Employers are having a very difficult time filing vacant positions. The current labor shortage is affecting numerous businesses across the country, and across industries. There are currently over one million vacant jobs in Canada.

With so many people checking their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts regularly, you can reach a ton of potential candidates without much effort at all. If your company has posted job openings on these platforms in the past, then you know how effective they can be when used properly.

This said, it's not just about posting your job opportunities on Social Media. Developing a strong employer brand will help you truly stand out. Here are some of our best tips for using social media as an employer branding tool. 

Defining your employer brand

Executives are starting to take into account Employer Branding, but it remains a relatively new concept.

Business leaders in the past might have considered pool tables in the office game room or catered lunches as a sign of a great employer brand. Nowadays, most know these perks aren't enough and that they hardly count as a comprehensive employee retention strategy. These tools of the past are just not enough to build a strong employer brand.

According to an article by Bryan Adams published in the Harvard Business Review in February 2022, there are three primary components of an employer brand:

1) Your Employer Reputation

''Modern job seekers weigh a prospective employer’s reputation heavily in their decision to apply for a job or accept an offer, because they’re keenly aware of the impact it will have on their own reputation and the way others perceive them.''

2) Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)

''Your employer value proposition (EVP) clearly articulates the “give and get” that defines an employer-employee relationship at a particular organization. It establishes your expectations for performance and behavior and the rewards for meeting them, which might include financial compensation, professional development opportunities, work/life balance, a sense of belonging or purpose, or anything else employees stand to gain in your organization.''

Your EVP also helps validate your employer reputation in the marketplace.

3) The Employee Experience

''The nature of the employee experience is directly dependent on your ability to deliver on your EVP. When employees understand and meet employer expectations and are rewarded accordingly, they’re likely to view the experience of working for your organization as a positive one. And a positive employee experience translates to better performance for the employee and the organization as a whole.''

How do you create a strong employer brand on social media?

Social Media is so much more than simple communications. Many forget that it's a SOCIAL channel and leave out that aspect entirely, focusing instead on boasting about themselves.

I always tell my clients that people don't go on Facebook or Instagram to see advertisements. On the contrary, they are quite turned off by it. So if all you're doing on your social media channels is talk about how great your products are, or how I can save 25% this week on your products, you are not going to see the results you are hoping for.

In general, people go on social media to connect with their friends, to educate themselves, or to entertain themselves.

So when it comes to Human Resources, why do most employers think their EVP is all about their strengths, benefits or opportunities? I see so many companies keep boasting that they are ''Canada's top place to work at'' and I roll my eyes each time.

That's not at all why people use social media in a business context and it most definitely will not attract candidates to you or even retain your employees.

When it comes to the workplace, candidates and employees use social media to figure out how a prospective employer can cater to three things:

1) Their sense of purpose

2) The impact they can make at the company

3) Their sense of belonging

In 2022, it's not just about communicating your organization's values. You need to demonstrate them clearly and unequivocally. You want your brand to resonate and elicit powerful emotional responses to current and potential employees.

Otherwise you're just another advertisement, and people are going to find ways to avoid you altogether.

6 tips on creating a strong employer brand with Social Media

Building an employer brand is a long-term process that requires a strong strategy and vision from key stakeholders. Here are some quick tips that can help you get started: 

1. 
   Share info about your company culture
2. Include videos, especially if they showcase employees 
3. Show off employee testimonials
4. Create an employee community
5. Promote career opportunities and career advancement
6. Engage on social media

Remember that numerous elements on which an employee will base his/her career decisions are out of your control. Curating and growing your employer brand isn’t.

Your employer brand is the only real tangible advantage you have in today’s wildly competitive environment and has to be a main focus among your key stakeholders. Don't use empty words like ''we are a big family'' or ''you'll thrive in a fast-paced environment'', focus on what people really care about: themselves and how they will thrive in your organization.