And there are those who send us their CV

Unable to escape! Since April 30, the EDF campaign spreads everywhere, bus shelters, the corridors of the Metro, the halls and the docks of station, on the Web... It is unclear non-Dummies, sorted by casting, but "real" people, labeled with a job whose name is displayed. Electricity group strikes hard to communicate to its 38 million customers in Europe its new signature: "change the energy". He dared put in scene partners, customers, citizens, or associations and also... fifteen employees. According to Dominique Lagarde, Director-General first delegate, HR and communication of EDF. "Each of these persons has taken of actual initiatives to combat climate change." And our employees reflect a journey, a trade, of a commitment. It is an asset for our employer image. "On May 14, it is Areva, another giant of energy, of Paris, giving the kick-off of its recruitment campaign in six countries, including the India and China. The theme "energy must be at the service of man" Areva use staggered messages of the kind: "There are those who dream to remake the world." And there are those who send us their CV.

The talent war

Launched 15 days of departure, these two campaigns punched don't owe anything random. Rival companies, EDF as Areva are confronted with the war for talent. Recruiting respectively 3,000 and 4,000 people in France, they are profiles of engineers and technicians that snapped also with system integrators and other industrialists of the CAC 40 booming international. But both groups have understood that a beautiful picture on glossy paper or slogans shocks were more sufficient to attract good candidates. Witness the memorable flop of Club Mediterranee in the 1990s. Its recruitment campaign détonnait. A dream with Sun, beach and transat, standard poster: "your future Office." Clever, but... misleading. "The influx of candidates was massive, but six months later, the turnover exploded, recalls Gilles Verrier, Associate Director of the firm identity HR." The difference with the harsh reality of the work in the villages was too large.

Now, to be believed, be a genuine speech, in phase with the experience of the employees. Moreover, the generation Y, technologically savvy new technologies and social networks, is not fooled. She knows back the wire of the friends of friends to cross its information source. "The employer brand reflects attitudes, commitments, a culture, a specific language." There are men and women to embody it. "It must reflect the soul of a business," says Didier Pitelet, CEO of Dreamgroup and specialist of the corporate reputation.

With a dual purpose. Primo, give the desire people to join the society and to remain there, especially if they are already stationed elsewhere. Secondly, restoring pride and momentum to its employees as the distrust and disengagement grow. Then a company resist and of much better the scandals that its employer brand will be solid. L ' Oréal, by example, so glamorous, pampered by young graduates, faced in 2000 to a charge of racial discrimination in hiring on positions of facilitators in its subsidiary Garnier. The group reacted illico. Already committed to a policy of diversity, it offered 52 pages in the press to explain it. And he put overdrive to live, to regain his bearings in preparation for the trial that sentenced him. The bulk was saved.

Refine its employer brand must therefore be reactive and think global. The company must worry about content, carrier sense, before the container. And ask: what is it that makes it an outstanding employer "Cannot not be exemplary in everything." "With our HRD, we have sorted the since us our competitors", says Frédéric Périn, central HRD to the Group of engineering and infrastructure Egis (7.300 employees). For engineers and technicians, management has focused on three themes: "The collective usefulness", because trams, bridges, tunnels projects improve the lives of people; "Give a chance to each", because all the profiles are welcome; and "the autonomy and responsibility", because the beginners quickly manage projects.

A dose of emotion

A long history rich corporations will also draw in the values of their background. Is the strength of the "success stories" family such as Danone or Bonduelle, or a more modest scale, group Dubreuil, who has been able to enhance its roots of merchant in the eyes of its 3,000 employees, Vendée bold born in 1924, féderant and its activities in disparate areas of the car in the housing or food. "". "We offer our candidates a professional adventure", tells Cécile Maret, pilot of the employer brand site.

No need to égréner the list charters or innovative agreements. This leaves skeptical. Except to illustrate of facts, left to there add a dose of emotion to recognize exemplary. Hence the force control of EDF employees. Still to pass the test of time. According to Julien Carette, partner at Euro RSCG C & O: "the employer offers promises, trades, a style of life, but he must show that he knows to keep them in the long term."