - Glassdoor for Employers. (2021, August 25). US | Glassdoor for Employers. From: https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/what-is-employer-branding/#:~:text=According%20to%20Glassdoor%20research%2C%2075,as%20much%20%E2%80%93%20if%20not%20more.

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