It may come as no surprise that the strength of a brand has more to do with a company than just its sales. A strong brand can also have a huge effect on the efforts of an organization to recruit and retain talent. In fact, a recent study has shown that 8 out of 10 job seekers would rather work for a highly regarded company at a lower salary, than would for a poorly regarded company at a higher salary. Anyone could tell you that job seekers prefer working for "cool" companies, but the results of the study seem to reinforce that notion even more.

High profile and industry shaping companies such as Apple and Google enjoy a vast pool of potential talent. Many job seekers would likely consider a position at either one as a career building move, taking the job for considerably less than they would with other organizations. The prestige factor of working for high profile companies cannot be denied, and this recent study has shown that job seekers place a great deal of weight on the reputation of the employer.

What does this mean for employers that do not already enjoy the profile of an Apple or a Google? The results of the study imply that efforts to build a strong brand, both for general marketing and talent purposes, can pay off in a very rewarding fashion. The war for talent begins with the job seeker and their perception of the important players in an industry.

Working consistently to develop a recognizable and strong brand is a very worthwhile investment. Building a recognizable brand is not an overnight process, but it clearly delivers significant dividends, as in the case of high profile companies such as Apple. Apple did not emerge overnight as a huge force in the computing world. Developing a reputation as an industry leader requires a long term dedication and strategic vision.

Efforts toward talent branding can be devoted not only to a general marketing strategy, but also to specific human resources campaigns. Emphasizing the employee friendly culture, for instance, is one way to promote the experience of working for the company. High profile companies typically emphasize the image of working with employees as a collaborative and creative affair. Working to promote such an image can be an effective tool in attracting greater talent.