How do you build an employer brand with no budget?

Start where honesty and clarity cost nothing. Gather real employee stories and use them to define a truthful EVP, then fix the assets you already control: rewrite generic job adverts, sharpen the careers page and use owned social channels to show genuine day-to-day life. Encourage employees to share their own experiences, since peer voices are both free and more trusted than polished campaigns. The principle is that insight and consistency matter more than spend, because a specific, true message beats an expensive vague one. The pitfall is mistaking no budget for no effort; the currency here is time, candour and management support, and neglecting those simply produces a cheap version of generic branding.