And who are they talking to about it?

A new survey by CareerBuilder and Inavero highlights the role a company’s employment brand plays in its ability to attract and engage job candidates.

According to the 2012 Candidate Behavior Study, 35 percent of workers begin preparing for their next job within weeks of starting a new one. Why so soon? According to Kassandra Barnes, Content and Research Manager at CareerBuilder, the explanation is simple: “The job search process never really ‘shuts off’.”

There’s also the fact that people treat new jobs the same way they treat major purchases: they do extensive research – mostly with the help of digital tools – before making a final decision. Therefore, Barnes says, workers may continue researching other opportunities after they’ve made a final decision in hopes to reassure themselves they made the right decision.

“It’s like they’re trying to make sure they don’t have buyer’s remorse, so they keep shopping around to make sure they got the best deal,” she explains.

This finding underscores the need for employers to clearly define their employer brands. A defined employer brand clarifies the culture of a company – and helps candidates determine whether or not they’d be the right fit before they even apply. It also sets realistic expectations for what would be expected of candidates once they join the company (as opposed to finding out the company is nothing like they expected on their first day on the job).

Furthermore, it’s important to understand that engagement doesn’t end after a candidate accepts a job offer, and if employers want to retain employees – and continue to build a reputation as an employer of choice – they need to put in the effort to keep their employees engaged and deliver on the expectations they set up during the recruitment process.

Thanks to the increasing prevalence of employer ratings sites like Glassdoor.com, which enable employees to openly and honestly discuss their experiences at certain companies, employers can no longer hide their cultures – nor can they assume that candidates aren’t paying attention, either: Nearly two thirds of workers  who participated in the survey said they consult employee ratings sites to research potential employers prior to submitting an application.

“This study shows how much candidates rely on these sources to evaluate potential employers, and it speaks to the importance of creating internal brand ambassadors,” Barnes points out. “If a company has an unhealthy culture, candidates will find out about it.”

All of these findings stem from the 2012 Candidate Behavior study, which you can learn more about at www.careerbuilder.com/candidatebehavior