New Ammo in the War for Talent: Reputation

Reputation & Recruiting: It may sound axiomatic that companies need a good name, but that doesn’t make it any less significant—especially when jostling with other organizations for top college graduates. According to “Reputation and the War for Talent,” a report by New York-based communications consulting firm Hill & Knowlton, MBA students “most closely examine the value of a potential employer,” especially regarding its pay policies and the work environment that its managers create for employees. Having a strong reputation as an industry performer or innovator ranks a close second. Three out of four MBA grads say a company’s reputation plays an “extremely or very important role” when choosing an employer.

However, the report turns on its ear the commonly held notion that would-be employees view corporate social practices as a make-or-break factor in their decision-making. Although many MBA students believe strong corporate governance and ethical practices are high priorities, they typically assign less value to nebulous attributes such as a company’s community involvement or environmental policies when deciding on an employer, according to Hill & Knowlton.