Finding and bringing on top talent can feel like a full-time job, especially in a competitive labor market. But one thing that can help your organization stand out from others in your industry is establishing a unique selling proposition. Explore the meaning of a unique selling proposition and its purpose, especially in the recruiting process.
What is a USP? Unique Selling Proposition Definition and Purpose
A unique selling proposition (USP) is a concept that communicates and identifies the compelling benefits of a specific organization or brand. Its purpose is to set the company apart from competitors, particularly in the minds of consumers. But beyond the selling advantage that a strong USP can provide, crafting one can also play a role in recruiting efforts.
An organization’s USP should include the following components:
The unique benefit offered by the brand, including what makes its products or services different from others.
Relevant messaging that speaks to the target audience members, addressing their specific wants and needs and explaining why the brand matters.
Differentiation that helps the brand stand out from competitors, emphasizing why consumers should choose its products or services.
Language that makes it memorable, easy to remember, and simple to understand.
Support for any claims made, such as social proof or evidence, to strengthen brand trust and credibility among those who read it.
Incorporating your USP in a consistent manner can reinforce the unique positioning and get the word out about what you’re trying to achieve.
USP vs. EVP: Differences and Why You Need Both in Recruiting
We recently covered the importance of an employer value proposition (EVP) on our blog, going into detail about its importance in the recruiting process. But you may be wondering, how do the two differ?
Ultimately, an EVP outlines what you offer as an employer, while the USP defines what the company provides to its customers. But the two go hand-in-hand in modern recruiting efforts, as over 80 percent of employees are looking for jobs that align with their personal values. Jobseekers may look at what you claim to offer as the employer, as well as your statement around what the organization offers to its target audience.
The Benefits of a Solid USP for Business and Recruiting
Review some of the benefits of a solid USP in your business and recruiting efforts.
A clear USP supports your brand mission and values
Part of establishing your company culture is creating the brand mission and values. Your unique selling proposition should support these aspects of the brand and its efforts to make a difference in the industry in which it operates. Your USP can also serve as a vital aspect of the brand identity and foster long-term loyalty when paired with strong values and a mission that appeals to the target audience.
A defined USP makes it easy for employees to talk about your solutions
Your employees should feel confident when facing questions about what sets your organization and its products or services apart from others in the industry. But without a clearly defined USP, existing team members and potential new hires may not know the answers to even the most frequently asked questions. When crafting a USP, consider how it can clearly define what sets your brand apart for someone who may not be familiar with the industry.
A meaningful USP can resonate with prospects who support your cause
Emphasizing the reason behind what your organization does can resonate with those who support the cause. This is also true of those who may be seeking employment with a business that aligns with their personal views.
The Parts of a Selling Proposition
As you consider how to craft a unique selling proposition that captures what sets your business apart, think about how the following four parts fit.
What it is
First up: What is your unique selling proposition? What makes your brand different from others in the space, and how do your products or services differ or add value? You need to clearly state what the proposition is when defining it.
Who it’s for
The next aspect to consider is who you’re speaking to when repeating or sharing your USP. Figuring this part out might require some research on the target audience, or who your products/services are geared toward in the market. As you identify members of the target audience, you can determine how to speak to them in a way that resonates while clearly defining what to expect.
What it solves
A USP should also identify the problems solved by the business and its offerings. For example, if your company offers housecleaning services, the USP might describe the struggles with maintaining a clean home and how your team members can make it easier to achieve that goal.
The unique point: How is it different from others?
Of course, any business can describe what it does and the problems it solves, but that doesn’t necessarily help it to stand out. The key aspect of your USP is the unique aspect, or what sets it apart from others offering similar products or services. Consider what makes your offering different and craft a statement that clearly defines the value proposition.
How to Develop (and Improve) Your Unique Selling Proposition
With a better grasp on what a USP looks like and how it fits with your employee value proposition, you can follow these steps to ensure a well-crafted statement.
Define target market: As mentioned, the first step is defining who fits into your target market. You might consider creating personas to assign characteristics to different members of the ideal audience, as well as look at what these individuals are usually searching for to solve their concerns.
Identify what makes your product/service unique: You need to be able to clearly define what is unique about what your brand offers, whether that’s lower pricing, more personalized service, or something else. Without this aspect, your USP is simply a proposition around what you sell.
