A long time ago, during a recruiting panel, the speaker on stage asked a seemingly simple, almost trivial question:
«In your opinion, what is the first clue that tells us: "we are doing employer branding the right way"?»
With a reaction time comparable to sprinters after the starter's gun, those present in the room unleashed a barrage of pronouncements that, regardless of the level of self-assurance with which they boomed from mouth to ear, all sounded, without a shadow of a doubt, appropriate. We were seated more or less in the center of the audience and had the impression of being caught in a crossfire of:
«When you publish many interesting job offers»
«When you go viral on LinkedIn»
«When you are invited to the most important events»
«When you find your desk buried under CVs»
Then a clear and steady voice thundered from the back, and everyone fell silent:
“When candidates start talking about you even before they have an interview.”
Most of us (the ones without cervical problems) began craning our necks like owls, searching both sides of the room for the owner of that voice. And as we confusedly exchanged glances, we caught reflected in each other's faces the astonishment of those who have just heard something that sounds incredibly true.
What do they say about you when they don't even know you yet?
In the dimension of talent acquisition, we believe in the same doctrine as in marketing: getting noticed is not enough, you must be remembered. Between the two, ça va sans dire, you must manage to be quoted, recounted, and shared.
Effective employer branding is not the message; it is the echo. It is not only measured in “impressions” on social media or in megabytes of the inbox at job@yourcompany.com. It is not just about quantity. It is weighed primarily in terms of perception built over time. It is a matter of quality. How sharply is the image of your company focused in people's minds? Does it shine with its values? And do these values resonate in the voice of candidates?
This is where the University Talent Challenge comes into play
Ours is an innovative format, even if it is no longer a novelty. The upcoming one is the third edition. To our great pride, having designed and managed it directly, it is becoming a benchmark for those who want to position themselves where talent is born, grows, and decides whom to follow.
University Talent Challenge is not an event. It is a strategic action. When we conceived it, we didn't want it to be a career day disguised as a competition. That's why we created a digital employer branding format, designed to be experiential, selective, and memorable.
It doesn't just invite talent to "step forward" but also invites companies to be found in the right place, at the right time, by those who have a lot to offer but haven't chosen who to offer it to yet.
Every edition is an opportunity to:
- Be perceived as a reference brand by students and recent graduates selected from the best academic profiles in the fields of engineering, economics, finance, statistics, computer science, and physics;
- Observe talent in action, not just on paper: through business games, role-playing, self-pitches, and realistic simulations;
- Forge authentic relationships that go beyond the job post and the CV.
Our experience in the field of gamification applied to recruiting and training has shown that the most powerful employer branding is built with shared experiences.
This is where you are chosen
Every company that participates in the University Talent Challenge enters a different narrative.
It is not a simple "sponsor." It is a mentor, observer, and direct interlocutor.
Candidates don't read brochures: they listen, interact, and ask questions. They participate and they don't forget. Those who "play" then share and talk about their experience on their own channels. And that story – made up of anecdotes, insights, moments of discussion, and emotions – is your employer branding traveling on the words of others.
Our Challenge is still young, and perhaps you don't know it. Or maybe you've heard about it from a colleague but haven't been able to form a precise idea of it. After all, you won't succeed with words, ours or those of other HR professionals. Only by participating will you understand how the University Talent Challenge is a moment in which the company that is seeking begins to be sought. A project where employer branding stops being planned and starts being lived. Exactly what that clear and steady voice meant when it rose above the audience during that panel held quite some time ago, but which we have never forgotten.
Discover the third edition of the University Talent Challenge.
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