Building a positive employer brand image to attract job seekers in China: the role of organisation identity and corporate reputation

Employer branding is an effective marketing strategy with its objectives of attracting, motivating and retaining the best employees. Employer branding provides both tangible and intangible benefits which help employers... [ view full abstract ]

Employer branding is an effective marketing strategy with its objectives of attracting, motivating and retaining the best employees. Employer branding provides both tangible and intangible benefits which help employers successfully build a positive employer brand image to attract job seekers.

This paper aims to identify and explain employer branding’s attributes that improve job seekers’ likelihood to apply for jobs in China. We argue that the characteristics of employer branding, including organisation identity and reputation, influence job seekers’ perception of the employer brand. The findings from 19 interviews generate an in-depth understanding of the role of organisation identity and reputation in employee recruitment in the context of Chinese organisations.

Findings suggest that when organisation identity matches with job seekers’ self-identification, as well as when organisation identity helps to maintain their sense of self, the possibility of applying such jobs are high. In regards to corporate reputation, it is found that corporate reputation, as the signal in the early recruitment stage positively influences job seekers’ intention of application. Other reasons why highly reputable companies are popular include that job seekers’ familiarity with such companies are high, also job seekers believe working in these companies would increase their value and self-esteem.