When you think about best in class employer brands, many reference Starbucks. We recently had a chance to sit down with Kirsti Stubbs-Coleman, Recruitment Marketing Program Manager on the Global Talent Acquisition Team at Starbucks. Kirsti works with Starbucks recruiters to hire the best talent, and is proud that Starbucks Canada has been recognized as a Top Employer for five consecutive years. We’re thrilled that Kirsti will be speaking at our upcoming North American Employer Branding Summit on June 13, where leaders from HR, communications, and branding will be learning how to deliver their own world-class employer branding programs.
How important do you think employer branding is for organizations to attract talent in 2018?
Brand reputation has always been important, but two aspects of employer branding – guiding the narrative and proactively telling the story of your brand – are more important than ever before.
The past few years have shown a significant shift in how job seekers interact with your brand. The upcoming generation of talent is using social media to research jobs, review companies, and recommend employers and if you aren’t there to proactively respond to questions and story tell, they are doing it for you. I believe showcasing your unique work culture and your mission beyond profits is key to differentiating your company and making it attractive to top talent.
You mentioned the role of social media in people’s job searches; what’s been the biggest shift in how social media is used to attract talent over the last twelve months?
Over the past year, platforms like Instagram Stories have seen a huge increase in viewership; the immediacy of these platforms means that now social media leaders need to think and act even faster – content needs to be less curated, and more authentic, happening in real-time.
What is one key take-away you are excited to share with Employer Branding Summit attendees to build a best-in-class social employer brand strategy?
Starbucks is leveraging social media to up-level our candidate experience, but what I’m most excited to share is what we’ve done using User Generated Content (UGC), and the way we’ve been very resourceful in our initiatives. I want to share with other companies how strategic actions can make an impact to your brand without spending a significant amount of money on their employer presence online.
Why do you think this event is important to HR leaders in 2018?
People outside of human resources don’t always think of HR leaders wearing marketing hats. That’s no longer a reality, Marketing and HR have to collaborate closely and often HR works with designers or an agency to get what they need. Every person in an organization needs to be empowered to help recruitment efforts, in big and small ways, and HR is leading this charge. HR leaders need a dedicated space like the North American Employer Branding Summit to challenge, learn from, and be inspired by one another.
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn from the World Employer Brand Thought Leader and trainer, Brett Minchington on June 13th in Toronto. To learn more about the event, or click here to register!
