SmartSKILLS: Talent Is the Strategy: Employer Branding and Talent Strategy for AEC Firms

You can’t grow faster than your ability to attract and retain the right people.

In today’s AEC market, talent is no longer just a staffing issue. It directly impacts your firm’s ability to win work, deliver projects, and maintain client trust. Employer branding has become a business strategy - whether firms treat it that way or not.

This SmartSKILLS session reframes employer branding as a core growth discipline and shows how talent strategy connects to brand, culture, and long-term performance. You’ll learn how to move beyond transactional recruiting tactics and build an employer brand that consistently attracts people who can deliver on your firm’s promises.

What you’ll learn in this session:
Employer Branding in the AEC Context
• What employer branding actually means in professional services
• Why talent perception influences delivery quality, culture, and client confidence
• ow employer brand and firm brand reinforce each other in the market

Defining and Communicating Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
• Clearly define what makes your firm uniquely attractive to top talent
• Communicate growth opportunities, culture, and purpose authentically
• Align EVP with brand promise and leadership messaging

Digital and Social Strategies for Employer Branding
• Use LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and social media as intentional talent channels
• Create authentic employee stories and testimonials that resonate
• Leverage careers pages as brand-building assets, not job boards

Internal Activation: Turning Employees Into Brand Ambassadors
• Align internal communication with external talent messaging
• Empower employees to represent the brand authentically
• Build trust and consistency between what’s promised and what’s experienced

What you’ll walk away with:
• A clearer understanding of how talent strategy supports firm growth
• Practical employer branding tactics that actually work in AEC
• Stronger language to elevate talent conversations with leadership

This session is essential for AEC firms competing for high-performing talent in a tight labor market - and for leaders who understand that the right people are a growth strategy, not a cost center.