Public relations (PR) is an important tool for companies to raise their profile, communicate their brand and culture, and position internal experts as thought leaders in order to attract top talent when done effectively by focusing on providing industry insights and creating a positive company perception rather than self-promotion. PR should showcase company culture through employee stories and partnerships with other organizations to appeal to candidates interested in employers that are innovative, forward-thinking, ethical, and committed to meaningful causes. Companies can use PR strategies like contributing articles, speaking at events, and managing their online reputation to communicate why their organization is a great place to work and attract top performers.

1. VOLUMEIXISSUE11November6,2015
© 2015 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer
Attracting Talent with
Public Relations
Public relations, or PR,, is something we've all heard of,
but what does it really mean?
Frequently companies think that PR should be
leveraged to promote company news; everything from
new hire announcements, office openings and website
launches, to new products or services, and mergers and
acquisitions. While some of these events may be
deemed newsworthy, PR is most powerful as a tool to
raise a company's profile, communicate the brand and
culture, and continually position internal experts as
industry thought leaders.
Most importantly, when public relations is
leveraged effectively, employers can extend their
ability to reach top candidates and attract them into
their organizations. All too often, this is an
opportunity that is missed when it comes to
recruitment and hiring, because many companies
only focus on archiving as many "look how great
we are" press releases on their websites as they
can.
So how does PR work and how can companies use it to
entice top performers? Press releases are what most
people think of when it comes to PR, but in actuality this
is just one of various tactics that can be used to gain
media coverage and communicate a compelling
message.
PR is often mistaken for marketing, with the expectation
that there will be a dotted line to a sale or new business.
"Companies that are most successful with PR
understand that at the core, PR is a public service,
focused on educating and connecting with the
community at large," says Nysha King, media relations
specialist for MRINetwork.
"Working in concert with marketing, PR should not be
on self-promotion, but instead on the insight that the
organization can provide, and how this information
contributes to an ongoing dialogue, creating consistent,
positive messages and stories about the company.
These messages work over time to create a positive
perception of the organization, ultimately making clients
and prospects more receptive to engaging in business
transactions, while also piquing the interest of 'A'
players who could potentially work for the firm."
King offers the following tips for companies looking to
attract talent with PR:
Seek out opportunities to discuss industry trends,
challenges and projections for market activity.
Contributing an article, submitting recent research
findings and speaking at an industry conference will raise
your organization's profile. These efforts can start with a
simple pitch note to the editor, or a proposal to the events
committee. Top candidates want to work for companies
that are innovative and forward thinking; media coverage
provides the opportunity to leverage thought leadership
that can be enticing to prospective hires.
Showcase your company culture. Whether it's through
social media or company ambassadors, one of the best
ways to communicate what it's like to work at the
organization is through employees. Capture fun events
and unique aspects of the office environment that
demonstrate why it's a great place to work. Then post
pictures and describe what is being depicted on social
media, the company website and other external
communication vehicles. Identify high performers who can
represent the organization and share their unique stories
via career spotlights or contributed articles in publications.
Partner with other organizations on initiatives that
complement your business focus. Engaging in
philanthropy or other projects that align with the company's
mission is a good way to demonstrate goodwill.
Collaborating with associations and institutions that may
benefit from the organization's expertise on a volunteer
basis, provides a softer, human element that provides
more depth to the company culture which can be
especially appealing to candidates. Today's talent is
increasingly focused on working for employers who are
ethical and display a commitment to meaningful causes.
Manage your reputation on employer review sites. At
some point, you're bound to receive poor reviews from
disgruntled former employees, on sites like
Glassdoor.com. Get in front of these reviews by
responding to any negative information and presenting the
company in a more positive light. In your online posts,
admit to any past challenges and discuss how the
organization is working to improve these areas. The simple
acknowledgement of an issue diffuses the situation and
demonstrates a company's integrity.
Whether a company is big or small, media coverage is
something that every organization can successfully pursue
to attract and recruit top talent. "Employers must first
identify what they want to convey about their culture and
then determine the available resources to disseminate this
information through consistent messaging," adds King.
"Once this is established, employers can create and roll
out manageable PR strategies that communicate why the
organization is a great place to work."
Source: Department of Labor
Click to watch the video.
Submitted by: Sean J. Spellacy
Management Recruiters of Cleveland-Southwest
>Experts in Global Search
(330) 273-4300 ext. 108
Sean@MRCSW.com
Call me to help you attract the impact player.
What is an impact player? Click Video

2. Employment Summary
for October 2015
The latest Employment Situation
Summary from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics revealed that the nation
experienced signifigicant job growth
during the month of October. The overall
unemployment rate dropped from 5.1
percent to 5 percent.
Gains seen in a variety of sectors
According to the report, total nonfarm
payroll expanded by 271,000 jobs last
month, above economists projections for
200,000 new roles. The sector that
added the most positions was
professional and business services,
which increased its workforce by
78,000. About 46,000 of these jobs were
in the administrative and support
services field, while computer systems
design and related services and
architectural and engineering services
added 10,000 and 8,000 jobs,
respectively.
Healthcare expanded by 45,000
positions, many of which were in the
ambulatory care services and hospitals.
The retail sector created 44,000 jobs,
largely due to clothing and automobile
retailers. Food and beverage
businesses created 42,000 jobs, while
the construction industry grew by 31,000
positions.
Some industries that experienced little
or no change to their workforces include
wholesale trade, transportation and
warehousing, manufacturing,
information, financial activities and
government.
Strong report increased likelihood of
Federal Reserve rate increase
According to The New York Times,
October's report is strong enough that
the Federal Reserve could be inspired
to raise interest rates in the near future.
The news source explained that an
unemployment rate of 5 percent is close
to what many economists consider "full
employment," which is typically
accompanied by a Fed evaluation.
However, the Fed has treated the post-
recession economy with an extremely
gentle hand, so rate hikes are not
guaranteed despite October's positive
showing.
The issue will likely be raised at the
Fed's Dec. 15-16 meeting, noted the
Times. The quality of November's report
will be a major deciding factor.
EMPLOYMENT SITUATION REPORT

The full Bureau of Labor Statistics report can be
downloaded here: