How to Attract Developers With a Damaged Employer Brand After All

Even an employer brand polished to a high shine can suffer damage now and then, as has already happened with the tech employer brand "Uber". When difficulties arise, however, the best tech recruiters don't retreat, but tackle the problems head on.

Recruiters are not only responsible for sourcing and placing ads, they are brand ambassadors. When the brand is damaged, it's often up to you to correct the candidate's mindset and opinion, with your own story.

If you are also currently in the situation of having to work with a tarnished employer brand, here are some ways to restore the trust and interest of potential developers, to work in your dev team.

Put a battle plan in place

While after a critical incident, transparency and honesty, with candidates is critical to restoring trust, simply admitting the issues is not enough.

If current or former employees find fault with your work environment for various reasons, you need to be able to clearly articulate what the company is doing to address these allegations. Apologies mean nothing without actions to rebut them.

The will to solve a problem can turn a negative event into something positive. Will HR conduct employee surveys or focus groups to better understand employee complaints or needs? Is your CEO involved in the resolution, or involved in the process?

In our opinion, one thing is certain: "You can't bullshit tech professionals, they will see right through you" To rebuild your reputation, all business units and executives must be committed to wanting to make changes.

If management is unaware of the issues on a declining attraction of IT talent, resulting from a negative image, it is your job as an HR leader to make them aware.

Employer brands that have a solid foundation through management backing and demonstrate a realistic EVP are also likely to be easier to repair.

If your employer promise is repeatedly broken, or only used as a shell for recruitment marketing programs, your brand will eventually fall apart completely and no longer attract software specialists.

If you don't have a brand yet, or haven't consciously positioned yourself as an attractive employer for developers, this is your opportunity to get everything right from the ground up.

Brand ambassadors

Successful crisis management and brand rehabilitation depends above all on sustained, positive communication. You must be willing to address the elephant in the room. Conversations with your employees, or your technical staff, could open the door to insightful discourse.

For example, post videos, or other authentic content on social media, or on "devjobs" to showcase employee success stories in their technical environment.

Also, ask your programmers to post reviews, or comment, on employer review platforms like "kununu" or on tech forums.

If you don't already have brand ambassadors in your development department, it's high time to provide them. Potential applicants want to hear both positive and critical opinions from real employees, not PR staff.

Look for change types

Where some people see problems, others see opportunities. Changing your hiring profile can be a viable strategy to overcome a tarnished employer brand, at least in the short term. Once a structural problem has been identified, companies often need new people to drive change in your organization. You can appeal to such types by honestly describing the current opportunity and providing a clear vision of the future.

Likewise, a temporary setback in recruiting certain candidates is no excuse to give up. Stay in touch with potential developers and convey your improvement efforts. It may take a while, but time and consistent effort can restore the luster of a tarnished employer brand.