Today’s young talent is diverse, entrepreneurial, and more tech-savvy than previous generations. Young professionals are also entering the workforce in large numbers, causing employers to take notice of the new generation of talent. According to recent studies, Generation Z (individuals born after 1996) will account for 40 percent of all consumers and 36 percent of the global workforce by 2020.
In addition to their numbers, young professionals bring a strong digital mindset and a wealth of experience and achievements to today’s workplace. To attract them, you’ll need to craft a talent recruitment strategy that engages them in new and unique ways. Here are three key elements to a successful young talent recruitment strategy:
ENGAGEMENT VIA DIGITAL PLATFORMS
Generation Zers are digital natives, using smartphones and social media for just about everything. They’re drawn to visual platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, which allow them to engage with others via images and video.
However, the Gen Z affinity for social media doesn’t mean that they will engage with prospective employers only on those platforms. Young professionals may be “always on,” but they’re not always reachable via the most popular social media sites. Therefore, you’ll need to use a variety of digital recruiting methods to reach and engage today’s younger candidates. Some examples of talent recruitment activities that can help you reach Gen Z include:
- Leveraging a social career network that enables you to engage with young people using video, chat, and other digital communication methods
- Conducting virtual Q&A sessions and online career fairs that give candidates valuable opportunities to engage with your employer brand
- Using text recruiting to supplement traditional communication methods and speed up the exchange of information
VARIED SOURCING METHODS
A successful young talent recruitment strategy must go beyond campus recruiting and online job postings. In fact, the best candidates may be those whom you’ve missed with the traditional recruiting methods. Perhaps they didn’t apply to be interviewed on campus or haven’t seen your online job postings. When you explore varied sourcing methods, you have a chance of reaching potential candidates whom you wouldn’t have identified otherwise.
For example, a social career platform designed with early professionals and college students in mind is an active gateway for attracting top young talent. Using the platform to identify potential candidates, you can further engage them with targeted content, live video sessions, and—later—in-person recruiting events and interviews that help you hire candidates who are the best fit with your company culture and mission.
A FOCUS ON SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The key to a successful young talent recruitment strategy is an understanding that young professionals are in the earliest stages of their careers and are still building work experience. Therefore, a strategy aimed at attracting young talent should place an adequate focus on skills and achievements rather than just years of experience. Just as a resume doesn’t tell the full story about a candidate, neither does a traditional job board profile.
A great way to gain a more complete understanding of young candidates is to use a platform where you can see their full portfolios, including details about special skills, key projects, leadership experience, and more. With more information at your fingertips, you can better assess a candidate’s fit and potential for success within your organization.
Recruiting young professionals involves understanding where to go to find them and how to engage them. Talented young people are everywhere, but you’ll have a hard time attracting them with the same strategies that may have worked even a few years ago. By utilizing a network that attracts young candidates and gives them a dynamic platform to showcase their skills and abilities, you can build a talent recruitment strategy that gives you unrivaled access to the newest generation of talent.
This post was originally written by Taha Bawa on May 14, 2019. Taha is the co-founder and CEO of Goodwall. He started Goodwall to inspire and encourage the next generation to achieve more, maximize their potential and impact society positively. Taha has been named on Forbes’ 30under30, has co-founded and created several other startups and has given keynote speeches at TEDx, Google, MIT, International Baccalaureate’s President Symposium, Human Rights Summit Geneva, and the European Commission of International Schools.
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