Employer branding isn’t only about polished career pages or office photos on social media. It’s also communicated in the way leaders show up during the hiring process - especially when they personally engage with candidates. Every LinkedIn message, every touchpoint in recruitment, is a reflection of the company’s culture, values, and structure.
At Laurence & Company, we often see small business owners and startup founders stepping directly into hiring. CTOs messaging software engineers, CEOs approaching sales managers - sometimes it works, sometimes it raises questions.
To dig deeper, we ran a poll on LinkedIn asking what candidates think when a C-level executive reaches out directly. The 73 participants gave mixed responses:
- 36% saw it as a good signal: personal, impactful, and respectful.
- 18% considered it a red flag: raising concerns about internal resources, structure, and priorities.
- 42% said it depends on the context: for example, early-stage startups, niche hiring, or leaders with strong personal brands.
- 4% had other perspectives.
The key takeaway? Candidate perception isn’t one-size-fits-all.
The Advantages: Employer Branding Through Personal Involvement
When a CEO, CTO, or another executive personally initiates contact, it can feel empowering to candidates. A direct line to a decision-maker signals serious intent and strengthens trust.
In early-stage startups or critical IT hiring situations, this kind of involvement can enhance the employer brand. It communicates that leadership prioritizes building the right team and is invested in the recruitment process. In technology, where talent is highly sought after, this can make a company stand out.
The Risks: Recruitment Process Confusion and Mixed Messages
But context matters. From our own experience in IT recruitment in Hungary, we've seen both sides:
In small companies without an HR function, it’s natural for the CEO or founder to take the lead in hiring and leverage the power of their personal network. However, as the company grows, this approach can quickly become unsustainable. Candidate management is time-consuming, and without proper systems in place, important messages can go unanswered - causing promising talent to be missed.
That’s where partnering with an external recruitment agency or using HR outsourcing services can make a real difference. For companies that are not yet ready to hire a full-time recruiter or HR manager, this support provides structure, ensures consistent candidate communication, and frees up executives to focus on business growth.
In contrast, in larger organizations with established HR teams, direct outreach from C-level leaders can sometimes create confusion. Candidates may express interest, but without proper context, it can send a mixed signal. We once had a candidate ask why the CTO reached out to him on LinkedIn - because, to him, it felt like micromanagement rather than a structured recruitment process. Actually, we had to handle communication several times.
In another case, we worked with a company where the CEO believed IT professionals would respond more readily to him than to HR. While the data didn’t support this assumption, the real issue was that he didn’t have time to follow up on his messages, creating miscommunication with the HR team and confusion for candidates. Ghosting is unacceptable. We had to step in and handle the disappointment.
In these cases, direct outreach risked undermining trust in the recruitment process, sending signals of micromanagement or lack of alignment with HR.
Advice for C-Level Leaders Stepping into Hiring
If you’re a C-level executive considering personal involvement in recruitment, here are a few practical tips to strengthen rather than weaken your employer brand:
- Added value: Reach out when your involvement adds real value (critical hires, niche roles, or high-level networking).
- Communicating style and culture: Every outreach reflects your leadership style and company culture.
- Be mindful of time: Candidate management - answering questions, scheduling calls, providing updates - is time-consuming and requires continuous attention. Make sure you can dedicate sufficient attention before reaching out. If you can’t commit, coordinate handovers with your HR or recruitment partner.
- Respect recruitment processes: Coordinate with HR or external recruiters to ensure candidates are properly managed and follow-up is consistent. Always channel candidates into the pipeline or ATS to avoid losing great talent.
- Set expectations for candidates: If you reach out personally, candidates will expect a direct conversation. Ensure the hiring process reflects that level of engagement.
- Provide context: Explain why you are reaching out and your role in the process, so candidates don’t misinterpret your involvement as micromanagement.
- Use data to examine your beliefs: Test whether candidates really respond better to C-level outreach than to HR. Without evidence, this approach may create extra work with high opportunity cost.
Final Thought
When C-level executives engage directly in hiring, it can be a powerful employer branding strategy - or a potential liability. The difference lies in context, consistency, and collaboration.
Direct outreach strengthens the employer brand only if it’s followed by a candidate experience that’s equally professional and personal. If the process is inconsistent or expectations aren’t met, the initial positive impression can quickly turn into a negative signal.
In employer branding, the strongest recruitment processes are consistent. If your outreach is direct and personal, your hiring journey should reflect the same level of care. Done thoughtfully, C-level involvement can elevate both candidate experience and employer branding. Done carelessly, it risks undermining both.
Reach out to us for expert advice on your communication and recruitment strategy.