Position your USP to highlight benefits: When positioning your USP, consider how you can highlight the benefits of what you offer and how they serve the best interests of both the target consumer and those who work for the brand.
Make your USP clear and concise: Eliminate any unnecessary language to keep your USP as concise and easy to understand as possible.
Test and revise your USP: It’s always worthwhile to test any marketing strategies on members of your target audience, so try launching the USP in your ad campaigns, social profiles and other efforts to see how it resonates with those who see it.
Promote your USP: It’s also worth spending some time and money to promote the USP and make sure all members of the target audience are aware of and familiar with it. Additionally, you can promote it internally with existing employees and in recruiting efforts to ensure a consistent message.
How to Communicate Your USP
Utilizing multiple channels to communicate your USP will help generate more brand awareness and loyalty.
Advertising
No matter what advertising efforts your company uses, make sure the USP comes through consistently. Traditional media and brand marketing campaigns can always benefit from the addition of points that communicate the value and uniqueness of what the business offers. After all, the average person receives 121 emails per day, and a significant chunk of those are promotional in nature. You need to determine how to stand out if you want your efforts to get noticed.
Social media
As you engage with users through social media platforms, consider how your outreach efforts can incorporate and communicate your USP. By doing so, you can ensure that even passersby are familiar with what the brand stands for and why a consumer should choose you over others in the industry.
Content marketing
Content marketing is a valuable tool for communicating a brand’s USP because it allows marketers to go into more detail. You might create blog posts around specific pain points, tying in the selling proposition when identifying how your products or services solve those issues.
Digital marketing
Your company’s digital marketing efforts should also reflect the USP, including website taglines, ad copy and headlines, and even the design elements when possible.
Recruitment marketing
When recruiting, your company needs to clearly define what sets it apart in the market to encourage jobseekers to choose to work there. Incorporating both the employer value proposition and the USP can help you achieve this goal while helping potential applicants determine whether the company aims align with their desires for a workplace.
Examples of Effective USPs
Need some inspiration? Check out these effective unique selling propositions from well-known companies.
Coca-Cola: Refresh the world. Make a difference.
FedEx: When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.
Nike: Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete.
The North Face: Shaping the future of human/nature.
Shopify: The platform commerce is built on.
Stripe: Payments infrastructure for the internet.
By making the effort to create and refine your brand’s USP, you can improve your positioning in the market while boosting recruitment efforts. Attracting top talent is a shared goal of recruiters and hiring managers, regardless of industry or company size, so any competitive advantage you can gain is certainly worth pursuing to build strong, successful teams.
The workforce is the heart of any organization. Members of the team determine how efficiently things get done, as well as the level of service customers receive when interacting with the company. Hiring the right people to fill open positions is vital in building and maintaining strong teams. But without an effective recruiting program in place, your company may be scrambling to hire.
This article outlines the benefits of strong recruiting programs and why it’s worth investing in one, regardless of company size.
What is Recruiting?
Recruiting refers to the process of seeking, attracting, and bringing on talented individuals to fill open positions with a company. The process is a vital aspect of HR management, playing a pivotal role in the development of a capable and talented workforce.
When a company is recruiting to fill an open position, those involved in the hiring process typically complete multiple steps:
Analyzing the position, including its responsibilities, required skills, and qualifications, and writing a thorough job description.
Sourcing candidates through various outlets, including social media platforms, referrals, job boards, and recruiting agencies.
Screening applicants by reviewing applications and resumes, identifying those that meet the initial criteria.
Interviewing top candidates, which may occur in person or virtually.
Assessing and testing candidates to confirm their abilities or verify aspects of their personalities.
Offering the job to the top candidate and undergoing the negotiation process (if applicable).
Investing in your organization’s recruiting efforts can make a big difference in more than just the hiring process. The following 11 benefits come from good recruiting programs.
Access to top talent
When your organization recruits more effectively, this provides access to top talent. A well-defined strategy can target ideal candidates and channels for sourcing applicants, ensuring that recruiters focus on attracting the best people.
Good recruiting efforts also demonstrate the values and culture of the organization, along with opportunities for growth and advancement. As a result, people are more interested in working for the company and seek out open jobs.
Improved employee performance
Employees who feel supported in their roles tend to perform better. And when you fill open positions with talented and engaged individuals, teams tend to function more cohesively. By contrast, high turnover rates and poor hiring efforts can cause good employees to feel like they’re bearing the brunt of the workload. They may start to feel burned out and resentful, which causes a decline in overall performance and workplace morale.
