How to get out of the “sea of sameness” in IT employer branding

Follow these steps to put the wind in the sails of your IT employer brand and leave the competition in your wake...

If you haven’t seen our previous post about the “Sea of Sameness” in the IT employer branding world, here’s a brief recap:

• The IT talent market is highly competitive. Tech professionals can choose to work not only as FTE for companies, but also as freelancers and independent consultants remotely, having more flexibility. Salaries and perks are higher than average for this industry due to talent shortage. So yes, the competition for IT talent is booming, and companies have many players to watch out for.
• The IT industry is investing a great deal in employer branding and recruitment marketing to stand out from the competition. 
• But it seems like all of them are talking about the same things. We analyzed 36 IT companies and their main employer brand messages. We saw that the same concepts were repeated over and over again: the future and the possibility to create it, change it, build it and be part of it was the common theme on the EB main messages of most tech companies. In 2nd place comes making an impact and owning all these changes and creations for the future.
• These messages are mostly calls to action, focused on recruitment and talent attraction and showcasing how lucky you would be if you become an employee. But there’s no trace of the “what’s in it for me” there.

Now, what? What can IT companies do to be different?

First of all: avoid focusing on the common themes we’ve seen before. 

The future, the possibility to change it or create it, making an impact, all those are commodities at this point. Mentioning any of that in your EB messages will make you dive deep into the sea of sameness.

Check on your competition

Following the previous tip, it’s important to see what your direct talent competitors are saying to avoid communicating the same concepts. Find a perceptual space for you that’s unique, different and attractive.

Know your talent audiences

What do they want from a career? What are their desires and fears? What are their greatest expectations? What traits from your employee experience could be interesting for them? To stand out, being different from the competition it’s not enough. You also have to be relevant for your talent audiences.

Focus on the “what’s in it for me”

We’ve seen that most companies are focusing on talking about themselves. Maybe it’s time to focus on your talent audiences. What will you offer to them? What are the traits they need to thrive within your working environment? Will they have fun, feel challenged, fulfilled or excited while working with you, and why? Why should they go work for you instead of going anywhere else?

Think outside the box

There’s a saying (attributed to Albert Einstein) that goes “if you want something different, don’t do the same thing”. And being creative is crucial to distinguish yourself from the many messages your audience is receiving daily. Don’t repeat the same formulas, escape from the obvious, seek for memorability and impact. 

Strategy first, creativity and deliverables after

A great strategy is the key to awesome and mind-blowing campaigns. Make sure you have a great EVP (employee value proposition) as a basis for all your employer branding deliverables. That way your deliverables will be aligned with your strategy (consistency). 

Partner with an expert

Managing your employer brand and making it brilliantly takes a lot of work. So it’s good to have an expert by your side. PH.Creative has developed a wonderful methodology that includes research, EVP, strategy and activation; all in one project. Not to brag, but our colleagues are admirable thought leaders who know a lot about this industry and have made countless employer brands shine over the years. So if you want to avoid the sea of sameness, partnering with an expert will ensure the uniqueness you are looking for.