For years, companies have been fishing for talent. Posting jobs. Waiting. Following up. Hoping someone bites. That strategy worked when the workforce had fewer options. It does not work now.

Today’s candidates research you long before they ever apply. And if what they see doesn’t match their values or work expectations, they move on quietly. If job candidates are ghosting you, not applying at all, or dropping out mid-process, the problem isn’t the labor market. It’s most likely the perception of your employee experience. Remember…. 

Words don’t define your culture; employee experiences do.

Why are candidates ghosting employers right now?

Because your job posting is no longer the first impression, your reputation is.

Before applying, candidates check Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and your social channels. They read reviews. They scan comments. They research what employees say about 5 key pillars: Culture, Leadership, Growth Opportunities, Team, and Well-Being.

If they see silence, mixed signals, or frustration, they don’t argue with it. They simply head in the opposite direction.

Here’s what leaders need to hear clearly right now:
You don’t attract talent with better job descriptions. You attract talent with a better employee experience.

What does ‘attracting talent” and “marketing for talent” actually look like?

Marketing for talent means shifting from reactive hiring to intentional attraction. It means building a workplace people talk about before you ever post an opening.


Here are five actions to help you go from Fishing to Attracting talent:

1. Raise your ERS (Employee Review Score)

Your ERS is an online overview of the employee experience you provide. It acts as a mirror and a marketing tool. If reviews are low or outdated, the answer is not damage control. It’s experience correction. If reviews are good, use them in your marketing and job descriptions.

Tip:  For bad reviews, focus on leadership consistency, recognition, growth conversations, and follow-through. When those improve, reviews follow. You can’t fake this, and candidates know that.

2. Share employee reviews publicly

Share positive employee reviews on job postings and social media. Not testimonials written by marketing. Real words from real people. This builds credibility faster than any employer branding campaign.

Tip:  If you want to really impress job candidates, create an employee review video and post it on your website. Check out the one Episcopal Senior Life NY put together! (I may be a little biased on how great they are, because my mom lived in a few of their communities, and my sister worked for them before she moved to PA.)

3. Have employees represent you at job fairs

Not just recruiters. Employees!

Candidates want to hear what the role is actually like. They trust people living the experience more than anyone reading from a script. Remember, culture is caught, not explained.

4. Develop Culture Advocates 

Culture Advocates are employees who genuinely enjoy where they work and talk about it without being asked. They engage in the culture, contribute ideas, and promote their workplace to others.

Tip:  Turn hiring into a referral engine by creating a culture people can’t help but rave about to others.

5. Create a Mission and Core Values video

One of my favorite culture and mission videos is from Boling Vision Center. They show you just how fun it is to work there.

Tip:  A short Mission and Core Values video answers the unspoken question candidates are already asking: “Will I belong here?”

How does the Destination Workplace™ Framework improve the employee experience? By focusing on 5 key pillars….