Nitro, a document productivity company, recently asked me to respond to the following question for an E-Book they were publishing.

How can HR professionals maximize their company presence to attract top talent?

This is what I told them...

"First, let’s turn the traditional concept of 'top talent' on its ear. It implies talent can be assessed through a common set of filters like performance, experience, and pedigree. It also implies the resulting measure is binary—either they’re top talent or they’re not. And finally, it implies that the assessment process should be entirely employer-driven.

People spend more time assessing which dishwasher they should buy than they do assessing which company they should work for.

Why? Because there isn’t any meaningful data available around what it’s really like to work somewhere. And so time and time again, job-seekers are drawn to misinformed brands—ones that are one-dimensional, contrived, and not particularly insightful. Most brands are built around an image of being a 'Best Place to Work.' Best for whom? I’ve been with a couple of 'Best Places to Work' that certainly weren’t the best for me. Brands should be focused on helping employees make informed decisions around the 'Right Place to Work.'

So how do I maximize my company's presence? In a word: transparency. Share as much as possible around what it’s really like to work there—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Share it in ways that are heartfelt and show your vulnerability as a bunch of imperfect humans. And share it in ways that evoke a profile of the types of people who will be successful, complement your ethos, and contribute to your community . That profile becomes the right talent for your business."

So that's that. Your organization cannot fully represent if only half of it shows up. Stop thinking there's only one story to tell; only one brand to sell. Be confident with who you are and share it as it is. It's not good or bad. It just is. I can create a positive and productive image around any flaw you think your organization has. And, by the way, most organizations have the same flaws. You're willingness to talk about them in an authentic way, however, will set you apart - far apart - from that crowd.

If you'd like to read the published E-Book with some good insight from a number of good HR Pros, you can find it here: http://bit.ly/1M6Yg1p