Last updated on October 30th, 2023 at 04:31 pm

Caterpillar’s Stellar Move To Attract High-Quality Employees

The secret’s out: To be the best, you must hire the best. And with great resources such as LinkedIn LNKD +1.5%, The Muse, and Glassdoor, top talent is becoming easier than ever to find.

But the best talent wants to work for companies that are leaders in their industry. So how do you make potential hires and current employees want to work for your company?

One unlikely brand seems to have figured it out. Caterpillar is a 90-year-old construction-equipment company that has taken its marketing efforts from straight-laced to revolutionary through creating unique “stunt” videos.

These videos do more than entertain a general audience. In a recent article on Fast Company, Renee Richardson, global marketing services department manager at Caterpillar, revealed that these videos aim to attract and retain talent and increase sales.

“We have the brand for our customer, but we’re a very large company and we like to attract the best and the brightest, so it serves different purposes,” she said.

When I spoke to Renee after reading this article, I was impressed by her passion for the brand and Caterpillar’s efforts to boost employee pride.

“I’ve been in the construction business for 30 years,” she said. “If I’m going to stay in this industry, I want to work for the best.”

Her response nailed it. But how do you communicate you’re the best to the right people?

While Caterpillar used clever videos, it’s important to consider all your content options. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 70 percent of people prefer to learn about a company through an article over an ad, so getting creative with your message is key.

Videos, articles, and whitepapers are all great ways to educate your audience so it will consider you a great source for content. They can also communicate your brand personality and attract talented individuals who align with your company culture.

Leverage Content Marketing to Attract Talent
Big brands like Caterpillar aren’t the only ones taking advantage of content for recruitment. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are also recognizing the value of content marketing for attracting qualified employees.

One of our clients, Ben Kirshner of Elite SEM, reached out to me with the goal of using thought leadership and content marketing to position his company as a great place to work.

It was a unique approach because most individuals we work with don’t initially relay their intention to fuel recruitment through their content. Companies typically anticipate an increase in sales or brand awareness, but in this case, Elite SEM specifically intended to use content marketing to get in front of potential employees and instil pride in current team members.

But establishing your brand’s voice and building credibility through high-quality content is only half the battle. You have to get your message in front of the right people for it to have an impact on recruitment.

Harness Employee Networks Through Content
Publishing high-quality content that speaks to your company’s credibility can instil an incredible sense of pride in your employees. And when they share it with their networks, others will recognize their enthusiasm, too.

Current employees are an essential resource for expanding your content’s reach. When I look back at how we’ve drawn in some of our most vital employees, I realize that a lot of them mentioned during the interview process that they had seen employees share articles about our company with friends and family.

When employees share these articles, your company isn’t only accessing their individual networks; sharing also conveys the dedication employees have for your company through their eagerness to spread your message.

Caterpillar has more than 100,000 employees with individual networks that can reach potential clients, partners, and employees. Now that’s a lot of untapped social influence!

It’s never been more important to put those extended networks to use. LinkedIn recently opened up its contributing platform so members can publish content from their profiles. This is just another way to share your content and distribute it through your employees, and understanding how to leverage this platform will give you a serious competitive edge.

It can feel awkward or uncomfortable bragging about your company, but sharing content that educates potential employees about your industry and provides value will naturally lead them to the conclusion that your company is the best.

Most of our recent hires have been friends or contacts of current employees, so we make every effort to arm our team with the tools to bring people from their networks to our company. If you get creative with your content like Caterpillar did, you can position your business as a forward-thinking industry leader, and top talent will naturally follow.

© John Hall – Influence & Co.

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