Enhanced company culture
Your company culture is highly influenced by the people who work there. Hiring for cultural fit alongside core skills and competencies can help you continue to build and nurture the atmosphere you want in the workplace.
Higher retention rates
Employee retention is a highly discussed topic in today’s job market. When the Great Resignation occurred, employers were left scrambling to fill positions and meet customer needs. But strong recruiting practices can boost retention rates, which eases the strain on recruiters and managers.
Reduced time-to-hire
The average time spent on filling a position is 36 days. When your company has multiple roles to fill, the time can really add up. Freeing up time to spend on other tasks is certainly appealing, particularly among those who wear multiple hats. Plus, getting new employees up and running can ease the strain on their team members and increase productivity.
Cost savings
Every company, regardless of size, can benefit from saving money. And since it costs nearly $5,000 to bring on a new hire, making sure every new employee is the right fit is certainly appealing from a financial standpoint, not to mention the other benefits of keeping happy employees around.
Increased innovation and creativity
Employees who feel secure and supported in their roles tend to have higher engagement and productivity rates than those who are unhappy. When your recruiters find the right hires to fill positions, those individuals may feel happier when they come onboard. As a result, they’re more likely to come up with creative and innovative ideas, which can have a great benefit on your organization.
Positive employer branding
Employer branding refers to the image and reputation of an organization among its existing employees and potential candidates for roles. Beginning with the experience of each candidate, your company can generate a positive brand image. Ensure the application process is simple (and mobile-friendly) with regular check-ins and communication along the way. Texting is one of the best ways to stay in touch, as today’s applicants are much more likely to open and respond to texts than other forms of communication.
Positive employer branding can also aid in attracting top talent and building a stronger culture. When your team members are happy, they may serve as brand advocates, continuing to generate positive buzz around the business.
Long-term growth and sustainability
Effective recruiting can make a significant difference in the long-term sustainability and growth of an organization. When hiring managers identify people with the right expertise and skills needed in specific roles, they can help support growth initiatives. An agile workforce that is open to change can also adapt to changing market needs and competitive pressure.
Better customer experience
Employees who interact with customers should represent the company in a positive and supportive manner. When your organization invests in hiring talented individuals who are good cultural fits, it’s more likely that customers will have a positive experience during these interactions. Additionally, lower employee turnover rates often translate to better service, as more experienced and loyal employees have additional knowledge to share.
Competitive advantage
Gain a competitive advantage when you invest in your recruiting efforts. The benefits above outline how your company can enjoy greater success, increased growth, and a positive image. These and other advantages of strong recruiting make your company more appealing to jobseekers.
Enhance Your Recruiting (And Get These Benefits) with Quality Recruitment Software
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When it’s time to bring on a new hire, it can be a challenge to know how to handle compensation. This is especially the case when you’re filling a brand-new position without an established salary range or looking to bring on someone who is more experienced than the individual they’re replacing. Our guide to handling salary discussions in the recruiting process can help you move forward with confidence.
When to Discuss Salary
The first question that often comes up in the hiring process is when to start discussing salary with a potential candidate. The consensus is generally to at least include a range in the job listing to avoid wasting everyone’s time. A potential applicant may not want to take the time to apply for a job if the salary isn’t close to what they expect to earn. Additionally, it wastes the hiring manager or recruiter’s time when reviewing applications and interviewing people who aren’t really interested because of the salary.
Still not convinced? In our recent webinar with Indeed, we discussed some interesting stats with participants. Approximately 12 percent of job postings include salary information (up from 8 percent in 2019), yet more than 60 percent of candidates say that pay is the most important aspect. Your listings can stand out in a sea of competitors when you include pay information, offering transparency that jobseekers will appreciate.
Of course, you don’t have to give an exact number right away. Providing a range or asking the candidate to provide an expected salary when applying helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
How to Discuss Salary
It can also be challenging to discuss salary requirements if you’re not familiar with the process or comfortable talking about numbers. Take some time to familiarize yourself with common salary negotiation tactics and average pay rates for similar positions. The more information you have, the better equipped you’ll be to have a discussion.
Steps to Manage Salary Requirements
Ready to get started? Follow these steps to better manage salary requirements and discussions in the hiring process.
