Employers are planning to hire 10.7% more class of 2019 graduates than they did from the class of 2018Recruiting Gen Z candidates effectively is a whole new ball game compared to their predecessors. The fact that they are the first digitally native generation, display a high level of hustle and motivation, and enjoys social interaction and work that ties them to their community needs to be taken into account.
Gen Z employees won’t hang around for employers to get back to them – they want meaningful engagement and good, open lines of communication throughout the recruiting process. In a low unemployment job market, businesses who want to stay competitive need to provide a positive, competitive candidate experience.
Mike Pauletich, VP of Global Alliances & Partnerships at Mya Systems and with more than 25 years of recruiting industry experience, shared his five top tips on how to attract Gen Z talent:
- Creativity
Utilize a constant touch point that is human in nature. This generation is traditionally more creative than its predecessors, and is reaching out to companies on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for job opportunities. Businesses need to respond quickly to attract these younger candidates and offer them validation that they will be valued at your company.
- Money
Salary isn’t everything. While previous generations are mainly motivated by salary, new graduates are looking for much more than that, starting with opportunity for development. The relationships they create, and the skills they are going to build will be critical, as they view their first job out of college as a stepping stone to the next one.
- Technology
Be creative with technology. Generation Z was born with phones in their hands and raised with the newest technology already at their fingertips. In order to attract this generation, you need to demonstrate that your organization knows how to leverage the latest technology in unique and creative ways that will allow them to build upon their existing skills.
- Speed
Respond quickly, or you might as well not respond at all. The reality is that Gen Zers have always experienced instant gratification, and they expect nothing less when it comes to their job pursuits. If you aren’t responding with lightning speed, and through their preferred mediums (text, for example), you are likely to miss out on a large number of top candidates.
- Social media
Use social media wisely. Although we constantly hear about this generation embracing social media, it is important to tread lightly in this area. Research from IBM has shown that Gen Z is more sensitive over their personal information, so absolutely do not stalk Gen Zers there, and avoid recruiting them on their personal social media accounts.
Use social media to build and communicate your brand in smaller, punchier bites rather than big campaigns, and be sure to use direct messaging sparingly and considerately. Visual mediums, such as FaceTime or Skype, and live-streaming play well with this audience, who prefer building trust through face-to-face interactions.
