What can an employer do to remain in the minds of students during a hiring freeze?

It’s important for employers to stay top of mind during a hiring freeze and not abandon the image and presence they have spent resources and time to establish. Employer Brand impressions are created mostly during the undergraduate years, when students are researching companies, searching internships and learning about your brand and offer. Avoid disappearing fully from campuses that matter to you now, or are likely to matter to you at all in the future. Otherwise you may be forced to rebuild your brand when the economy gets better and need students from that campus. The rule of thumb we hear cited by our friends and clients so often is as follows: one year off of a campus takes three years to fully repair.

So what should you do if you are not hiring?

1. Continue investing in relations with key faculty and administration. This is a sustainable channel that has a big impact. They are easy to turn back on once hiring starts and the economy kicks back in, and helps the students stay plugged in to your base brand.
2. Be the provider of content and information that helps students get ahead – even if they are not going to be hired by you. One great source of advice are your young employees. Do this through holding interview prep classes, resume writing and offering career path advice.
3. Search for sponsorship opportunities as a signal to students that you are present and still care about your brand on campus. They can be general sponsorships where there is not promise of internships and jobs. Also, attend the high profile events. Choose those events that provide the maximum impact to sustain your brand and keep it top of mind.
4. Focus on your current employees. Retention of top people will continue to get harder, and the conversations that current employees have with others via their social and professional networks (virtual or real) will impact your brand. Companies that are talked about as being empathetic during these tough times will be remembered for such actions; as well the companies that are talked about in a less positive light by current or past employees and interns.

By Jonathan McBride, Chief Strategy Officer