When Employer Branding Becomes More Than a Buzzword

When Employer Branding Becomes More Than a Buzzword Or, I guess, buzz phrase. You get the point. What is employer branding? Its been a hot topic for a few years, and I think it will only continue to be hot. My first taste of employer branding, as it relates to job seekers, was when I went to a network meeting and someone was telling about a bad experience they had with a target company they interviewed at. Demoralizing.  Yucky.  Someone else shared a similar experience.  In that room, about 30 professionals who were in transition were making a decision to not buy products or services from that company again. And you can bet that none of them would keep that company on their target list.  The companys brand had been tainted because of one job seeker who shared a negative experience. Digest this image: Talk about employer or company branding. I bet this van has lost sales for VW.  The message is clear. I have a friend who was recently let go buy his employer for one of the dumbest things Ive ever heard. In my mind, it really boiled down to horrible management and leadership.  Guess who isnt going to be shopping at that chain anymore?  Me. What I find interesting is how much talk there is about employers, and the experience job seekers have, at the job clubs.  This is where real employer branding happens. Job seekers are a passionate bunch, and they talk. What employers and companies have you had bad or good experiences with? When Employer Branding Becomes More Than a Buzzword Or, I guess, buzz phrase. You get the point. What is employer branding? Its been a hot topic for a few years, and I think it will only continue to be hot. My first taste of employer branding, as it relates to job seekers, was when I went to a network meeting and someone was telling about a bad experience they had with a target company they interviewed at. Demoralizing.  Yucky.  Someone else shared a similar experience.  In that room, about 30 professionals who were in transition were making a decision to not buy products or services from that company again. And you can bet that none of them would keep that company on their target list.  The companys brand had been tainted because of one job seeker who shared a negative experience. Digest this image: Talk about employer or company branding. I bet this van has lost sales for VW.  The message is clear. I have a friend who was recently let go buy his employer for one of the dumbest things Ive ever heard. In my mind, it really boiled down to horrible management and leadership.  Guess who isnt going to be shopping at that chain anymore?  Me. What I find interesting is how much talk there is about employers, and the experience job seekers have, at the job clubs.  This is where real employer branding happens. Job seekers are a passionate bunch, and they talk. What employers and companies have you had bad or good experiences with?