Your brand name doesn’t always matter… but how you behave does.

I’ve definitely harped on about this once or twice before, but when you’re engaging a candidate to potentially work for you, you need to display all the compelling reasons why they should want to work for you – and a bit of warmth never goes amiss either.

Some businesses do this well. Others need to turn up the thermostat.

Not so long ago, I had a very skilled candidate interview with two businesses – one global brand with a fantastic reputation behind it, the other a boutique firm climbing the ranks.

Given the candidate’s background, I knew they were drawn to the bright lights and fanfare of the global name and shiny perks (given they’d worked for organisations such as this in the past).

However, post-interview, I was a little surprised when they said the boutique business was the one they’d had their heart set on.

Why?

Because the person they interviewed with came across as a real human being who cared, had a great sense of humour and made them feel welcome. They were introduced to the team and left feeling as though it was a business where their unique talents would be appreciated.

They ended up with offers from both, and it boiled down to how each business made them feel.

This wasn’t about brands, logos or fancy offices – it was about culture and a strong connection.

Your business reputation might bring people to your front door, but how you treat them is what will make them walk through it.