Major companies are known not only for what they do or make, but also who they are. When people think of their favorite brands or well-known companies, the products and services come to mind. But the personality and image of the company come front and center, too. Some companies are known for being cutting-edge and daring; others are known for their strong legacies and traditional values. Those attributes -- the qualities that define a company or organization -- are known as the brand.

The Professional Personality of a Company

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A brand is like someone's personality. It's the constellation of characteristics that make them unique and distinguishable as an individual. Companies are no different. As employers, they want to reflect the right image -- that is, the right brand -- to attract, hire and retain quality employees. Employer branding, then, is a company's reputation, from the viewpoint of current employees and job seekers. An employment brand manager's job is to uphold the identity and image of the company, while maximizing these attributes to appeal to job candidates who may be a good fit within the organization.

Human Resources and Marketing Combined

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Employer brand management is the intersection of marketing and human resources. Employment brand managers usually have backgrounds in communications-related fields, like public relations, marketing or mass communications, or business disciplines, such as human resources, organizational development or management. They understand key marketing and communications concepts, and they know how to relate these to the work and job-hunting experience. Employment brand managers aren't likely to be directly involved in recruiting new talent -- that is, they aren't responsible for processing applications, interviewing job candidates, conducting background checks or checking references. They do, however, help execute the strategy that makes people want to work for the company.

Dynamic and Different Every Day

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The daily life of an employment brand manager can be exciting. Many activities are involved in promoting the company as a desirable place to work. Employment brand managers organize job fairs, negotiate with vendors, develop advertising and marketing campaigns, assist with the design of materials like posters and brochures, conduct research and attend professional conferences. They also assess trends, review studies and communicate with subject matter experts to stay aware of opportunities and challenges.

The Measures of Success

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The employer brand is what differentiates one company from another, in the eyes of a job applicant. It includes the philosophy, values and activities that define its culture. That's why the evidence of an employment brand manager's success is so vital to the business. Employer branding is tied to recruitment -- the process of attracting and hiring qualified candidates; retention -- keeping those employees; and employee engagement -- the way workers feel about their employer, colleagues and contributions. With these critical metrics in mind, employment branding is an integral component of today's leading companies.