Competitive analysis in HR marketing: Strategies for the best talent

Pasquale Schifino

The “war for talent” is a reality in today’s working world. Companies are competing intensively for the best specialists, and HR marketing plays a central role in this.

But to be successful, it is not enough to simply know your own strengths.

A sound competitive analysis is essential to understand how other employers are positioning themselves, what strategies they are pursuing and how you can differentiate yourself in the competition for talent.

In this article, we look at the importance of competitive analysis in the context of HR marketing, its key elements and how companies can gain strategic advantages from it.

🎯 The most important summarized:

A well-founded competitive analysis forms the basis for recognizing the strengths and weaknesses in your own personnel marketing and making targeted improvements.

By analyzing competitors’ career websites, social media activities and other communication channels, best practices can be uncovered and competitive advantages exploited.

The insights gained help to sharpen the company’s own employer branding strategy and position the company as an attractive employer.

Continuous monitoring of the competition enables us to react flexibly to changes in the market and remain competitive at all times.

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Table of contents

1. Why is competitive analysis important in HR marketing?

2. Elements of competitive analysis in personnel marketing

3. Implementing the findings

4. Conclusion

5. More about competitor analysis

Why is competitive analysis important in HR marketing?

Competitive analysis helps companies to understand their position on the labor market and improve their HR marketing strategies in a targeted manner.

Competitive analysis in employer branding conquering the job market in a targeted manner

It offers insights into:

Competitors’ employer branding strategies
What values and messages do other companies emphasize to attract talent?
Comparison of employer benefits
What benefits or incentives do competitors offer to increase their attractiveness?
Recruiting strategies and channels
On which platforms are competitors looking for talent and what approach do they use?
Innovations in personnel marketing
New trends, such as gamified recruiting or AI-supported tools, can be identified by analyzing the competition.

A well-conducted competitive analysis makes it possible to identify weaknesses in your own approach and to highlight your company’s unique selling points (USPs) in a targeted manner.

Elements of competitive analysis in personnel marketing

Element 1: Target group analysis

In order to understand how the competition addresses potential employees, it must first be clarified which target groups it is aiming at.

Are they targeting young professionals, specialists or managers?
Which channels and messages are used to reach these target groups?

Step 3 Target group analysis Definition of buyer personas

Element 2: Analysis of the employer brand (employer branding)

This is about how other companies position themselves as employers.

Helpful questions are:

What values and culture does the competition communicate?
Are there any special programs or initiatives (e.g. diversity, sustainability)?
How is the brand perceived online (e.g. on social media platforms)?

3rd element: Analysis of benefits and incentives

The analysis of salaries, additional benefits (e.g. home office, further training, childcare) and work-life balance offers is crucial.

These factors are playing an increasingly important role in talent’s decision to choose an employer.

4th element: Analysis of recruiting channels

Which platforms does the competition use to reach talent?

From job boards and social media to innovative approaches such as TikTok or VR recruiting – knowledge of the channels used provides valuable clues.

5th element: Online presence and reputation

The digital visibility of the competition provides information on how well they are rated on platforms such as Kununu, Glassdoor or LinkedIn.

Equally important are career pages:

Are they attractively designed?
Do they offer authentic insights into everyday working life?

Spread deals virally via social networks and emails

6th element: Measurement of success

How successful are the competition’s measures?

This can often be seen from rankings such as “Top Employer”, or from the visibility of job advertisements and the response in social media.

Implementing the findings

A competitive analysis only provides added value if the insights gained are implemented strategically.

This includes :

Strengthening your own Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
The analysis helps to clearly identify and emphasize unique selling points.
Improving offers
Are better benefits or more flexible working models offered? Then your own offer should be adapted.
Optimization of communication
Authenticity and target group relevance are crucial in order to stand out from the competition.
Use of innovative technologies
Insights into new tools or trends should be used to make your own recruiting processes more modern and efficient.

Conclusion

In the “war for talent”, a targeted competitive analysis determines success or failure in personnel marketing.

It makes it possible to understand the strategies of the competition, identify weaknesses in your own approach and stand out with clearly communicated unique selling points.

Only those who actively engage with the competition and strategically position their own strengths can survive in a highly competitive job market.

Ultimately, it is not just about making your own company visible as an employer, but also about establishing yourself as the first choice for the best talent.

More about competitor analysis

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