Don’t fake it. Set accurate expectations, improve the biggest pain points, and position honestly around who will thrive now.

You can still build a strong employer brand without pretending everything is perfect. Start with truth: what’s hard, what you’re fixing, and what kind of person will thrive in the current reality. Use tradeoffs as fit signals to reduce mis-hires and early attrition. In parallel, identify 1–2 experience gaps that most damage hiring (manager quality, role clarity, interview chaos, workload) and improve them. Then make progress visible with proof. Becoming choosable isn’t about being “the best workplace," It’s about being a clear, credible choice for the right people at this stage of your journey.