Lead with value (not values)
When you’re hiring, what and how you communicate matters.
Your content and messaging across all touch points — the job ad, the careers page, social media, the job description, candidate emails, interviews, feedback and onboarding — all of this is the opening chapter of an important relationship.
Aligning your recruitment approach with organisational values is best practice. The core beliefs, principles and behavioural expectations that guide how people work, interact and make decisions should be front and centre when you recruit. Both employer and employee want and deserve a relationship with aligned values and shared purpose.
In the nonprofit sector, it’s common to lead with purpose. We see it in content and messaging: Make a difference. Be part of something bigger. Help us create change, impact.
These are powerful ideas — and they matter. But here’s the problem:
If every organisation leads with these things, there is little differentiation.
Employment is a relationship. Recruitment is more than a process, it’s a marketing challenge.
Good content is what drives marketing — and effective recruitment. Recruitment content should be authentic, compelling and audience-centric.
To achieve this, we need to lead with value, not values.
The value you provide to your employees. This is — you guessed it:
Your employee value proposition (EVP).
Purpose might be part of your EVP, but it’s not the whole story.
Organisational values might be reflected in your EVP, but they aren’t the same thing.
Your EVP is your offer. It’s what you give in exchange for someone’s time, talent, energy and care. This isn't about the mission or the purpose. It’s about the experience of working with your organisation.
Most nonprofit organisations in Australia don’t clearly articulate (or downplay) their EVP in their recruitment content and campaigns. Yet it’s the single-most powerful tool in your arsenal.
Leveraging a strong, evidence-based EVP in your recruitment and employer brand content can help your organisation:
attract 2X more candidates
achieve a 50% increase in applicant quality and suitability
hire 1-2 times faster
reduce turnover by up to 69%
improve engagement and the entire employee lifecycle.
Do you want to see these results in your talent attraction and retention?
It’s time to lead with value when you recruit.
This starts with understanding your EVP.
Your EVP is not a shiny list of benefits. It’s not the best salary, additional leave or flexible working. It’s not something that is decided and written down by leadership or the P&C team.
Your EVP is the ecosystem of support, recognition and value an employer provides to its employees.
To be effective, compelling and achieve the results above; there are 3 key things your EVP needs. If you want to know more about this, get in touch for a chat.
What happens when you DON’T lead with value?
You look and sound the same as the competition.
Your job ad gets lost in the noise.
People don’t apply because they can’t find enough information (at least 40% of the time).
You attract people who are inspired, but unsure.
You see drop-off mid-process (around 25% of the time).
People don’t stay (40% of the time because of a lack of alignment).
This isn’t because your mission and purpose aren’t strong. It’s because your message isn't complete.
Here’s the good news: Fixing this isn’t complex. You don’t need a rebrand.
You need clarity, consistency and content that reflects the real experience of working in your organisation.
To attract the right people and keep them, you need to lead with value.
I've developed a practical, four-step process to help organisations uncover, articulate and apply their real employee value proposition.
If you want to attract 2X more candidates and importantly, more of the right candidates — I can help. Get in touch for a chat.
When you’re hiring, purpose and values might open the door, but your value proposition is what converts interested candidates into committed, loyal employees.