Start with the listing
As mentioned, your salary consideration should start when you create the posting for the open position. Whether you’re replacing someone or creating a new role, do some research on salary ranges in the field and similar positions. You can get a lot of useful information on sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn, helping to ensure that your range is competitive and will attract top candidates.
Establish a top-end figure
It’s also important to establish a number that represents the very highest you can go for a new hire. Most candidates will negotiate the initial offer, so creating a top-end figure helps to ensure you’re not going over your labor budget in the process.
Be open to discussion
If you’re unwilling to negotiate on salary, a potential hire may walk away as this can signify a lack of flexibility. Candidates may also perceive this action as a knock on what they would bring to the role, such as specific abilities or experience. Be open to discuss the salary and consider what else you can offer if the pay scale is rigid.
Understand where the candidate is coming from
When you’re considering a new job, is salary important to you? The answer is likely yes. So, you can understand where someone else is coming from when wanting to know what to expect in terms of pay.
Try to put yourself in your candidate’s shoes when discussing compensation. This individual is considering a significant change to their situation by taking on a new role and all that comes with such a shift. They also need to support themselves and any dependents they have, so salary is certainly a top consideration when deciding whether to make a professional change.
FAQ about Salary and Hiring
Explore some of the most commonly asked questions from employers around salary details in the hiring process.
Should you include a salary range in your job listings?
Yes, it’s generally recommended to include at least a range in your job listings. New legislation in various cities and states will also require the inclusion of salary data in postings. It’s worthwhile to get in the habit of including it when filling positions, even if your city or state doesn’t require it at this time.
What should you do if a candidate wants to negotiate salary?
When a candidate comes in ready to negotiate salary, the best thing you can do is be prepared. Arm yourself with information and data so you can back up the offered range. It’s also important to be open to discussion. If an applicant has unique skills or extensive experience that will be particularly useful in the role, they likely deserve to sit at the higher end of the range rather than the entry point.
What should you do if you can’t go higher on salary?
Budgets are essential to a successful business. Going way over your established labor budget to secure a top candidate probably doesn’t make sense, especially if you run a smaller company. But you do have options!
Consider other benefits you could offer. For example, you could offer additional paid time off or a more flexible work schedule as a way to sweeten the deal. Other considerations include waiving or shortening the standard waiting period for health benefits, increasing a retirement contribution match, or providing upgraded equipment for personal use.
By taking a careful yet transparent approach to compensation, you can improve your hiring process while attracting more candidates to apply for your open roles.
In this six-part series, we explore some of the talent acquisition trends to expect in 2023. As you explore these trends, consider how you can adjust your company’s recruiting and hiring practices to adapt.
The job market has shifted, resulting in a trend known as “boomerang employees.” This term refers to employees who changed jobs or even retired early, only to realize the grass may not be greener on the other side. A changing economy has caused retirement accounts to shrink for many, along with feelings of uncertainty about the future.
Boomerang employees are part of a rapidly growing trend in the workforce as hiring managers are faced with the decision of whether to rehire team members who left. But assuming the employee left on good terms, why not bring them back onboard?
The Benefits of Returning Employees
Losing a good team member is often frustrating for managers and recruiters. You lose the skillset and knowledge of a strong employee, which can leave the department scrambling to fill their shoes. But if that individual wants to come back, and there’s an open position that aligns with their expertise, it makes sense to welcome them with open arms.
Returning employees come with an understanding of the organization, including the expectations and culture. Even if they’re moving into a different role from the one they left, the learning curve isn’t generally as steep as it would be with a brand-new hire. Most rehired employees can transition between roles easily, thanks to their foundational understanding of the company as a whole.
How to Support Employees who Want to Return
A strong offboarding process goes hand-in-hand with the trend of boomerang employees. It’s a trend that no organization can afford to ignore. If your company has little to no offboarding processes in place, now is the time to invest in developing relationships with those who choose to leave.
When employees resign to pursue other opportunities, they typically have reasons for leaving the organization. Tapping into those former team members as resources can help your business improve its culture and give employees what they want. A positive exit interview process can uncover insights into the strengths and weaknesses of your organization. You can find out why people are leaving, and what might encourage them to come back.
Additionally, it’s worth considering technology that can track former workers and figure out who might have the experience and skills needed when a role opens up. With the right software, your business can manage data on applicants and hired employees. If a position becomes available that aligns with their skills, their information is readily available, which may simplify the process of filling that particular role.
