A common acronym used within the recruitment space is USP but what does it really mean? This breaks down to Unique Selling Points, essentially what makes you different.
Who is this important for? Everyone, yes I said it.
Why is this important? So you can sell yourself to potential employers, employees, clients and build a network that understands the essence of who you are, what you stand for, what you do and most importantly why you do what you do. When you are genuine you will get buy in, repeat business or internal referrals and loyalty.
As an Employer it’s worth brainstorming why potential candidates would want to work for you. It is just as important to tailor your offering to your audience. If you are recruiting for an Intermediate their priorities will be different from a Senior or Manager. Intermediates want to know about support for their CA qualification, if you will cover their bond, training, development, team structure, level of client interaction, office culture, leadership style and benefits. But most importantly you must know how to communicate this in a meaningful way.
As an example:
Candidate: How do you support my study towards my CA qualification?
Employer 1: You get study leave, we pay for your modules and membership once you’re done.
Employer 2: That’s a great question, I remember working full time and studying towards my CA which is definitely a challenge. I remember wanting more support so I made it a point to help our staff every way we can. So we provide two days study leave per module, one day for the exam, we pay for your modules and we pay for your access to “CA Study Masterclass” through CAANZ. This allows you to have that extra support so you can go into your exam the best equipped and confident.
Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes, which employer would you prefer to work for?
In this competitive market, skilled individuals are in high demand and a good candidate will be presented with multiple opportunities and offers, not to mention the counter offer from their current employer. You need to stand out from the crowd, to first of all know what makes you different, tailor how you can add value to the candidate and communicate this in a genuine and personal way. This is no easy task and not for the faint of heart.
Creating a Why and How statement simplifies this process and if communicated well will give your your potential employees a very clear idea of who you are.
As an example:
Why do I work at Tyler Wren? Because I believe in delivering positive, life-changing outcomes for people. And I do it by bringing the best people together, the best candidates, matched to the best businesses.
How do we do this? With over 50 years collective experience within our team in the recruitment space locally and overseas, we have an extensive network. We have a colleague based in the UK who strategically tracks and sources Kiwi Returners and (in “normal” circumstances) skilled candidates who are motivated to relocate. Referrals, headhunting, networking events and partnerships with professional bodies like CAANZ.
What made me choose Tyler Wren? Ethical & business minded leadership, mentoring, the business model, tools for the trade, structure for progression, flexible hours, the freedom to work from home, ex-colleagues that turned into family, excellent location near decent coffee, dogs in the office, quirky office space, high level of trust to run my desk my way but most importantly office culture and banter.
It’s no different from recruitment to public practice, Lisa knew what made her AND Tyler Wren different, deep down she knew what I was driven by and she communicated this in a genuine and honest way. It fitted what I wanted and needed so it was a no brainer for me.
I know it’s easier said than done, if you need advice on the market, what makes your firm different, what your value proposition is and how to communicate this – let’s have a chat.