We recently met with the HR manager at an established, reputable sustainable energy organization. They’re aggressively trying to hire, not just in Canada, but also in the US. They’re not getting the desired traction. This is unexpected given that clean tech is a big draw card for so many people, there’s been a recession with thousands of people out of work — so why aren’t they responding?

Well, turns out no one’s heard of the company. Hard to imagine since they’ve been around for over two decades. It’s a classic example of how marketing plays a role in recruitment. Marketers would dispute that, of course. But the reality is they do. By building brand awareness for the company they are not only getting the attention of potential customers, they’re also getting the attention of potential employees.

I believe its strategically imperative that marketing and HR start to work more closely on branding. Marketing has the ability to, well, market. HR doesn’t. But HR should be at the table informing marketing about this other audience that is so strategically important to the company.