Isomorphic Patterns with Unique Flair: Employer Branding Strategies Emerge among Top-performing Employers

ABSTRACT Online recruitment has become ubiquitous, just as many scholars predicted it would in early research and theory related to online employer branding. Studies from the early 2000s provide evidence of branding patterns that organizations used to signal their legitimacy as an employer, yet the landscape of online recruitment and the predominant values of the current workforce have transformed since these initial investigations. As such, this study sought to develop an updated understanding of strategic employer branding by examining the websites of employers of choice. Among a sample of 59 organizations awarded for embodying the values of modern job seekers (work-life balance, job satisfaction, supportive of women, and financial growth), a content analysis of the text communicated on their About Us and Careers corporate webpages was performed. Though isomorphic patterns of communication emerged both among and between pages, there was simultaneous evidence that organizations strive to highlight their unique characteristics as well. These findings are discussed through the lenses of institutional theory and the attraction-selection-attrition model, and further outline their implications for other organizations seeking competitive advantage through employer branding. Finally, researchers are called upon to continue to explore the systematic communication of employer brands and how these brands are managed.