Don’t miss out on a potentially stellar hire simply because they already worked for the company in the past. As more people boomerang back to companies where they felt comfortable, it’s worth considering how your organization could encourage former employees to return.
Check out the other posts in our 2023 Talent Acquisition Trends series:
In this six-part series, we’ll explore some of the talent acquisition trends to expect in 2023. A shifting job market has changed the way people think about their careers and progression opportunities, putting more power in the hands of the employer. As you explore these trends, consider how you can adjust your company’s recruiting and hiring practices to adapt.
Part One: More Internal Movement
The job market has shifted dramatically recently, going from “hot, hot, hot” to “somewhat uncertain.” As a result, many workers are looking at different forms of career growth. Instead of seeking work with another company, many employees are moving upward internally. By ditching the corporate ladder and seeking to climb the company lattice instead, talented professionals have succeeded in achieving their career goals while maintaining a sense of stability.
Invest in Workforce Planning
What does this mean for you? Your hiring practices might need to shift, along with your internal training opportunities. Instead of hiring from outside, consider which current employees might be a good fit for an open position. Workforce planning needs to become part of your strategy, which involves identifying and addressing employment gaps. If growth is part of your business strategy, workforce planning is a critical step in that goal.
Offer Training Opportunities
A company can also make a big difference in the lives of its workers by investing in talent development. Developing the skills and abilities of every member of your workforce is a must, and it requires careful planning for proper execution. Provide regular training and options to gain certifications in relevant topics. Ensure that your internal staff members have the chance to re-skill or upskill and use their new or improved skills to seek internal advancement.
Nurture Top Employees
Of course, nurturing your workforce is an essential aspect of building and maintaining a strong company culture. But you can keep a short list of promising employees, offering tailored career development opportunities and customized career paths based on their skills and expertise. Investing in your employees is a win-win: Your workforce is happier and more engaged while your talent acquisition efforts improve. It’s also easier to fill skill gaps and open positions when hiring stalls out or you struggle to find an external candidate who checks all the boxes.
Internal movement is sticking around for the foreseeable future, so it’s worthwhile to consider how your company can promote and support its current employees.
Next up, we’ll cover the expansion of contract work as another 2023 hiring trend.
According to recent statistics, the average length of the hiring process takes around twenty-four days. In a market that favors job seekers, this time span is just too long for some companies. Many have resorted to cutting down on background screening in an attempt to make up for lost time. But more often than not, companies that skip this vital step risk the integrity of their organization and their hiring process.
You don’t have to cut corners to get the hiring results you want. Background screening can be a helpful tool in your hiring process and not a hindrance in attracting talent. With information from Verified First, check out these three ways background screening brings value to your organization.
1. Background Screening Authenticates a Candidate
Screening candidates looks different for all industries, but the heart of the matter remains the same. Background screening is performed to better ensure that the candidate you’re about to hire is the best person for the role. It works to authenticate a candidate by looking into a person’s background to verify their history. These screens can contain a multitude of solutions such as:
Federal records
Civil records
Employment verifications
Reference verifications
Drug tests
Identity checks
Driving records
Screening also helps you verify that everything a candidate has said to indicate they’d be a great new hire is accurate.
2. Background Screening Protects Your Workplace
Information gleaned from background screening can speak to the potential risk of hiring that person. Choosing not tobackground screen your candidatescould discredit the integrity of your business and put your existing employees, clients, and partnerships at risk.
Certain screens are designed with workplace safety in mind. These screens in particular will check for candidates who have previous offenses that could put vulnerable populations – including the elderly, children, and more – at risk.
National Sex Offender Registry search – Searches if a person has been added as a sex offender to the National Sex Offender Registry.
Federal criminal records search – Uncovers if a person has been convicted of a federal crime such as firearms or drug trafficking.
Global Homeland Security search – Identifies if a person has been added to any known terrorist lists.
Over 70 million American adults have a criminal record. Screening your candidates can help you navigate records and better protect the people already within your organization and community.
Partners keep you in mind in every step of the screening process. They work to take the best care of their clients from integration to implementation.
Conclusion
Background screening adds value to your hiring process by helping you identify which candidates are the best fit for your workplace. A solid screening strategy starts by finding a screening partner with your specific needs in mind. Check out how you can get started with background screening today through Verified First!
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