The Edge July/August 2025

picture of what it’s like to work there,” del Pozo says. “Short videos — especially ones filmed on the jobsite or in the shop — perform well on social media and career pages. Testimonials that highlight career growth, supportive leadership, or a strong team culture go a long way in convincing people to apply.” Shaffer says they outline all the benefits of working at Summit Lawn and Land scape on their website, including their perks and benefits, training and certifica tion, as well as advancement opportunities. “Your brand isn’t just your logo or web site; it’s how you’re perceived by the peo ple who’ve worked for you, applied to work for you, or know someone who has,”del Pozo says. “That perception is shaped by how you treat applicants and employees: responding quickly to new applications, not leaving candidates in limbo, offering real opportunities for growth, and listening to team feedback.” People talk, and when you consistently provide a good experience for candidates and employees, then you can build a strong employer brand. “Your online presence can help reinforce that, but it’s secondary to the reputation you earn on the ground,”del Pozo says. Caceres stresses you need to start building your employer brand now rather than only working on it when you need to hire someone. CRAFT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT RESONATE When posting recruiting-related ads, you want to make sure they truly resonate with your audience so it’s not a wasted effort. Caceres says that authenticity is king when it comes to relatable social posts. “You don’t have to go out there and be something that you’re not,”Caceres says. “You don’t have to look at your competitors and think you need to be them either. I think that’s a huge mistake. Ultimately, people want to see what’s real. People want to see what’s raw. People want to see your world.” Caceres encourages using real photos of your team in action instead of relying on stock photography. “Really take pride in your own company, your own identity, your own company culture, because people appreciate that as well,”Caceres says. “Just take a moment to snap a picture of your team working and just show that. That goes a much longer way than using stock photos, and it’s so much easier to take to take footage of your own team.”

Photos: (Left) David J. Frank Landscape Contracting, Inc. (Below) Team Engine

Videos are another powerful type of social post to tap into. “Short videos are great because it’s the type of content a lot of job seekers are used to absorbing nowadays,”Voories says. “Real employee testimonials are invaluable; social validation is huge!” Caceres says you don’t need to worry about having high-production quality vid eos. What matters is showing candidates why people joined your company and why they stay. “More people should get involved,” Caceres says. “Include your field staff; have them show some pride by recording some content of them doing their work. I promise you, if you just simply ask them, ‘Hey, can you maybe film a video of the week?’and now you’re building up a full library of videos.” Sharing posts that cover a day-in-a-life or employee stories can help candidates picture themselves working for your orga nization. Caceres says these can be more impactful than reading a job description posting. “Also, a job post doesn’t need to be a carbon copy of the job description,”Voories says. “Candidates want to see two things: tell them about the company and what’s in it for them.” Social media posts that convey profes sionalism are also important. “Candidates are looking for visual cues that tell them what kind of company you are,” del Pozo says. “Clean and well-maintained vehicles and equipment, uniforms, and real photos of your team working together all signal a strong, organized operation. Posts

that show off a team atmosphere, pride in completed work, or the quality of your job sites tend to perform really well.” ENGAGE PASSIVE CANDIDATES Voories says the most effective digital recruiting strategy for them has been targeting passive candidates. These are individuals who aren’t actively looking for a job. “We try to stay in front of green industry professionals by sharing helpful content, sending emails and text messages, and sharing actual reviews from others who’ve had an excellent candidate experience,” Voories says. “Our recruiters use several dig ital tools to research and contact passive candidates about active searches we’re conducting. In addition to our own internal database, we pay for access to third-party databases and sourcing tools.”

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