Who is today's candidate?

It's not a myth, the new generation thinks and decides differently about their careers and their choice of employer. These 'attractive employers', such as schoenen Torfs, Studio 100 and dredging company Deme, offer so much more than just a job. They offer you a place to learn, to share ideas, to develop talents, to do meaningful business and to discover passions. They offer a culture that respects the values, norms and environment of the individual.

Where previous generations worked out of necessity to support the family, the applicant now chooses for himself. He wants a 100% match between his personal values and those of the company. He wants authenticity, a clear vision and honest management. 

How does the candidate of the new generation operate? 

Most candidates start their search for a future employer on the Internet. The first trigger is the general reputation of a company. How does the company get in the news? Is it a company with a regional, national or international orientation and how does this relate to the applicant's interests? Is it a strong hierarchical company or is there a flat structure? And in which structure does the applicant feel most comfortable? Ideally, these matters can easily be found on the company website.

But a high quality candidate digs even deeper. What is the vision of the company? Does the applicant agree with the long-term vision of the company? Does the applicant have a warm feeling when he goes through the mission? And what values does the company pursue? To what extent do these match with the applicant's values? That is where the importance of an employer branding site comes in. Can the applicant find this information easily and quickly? Because in the end it is a win-win. If the applicant doesn't know whether he or she matches the company, how can you convince someone to start at your company?

An important aspect is the company culture. For the new generation, this is a top priority. Is pay important? Of course it is, but it's not the decisive factor. An open culture, with attention to a good work/life balance and honest and transparent communication is much more important in today's decision making. Is it a culture where rules and laws predominate or is it a culture of development and growth?

Last but not least, the role of management. Is it a management with integrity, which stimulates the employees professionally and in line with the vision, or rather a management that still rules in the strict old-fashioned way? And what are the candidate's requirements towards management?

What the winning companies have understood well today is that transparency is a 'must' to win the war for talent. They focus on a well-developed - but honest and authentic - employer branding site and define their vision, mission and values very clearly. They showcase the company culture and see the employer branding site as a separate fact. In fact, the company website is the signboard for selling their product or service to the end customer, with the end customer as the main focus. While the employer branding site is the signboard where they display themselves as an attractive employer with the applicant as the main focus point.

How do we do it ourselves? Check out our own employer branding site here!