The VP of HR for a global cosmetics company reveals how embracing the digital era improved its employer brand and helped bring impressive left-fielders on board.
“The talent war” may be the most over-used phrase in HR but the sentiment is far from inflated – we’re all vying for the very best workers and competition is stiffer than ever. So how can you set yourself above the rest?
The VP of HR at L’Oréal Canada says embracing the digital era has done wonders for the company’s employer brand and even brought top-notch talent on board who may have previously been out of reach.
“Everyone is digital nowadays,” says VP Catherine Bédard, “but at L’Oréal we’re going much further than just using LinkedIn – many of our employees are attracted from YouTube or Instagram.”
Students and social media
Bédard says embracing social media and the digital age has been particularly successful when it comes to attracting students.
“When we’re at job fairs on campus, you have so many students coming to you with a CV and asking you to employ them,” says Bédard, “instead of taking their résumé, we ask them to go on YouTube and post a clip explaining why they’re such a good fit for L’Oréal and why they’re interested in working for us.”
It’s a win-win strategy – not only do the videos let the L’Oréal team see the creativity and eligibility of a student in a short clip but as more videos make it online, the company’s employer branding improves.
“There are so many of these clips online now and people watch them and see that we’re a young company and realise that there are a lot people out there who want to work for us,” explains Bédard.
The VP also revealed that, in the search for a new PR person, the company’s talent team didn’t wait for applications to come to them – instead, they spent hours on Instagram and YouTube, looking for v-loggers with a passion for make-up.
“This was a way for us to get closer to talent,” she explained. “We would never have come across some of our employees if we relied on LinkedIn or applications made on Loreal.ca.”
Thinking outside of the box
“HR should focus on innovating and thinking outside of the box,” urges Bédard. “There is talent out there that is interested in your product and your company and you will attract them if you place yourself where they are.”
