Why should a candidate want to work for your company?

January 22, 2011

You want to hire the best candidate for the open position at your company, but why should that candidate want to join your company more than the other open positions they have on the table? In order to evaluate whether it is a company of which they want to be a part, the best candidates will want to know your company’s aspirations and strategy and what they will receive in return for their work performance.

What is your company’s employee value proposition? If you don’t have one already, now is a great time to make one! An employee value proposition will be helpful to you as you put together job descriptions which speak to the candidates you are trying to attract, and during the interview process as you communicate to candidates the benefits of working for your company.

In order to start compiling an employee value proposition that is geared to the role for which you are recruiting, ask yourself:

  1. Why do I like working for this company? Some examples to consider include the work content (variety, challenge, autonomy, feedback), career advantages (advancement opportunity, training, personal growth), the affiliation (company commitment, work environment, teamwork, trust), compensation (base salary, incentives, cash recognition, raise eligibility), and benefits (health, retirement, recognition). You may want to add more to this list, and conversely not all may apply, but hopefully they will help you consider the full spectrum of reasons as to why you like where you work, and why someone else may too!
  2. What do my colleagues like about working for this company? Not only is it helpful to ask this question to get others’ perspectives on what makes working for your company rewarding, but it also helps when they become cheerleaders for your company within their own networks or while involved in the hiring process.
  3. What are the company’s aspirations? Identifying your company’s aspirations in your job description, on your website, or in interviews, will help candidates understand the goals of your company, and whether they are excited to be a part of them.
  4. What is the company strategy for the next 6 months? 1 year? 2+ years? Particularly at expansion stage companies, candidates will want to know your business growth strategies for scaling and for growing in the near future, and longer term.
  5. Will the person in this role have the ability to make an impact on the company as a whole? This is crucial to remember when trying to find and speak with true A-players. Don’t wait for it– tell them how they can make an impact. What can they do in this role that will help take your company to the next level? How will their job have an impact on your company’s success and growth?

Once you compile your employee value proposition, you may want to share it with your colleagues to get their input. You also should publish your final employee value proposition on the Careers section of your website. At a minimum, it should be referred to whenever you create a job description or when anyone in your company is interviewing potential candidates.

If you can clearly communicate why the best candidates should join your company, it is more likely that they will!

VP, Human Capital

<strong>Diana Martz</strong> is Vice President, Human Capital at<a href="http://www.ta.com/">TA Associates</a>. She was previously the Director of Talent at OpenView.