f you are like many companies, a return to normal means staffing up to pre-pandemic levels as we bounce back. However, in many business verticals, something’s different. People aren’t clamoring to take that job you have advertised on Indeed or LinkedIn. Recruiters are having challenges finding just the right candidate for you, and when they do find the right person, the candidate may have different expectations than what you are offering. If you are having trouble filling critical roles, from production and service jobs to executive roles, it might be time to ask if your company’s approach to recruiting is part of the problem. In today’s Plain Talk newsletter, we’ll talk about poor employer branding and recruitment marketing practices that are slowly starving businesses across the country and how to avoid them.

For traditional banks and credit unions that enjoy strong name recognition, the value of their name carries equity. For many years, this has been a fixed dynamic that isn’t lost upon anyone in the industry. Over the last few years, traditional institutions have had to compete more and more for customers with non-traditional entrants to the industry. Conventional wisdom has been that this disruption means that traditional institutions should begin investing more in technology. But what should it mean for their marketing investment? In today’s edition of our Compound Interest newsletter, we’ll look at the value of financial services branding for traditional banks and credit unions. We’ll explore why your focus on innovation can’t come at the expense of your brand.