It's a question that clients ask us time and time again in the grad space. "How do I stand out if I've got nothing to stand on?" After working with companies big, small and everywhere in between, there are 2 different ways we look at standing out without anything to stand on.
Ask yourself 2 questions:
1. Is this a branding exercise? Do I need to educate people about my company? What we do? And what we're about?
2. Is this a call to action? In other words - do I want people to do something right now! Do I just want people to apply? Answering those questions first, make the rest pretty simple.
The Challenge:
1. Branding excersises are difficult to measure.
2. A "call to action" can provide a multitude of unnecessary responses.
We talk a lot about the branding journey of a student, all the different things they read, see and do. From hanging out with their friends on campus, to drinking at the pub, to reading a magazine, to searching for anything online, there are a variety of platforms that a student uses day to day to make their decisions. Whether purchasing a product or deciding what company to apply for.
Most companies want to be on the branding journey with a student, but are afraid to dedicate the capital or the resources to get there and end up with a call to action every time. This always brings a plethora of applications - but a limited percentage of the right ones.
So, what's the answer? It's a nice healthy mix of both.
When we work with companies on their grad strategies for getting on and off campus, we always recommend a few high value, but mostly, low cost interactive options.
The key is to be authentic - have a unique message and communicate it with clarity.
Innovative options for branding:
Free: Walk around your office with an iPhone video. Ask 5 of your current grads 3 questions : 1) why did you join? 2) what do you love about working here? 3) what are they currently working on (within reason)? Keep it granular - don't make it overly professional. Students want reality. (if you'd like a sample of more questions, just email me and I'll come up with a few for you) Put the video on a YouTube channel or on your Facebook page Share the video in an email to applicants so they get a true sense of what it's like to work there. Students are constantly being sold to, so an essential part is being authentic and genuine. Anything over manufactured gets lost in the ether. Another option is to start a company blog. Use your current graduates to write the content - from a different perspective weekly (should you need a social media policy let me know and I'll happily send through a sample).
Paid: Unigrad guides (of course) or student magazine, even careers fairs are branding exercises - execute these with innovation by having fun on your stand, creating exciting adverts and sharing real life testimonials and grad experiences (there are a lot of "happy smiling grad faces" out there). More costly but interactive is a mobile apps that give students an experience into your business and your brand.
Innovative options for call to action:
Free: Use your facebook pages, linkedin, or blogs to notify readers of application closing deadlines - generally 3 days prior to close is best. Post your job advert on Gumtree, facebook or the free careers service websites (if you'd like a list of these - email us and I'll send them through)
Paid: Post your job on Unigrad.com.au (of course again) Gradconnection, Seek, mycareer, careerone. These sites are specific for students going to apply. They've done their homework, they've looked around, they are going in for the final "viewing" before applying direct.
There are a plethora of ways to differentiate yourself on campus, from competitions, to activities, to digital, to social media even through to print (did you know that the #1 trust source for students is still print?). To ensure you're meeting the market, divide and conquer into branding and call to action. This way you'll know what you can and cannot measure and what is and isn't important.
Good luck in the coming grad season!
Andrea Culligan CEO at The Unimail Group
