It is quite simple: If you want to persuade someone to go on a trip with you, you have to tell them where you are going, why you are going, and who you are. That is why I do exactly this exercise with my students in the 'HR Marketing and Recruiting' class: They have to write a text in which they search for someone to join them on a six-month motorhome tour of South America. The results are great and much more appealing than a boring job ad with a list of tasks and requirements. Not only is Gen Z looking for a sense of purpose, but also managers and C-level executives want to know where the journey is going, what the purpose is, and how to get along with each other.
I understand that not every company has a perfectly formulated vision, mission and values. For simplicity's sake, I often ask: 'What are the three most important reasons why someone should come to you - what is the great thing about your company?' Here I have already experienced that a third-generation managing director of a medium-sized company had to think long and hard. He had obviously never asked himself this question before. Another manager once told me: "You can't ask me that, I won't be around much longer." That makes for a difficult search.
Fortunately, many companies have very good and convincing answers to these questions, and I am convinced that in every company there are good reasons why you should join them. You just have to find them and describe them. And to do that, you have to know who you are as a company.