What is an Employer Value Proposition?

An Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is the comprehensive value that the company offers you, comprising of (but not limited to):

• Culture: the people, values, work practices, social vibe, belonging, flexibility, diversity and inclusion

•  Leadership: purpose, strategy, vision, mission, management style, challenges and social responsibility

• Recognition: compensation, incentives, benefits and awards

• Growth: training, development, opportunity, scalability and mobility

The EVP is what makes people want to stay with a company, and the lack of it makes people want to leave. 

The companies with a strong EVP tend to have happier employees who build great things, delivering high value to customers, which in turn leads to satisfied and loyal customers. This creates a virtuous cycle.

Once you have established that there is a need for your skills and experience through the formal process of a job application or the informal process of a referral, introduction or direct approach, you will meet with a variety of stakeholders through the interview the process. The key focus of your engagement is to help them understand your PVP and for you to understand their EVP.

The mutual value proposition (MVP)

The greater the affinity between the value you offer and the value the employer offers, the stronger the mutual value proposition (MVP). 

The MVP is the sweet spot where the PVP and the EVP are complementary – there is plenty of common ground and each party values what the other has. In sport, the analogies abound – it’s where the star player finds a great team and an amazing coach, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The MVP is the partnership X-factor and ultimate objective of seeking a change in career jobs. Where there is a strong MVP and mutual appreciation between employer and employees, there is high performance, enjoyment of work, rewards and impact.

Finding the MVP in your quest is not easy, but it is essential. 

That’s why I believe you must take complete ownership of your career and reach out to connect and influence people across a number of potential opportunities. You will find the quality MVP role you are looking for if you are exploring a good quantity of roles at the beginning of your search. This reduces the fear of missing out on a particular role and allows you to be yourself and decide which roles to pursue to the next logical step.

It is your responsibility to recognise the MVP.  

When this is established, it helps you to work collaboratively with potential employers towards the highest common purpose and enable each other to achieve goals. When you find the MVP, it will allow you to thrive and become a force for good. This is essential to allow you to work with the right job and right team at the right time, and make great things happen.

In summary, when you value yourself and are willing to responsibly promote yourself to the target audience that needs what you do, you create your personal brand. 

This personal branding enables employers to notice, prefer, pursue and value you. The resulting MVP is the partnership X-factor where people are good at what they do, love their jobs, get well paid and make a difference in the world.