Is your brand helping or hurting your recruiting?

Every potential client we talk to has two concerns. One is growing revenue, and the other is attracting talent. And those two are related in professional services firms.

An advisor brings a book of business. A designer brings relationships. An architect boosts capacity. Firms grow by adding the right people at the right time.

You've had the experience in an interview when you think you've found the one. They like your work and your values. But they still went somewhere else. When asked why, they just said that it wasn't about compensation.

Your brand is doing recruiting work, but is it helping or hurting?

The leaders who will make an immediate, measurable impact will follow a stronger brand when given equal opportunities, because a brand investment is an investment in the future. It signals that you are thinking long term. They want opportunities with companies that know where they are going.

It matters for entry-level employees, too. If they perceive your brand as stronger than their personal brand, they get a boost. If they perceive your brand as weaker, you won't be able to pay that person enough to work for you.

We have had two different financial services clients whose key growth strategy was talent recruitment. They both changed their names away from the founder and invested in a brand identity that was differentiated. One is growing into a dominant regional firm, and the other sold to a national competitor. Different paths, two wins.

The question isn't whether your brand matters; it's whether your brand makes it easier, or is an obstacle, to recruiting the people you need to grow your firm.