Employer brand, for a trades company, is not a logo or a slogan. It is the short list of true, checkable reasons a good tradesperson would choose your shop over the others they could work for, written in their language and supported with proof. We build that list, and then we use it in every place you recruit.
What it is, in practical terms
The direct answer: a one-page document and a set of assets that every job ad, careers page and social post draws from. It turns "great team, competitive pay" into statements a candidate can test.
A finished employer brand usually covers:
- The work mix. What share is new construction, renovation, service or industrial, and what a typical week looks like.
- The crew structure. Who leads each crew, how apprentices are paired with journeypersons, and how often crews change.
- Tools and equipment. Whether vans are assigned, who supplies tools, and what the shop invests in.
- Training and certification. How you support classroom time and the path towards a Red Seal endorsement.
- Schedule and travel. Typical start times, on-call, out-of-town work and camp rotations, stated honestly.
- Proof. Photos, short clips, examples of people who started as apprentices, used only with consent.
Who it's for
This service suits BC electrical, plumbing, carpentry, roofing, sheet metal, insulation and similar employers who recognise one of these patterns:
- Ads get views but few applications.
- Applicants are at the wrong level, such as first-years answering a journeyperson ad.
- Good people interview, then take another offer.
- Your current ads look like every other ad on the board.
If your main problem is that applicants never hear back, start with applicant response instead. It is cheaper and faster to fix.
What's included
- Owner interview (about 90 minutes) on the business, the jobs, and the hires you need over the next year.
- Crew conversations, with consent, to learn why people stay and why some leave.
- Competitor scan of what other employers in your region say in their ads and careers pages, so your message stands apart.
- The employer brand sheet: five to seven reasons to join, each with the proof that backs it.
- Job ad templates for each role you hire, with a clear place for the pay range you set, as BC's pay transparency guidance expects in publicly advertised postings. We lay the ad out; we don't give legal advice.
- Careers page copy for your website, written to be read on a phone in a truck.
Timeline
- Week 1: kickoff call, owner interview, list of roles.
- Weeks 2–3: crew conversations, competitor scan, first draft of the brand sheet.
- Week 3–4: your edits, final sheet, first job ads and careers page copy.
- Ongoing: every new ad and post draws from the sheet, and we update it twice a year or when the business changes.
How results are measured
We measure the employer brand by what happens to applicants, not by how much you like the wording. Before we start, we record your baseline over the last three to six months, as far as you have the data:
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Applicants per posting | Is the message drawing people? |
| Share of applicants at the right level | Is it drawing the right people? |
| Interview-to-offer and offer acceptance | Does the story hold up in person? |
| Hires still with you after 90 days | Did the ad set honest expectations? |
The 90-day figure is the one owners overlook. An ad that oversells the job fills the seat and empties it again by spring.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing perks nobody can check. "Family culture" means nothing; "same crew lead for your whole first year" does.
- Hiding the hard parts. If the job involves camp rotations or early starts, say so. People who apply anyway stay longer.
- Using one ad for every level. Apprentices, journeypersons and lead hands want different information.
- Writing for HR instead of the trade. Use the words people on site use.
- Forgetting where candidates check you out. They will look at your Google profile and website. If those look abandoned, the ad loses.
Once the brand sheet exists, it feeds our regional hiring campaigns and crew content. See the pricing page for how it fits into a plan.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't employer brand just for big companies?
No. A ten-person electrical shop has an employer brand whether it manages it or not: it is what people in the trade say about you. The work is making sure the true, good parts are visible to the people you want to hire.
Will you talk to our crew?
Only with your permission and theirs. Short conversations with two or three crew members usually surface the reasons people stay better than any owner interview. Nobody is quoted or named without written consent.
What if our reasons to join aren't that strong?
Then we will say so, kindly and clearly. Marketing can't cover a weak offer for long. We can point out where you compare poorly, but pay, scheduling and benefits decisions are yours.
How long before we can use it?
The core message and first ads are usually ready within three to four weeks of the kickoff call, depending on how quickly interviews and photo access can be arranged.