Published on: 30 June 2025 As a company - you're sourced top talent, nailed the outreach, and piqued genuine interest. So why are high potential candidates still declining or even ghosting you before the interviews even begin? The answer often lies in a silent killer of recruitment success: an employer brand bottleneck.
What is an employer brand bottleneck you ask? It's the disconnect between what a company THINKS it's offering candidates and what candidates ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE. This can manifest at any time or place: the job posting / the interview process / Glassdoor reviews and even inconsistent messages from the hiring team (recruiters / hiring managers).
I've thought about a few reasons and fixes to these bottlenecks, check them out:
Your online presence undermines your value!
Candidates are researching your company before you even know of their existence. If your careers page, website or social media presence is outdated, generic or overly corporate, you're losing out.
The red flag: Vague mission statements, lack of employee voices, or poor reviews on Glassdoor or Indeed.
Turn it around: Show authentic employee statements or stories, highlight recent wins or innovations, and ensure your online content reflects your culture in a transparent way.
Inconsistencies in candidate experience!
A fantastic recruiter sells a compelling story, but then the interview panel seems disengaged, the hiring manager contradicts your values, or the communication is inconsistent.
The red flag: promising flexibility or various commitments, just for candidates to hear differently in the interviews.
Turn it around: align the internal teams! Train hiring managers to be brand ambassadors. Standardize how values and vision are communicated throughout the hiring journey!
The culture is not clear!
"Innovative", "Fast", "Relentless", "Collaborative" - buzzwords! Many companies claim these to be their values, how are you any different?
The red flag: Culture content that feels too standardized or too safe!
Turn it around: Use specific examples of how your culture shows up in real life! Are you remote-first? Do you have the "employee of the month/quarter"? Say it out loud! Otherwise - make it happen!
The application process is never ending...
If candidates spend 45 minutes applying and never hear back, they're unlikely to try again.
The red flag: Long, annoying forms, no acknowledging emails, silence after submitting the application
Turn it around: Streamline the applications! Communicate clearly and often! Automate updates even if the timing is not necessarily right. Respect goes a long way!
The bottom line is - your employer brand is not just a careers page or stating values - it's every touchpoint a candidate has with your company. In today's competitive market candidates don't stick around to figure out if you're the right fit. They will go to a brand that speaks to them!