This article was reprinted with permission from Online Recruitment Magazine, www.onrec.com. Paula Santonocito is NA features editor for Online Recruitment Magazine.

Much is made of various employer awards and "best" lists, but what do they mean to recruitment?

Why apply

Fortune magazine's Best Companies to Work For, Working Mother magazine's Best Companies, and DiversityInc's Top Companies for Diversity are among the most popular and arguably among the most coveted lists.

A primary reason employers are drawn to these lists is the high level of visibility associated with inclusion. Indeed, the Great Place to Work Institute, the research and management consultancy that produces various Best Companies to Work for lists in the United States, including Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in America, indicates that companies earning a spot on the list "receive substantial national and local publicity."

According to the Great Place to Work Institute, companies on the list also "attract and recruit the most talented employees, clients and customers who appreciate doing business with companies that are recognized for creating great workplaces for their employees."

From a recruitment standpoint, being among the best certainly doesn't hurt. "These lists are a résumé builder for an employer," says Stacey Havel, senior director of public relations for Bernard Hodes Group, a leading provider of integrated talent solutions.

Winning or making the list gives employers an opportunity to showcase their brands, according to Havel. But it goes beyond recognition. "It validates what's on their career web sites or in brochures. It shows the proof is in the pudding," Havel says.

As such, Bernard Hodes Group encourages clients to apply for awards and lists. Yet, in doing so, it also advocates that companies approach the application process with a strategy. "What I recommend they do is capitalize on their strengths," says Havel. For example, if a company has good diversity programs, it should focus on diversity.

By the same token, if a company doesn't have a lot of benefits in a particular area but has made significant strides, Hodes recommends it go ahead and apply. One reason is that awarding organizations often look for signs of effort and improvement.

For companies that don't have substantial achievements, the application process still can be worthwhile. Some awarding organizations, like DiversityInc, provide applicants with feedback.

But all companies, even those that don't make the grade, can benefit from throwing their hats in the arena. "We encourage them to go and put their name out there. The more you apply, the more you'll catch the eye of the nominating committee and panel," Havel says.

Among the best

Obviously, earning a spot, particularly a top spot, on a "best" list is preferable.

And the more prestigious the list, the more publicity it receives. The publication awarding entities in particular make sure their lists and winners receive a lot of exposure. As a result, inclusion on such a list resonates with job seekers.

"We believe it is helping with recruiting because the market is so tight for talent right now," says Havel. As an example, she cites what happens when a large accounting and finance company that's one of only four in its industry is named to a Fortune or DiversityInc list. "It sets you apart from the pack," Havel says.

The differentiation factor and recognition as an employer of choice are important elements and should be highlighted at a corporate careers site, according to Havel.

Mention of an award can make a difference to a job seeker. "Even if they are not aware of an accolade prior to applying to the career site, the award is key in that it allows a potential candidate to see just one more reason why they should apply," Havel says.

Although the big lists tend to carry the most weight with candidates, these lists may not be best for every employer. "We also encourage folks to apply for local and regional awards and lists," Havel says, indicating these lists also serve as résumé builders and can help companies get on bigger lists.

Nevertheless, not all awards are created equal; Havel points out that credibility is essential.

"Credibility does not necessarily mean that the awarding entities have to be large and nationally known (i.e., Fortune, Working Mother). We determine credibility based on which companies and organizations have previously won an award or inclusion on a list, and research their track record to see if they truly are deserving of the accolade," she says.

This screening gives more credence to the award/list and ensures that a company is among credible employers of choice, she explains.

In addition to local and regional awards, there are many niche areas sponsoring awards. Among them are trade associations, trade publications and local business journals. Havel encourages employers to explore these awards and lists as well but recommends evaluating a particular award/list before applying. "Credibility is really the key," she says.

Showcasing awards

Employers that do win awards and positions on "best" lists often feature their achievements on their corporate careers sites. Sometimes companies simply list awards.

Pharmaceuticals giant Merck, for example, has a section at its careers site called "Awards & Accolades." Selecting it returns an alphabetical list that starts with "Black Engineer - One of the Most Admired Companies for Minority Engineers" and ends with "Working Mother - One of the Best Companies for Women of Color, Top 50 Companies for Diversity, and Top 10 Companies for Executive Women." Among Merck's many achievements is being named to Hispanic Magazine's Top 100 Companies for Latinos. The company has also made several DiversityInc lists: Top 50 Companies for Diversity, Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities, and Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans.

Biotech leader Genentech, on the other hand, has chosen to showcase its recent award from Working Mother on its corporate site's homepage. In fact, it's the first item on the page. Clicking through a link in the paragraph that describes the accomplishment or selecting the logo to the left of the description leads to more information about the award and Genentech's selection. The company notes that it's the 15th year it has been named to Working Mother's "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" list.

Genentech also provides information about other "Top Employer/Diversity Awards" in the Corporate Overview section of its site under "Awards & Recognition." One of these is a local award: In April of this year, the San Francisco Business Times gave Genentech the No. 1 spot on its Best Places to Work in the Bay Area list.

Genentech isn't the only company to put its employment awards on the corporate site's homepage. The Container Store, a leading retailer of storage and organization products, has organized its web site to showcase its inclusion on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list, indicating it has been at the top of the list for eight years in a row. The Fortune "Best Companies" logo, which appears on the homepage, serves as a link that leads to a January press release about the award. The press release, in turn, links to Fortune magazine's list and specifics about the Top 10 companies. This year, The Container Store is No. 4.

The No. 1 company on this year's Fortune Best Companies to Work For list has a different strategy. Search-engine leader Google merely includes the Fortune "Best" logo at its careers site; there's no mention of Google's position on the list. However, clicking on the logo leads to a PDF file of Fortune magazine's articles about Google earning the top spot. The file opens with the Fortune January 22 cover, which indicates Google is No. 1 and shows ecstatic Google employees. A picture, like the top spot on a prestigious list, may indeed be worth a thousand words.

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