Welcome to a never-ending journey into the unknown!

 

Hi world!

This is a group of passionate Employer Branding researchers, blogging from Stockholm, Berlin, Paris, New York and all around the world! Our mission: a better candidate experience, globally and locally. How? By exchanging ideas.

We will throw in results, facts, figures, examples and stories from our studies, our conversations and daily observations. We hope for fun “light bulb” moments and some really useful debates.

Join us!

The APOLLO astronauts

Some of the topics we find worthwhile debating:

• How to understand today’s job seekers and create a better candidate experience?
• How is HR communication changing? And how can HR teams send the right signals into the organisation to initiate change?
• How to make employer branding a board-level issue with full support from the entire organisation?
• What tools and channels do job seekers use, and how can companies use them, too?
• How can employers learn from each other, outside of boring conference slides?
• What comes after GenY and GenZ? Should we go back to A or start thinking outside of labels?

What is changing out there? HR teams are no longer responsible for “handling the personnel”. Instead, they are responsible for sending the impulses into the organisation that are needed so that everyone in the company can contribute and help to attract, recruit and retain the right people. Also, they are responsible for a wide range of communication platforms, content creation, message shaping. There is no way around it: understanding, communication and creativity will decide the war for talent.

We, the blog hosts, are experts at market research institute Potentialpark in Stockholm. Since 2002, we have done research with job seekers, and analyzed the communication tools, channels and messages of employers, online and offline, globally. Potentialpark has since worked with hundreds of large and mid-sized employers to understand talent and develop their communication tools, channels and messages. So we have experience, passion and a constant flow of new data to offer for the discussions ahead.

How would you answer the question: “I love applying for a job because…”

There is no better way to start. Actually why should someone “love” applying? Because it could be the decisive step in an exciting journey between first contact and first day at work, followed by many more happy days. Instead, today, it’s the point of contact where companies lose the most candidates. So we chose it as an example, the weakest link of the candidate experience chain. What happens before, during and after the application, and how can we help to put a stop to losing candidates on the way?

Why the name “APOLLO”? Because it sounds nice. Also, because it symbolizes the “Journey into the unknown”, if you think of the rocket. Or you may think of the Greek god, even though it’s unclear how this relates to candidate experiences, but it definitely is a noble association. And last but not least, because it stands for Applying Online & Loving it, which is kind of the vision of all this.

Enjoy reading, commenting and sharing, and don’t hesitate to get in touch: info@applying-online-and-loving-it.com

The APOLLO Astronauts

Julian Ziesing, Berlin

Since 2002, I have worked with employer branding research at Potentialpark. I am currently Partner responsible for the Research Development, seeking new trends and best practice examples in talent communication. Apart from that, I enjoy living in Berlin, which, as you know, counts as a hobby, a fashion style, and an excuse for bad manners at the same time.

In recruiting and employer branding we are all match-makers, and a good match does not come from PR language and technical application forms, but from “within”. We are not that far away from a time of great candidate experience: the tools and channels are out there, we have the generation for it (no matter if you call it Y, Z or Ä), and more and more companies understand that talent will be the number one competitive advantage for their business, making employer branding a board-level issue and a mission for the whole organisation.

You can contact me directly at julian@potentialpark.com or +49 (0)30 – 30 36 89 01. Connect on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Guillaume Caramalli, Stockholm

After 2 years working in France with companies on their social media recruiting strategies, i moved to cold Sweden where I develop the French market accompanying companies on their online HR communication with OTaC (Online Talent Communication) studies and on campus throught the University network Entrypark.
I have graduated from IESEG in france where I got my Master degree writing a thesis on the use of social media in recruitment as a sourcing and an employer branding tool.

You can contact me directly at: guillaume.caramalli@potentialpark.com

 

 

Greg Wells, Stockholm

I am the newest contributor to the APOLLO blog, but I’m trying to make up for that with a willingness to learn and a passion for the topic. With a background in Biology Research, I can be a bit of a nerd for research; I believe strongly in the power of data driven decision making. The world of HR is one of the harder places to measure effectiveness, so finding KPI’s to drive the development of successful strategies is a problem that definitely interests me. As a key account manager I want to help companies in their efforts to improve their exchange with candidates as they work to create a give and take environment for recruiting. I believe in repositioning the candidate as the focus of the recruitment process, because getting the right people on board is the key to creating a culture and an environment that will breed success.

You can contact me directly at: greg.wells@potentialpark.com

 

Antoine Lhosmot, Luxembourg

Working at Potentialpark since 2007, I accompany innovative recruiters in the development of competitive HR digital strategies in order to improve tomorrow’s candidate experience. It is a fantastic journey I am having, travelling with employers, HR providers, employees and future employees. Across countries like France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy, I will be happy to share with you some of my thoughts, findings, meetings and souvenirs. Bon voyage!

You can contact me directly at: antoine@potentialpark.com

 

PS: We will also blog in German, French and maybe other languages. Our team is international (actually from 15 countries), while keeping strong local roots and networks. We would like to open the horizon or the country perspective, but also contribute to relevant local discussions. So don’t hesitate to follow if you are mostly active in a local market!

 

About Potentialpark

Many of the posts here will quote study results from Potentialpark. Potentialpark is a global market research institute, analyzing the talent perspective and candidate experience since 2002, located in Stockholm. it is best known for the annual Online Talent Communication study and rankings – which show the best employers in terms of career website, online application, social and professional media and mobile, as well as the trends and best practice examples of talent communication.

Potentialoark’s mission: Understanding Talent, across regions, profiles and channels. Read more on the Potentialpark Website.

 

 

Disclaimer and Terms And Conditions Of Use

All content provided on this blog, Applying Online & Loving It, https://applying-online-and-loving-it.com/, is for informational purposes only. The owners of this blog make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

The owners of this blog will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owners will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent those of the writers and not any company’s or organisation’s.

Due to copyright, we cannot allow for reprinting or publishing content from this blog without our written consent.

We will not sell any personal or contact information. We will not put information on spam lists. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any advertisers or blog commentators. Letters to the editors might be published unless it is explicitly expressed by the sender that they be not published.

We reserve the right to change the focus of the blog, to shut it down, sell it or to change the terms of use at our own discretion.

We reserve the rights to delete comments that are against the spirit or focus of this blog, at our own discretion.