Within weeks, thousands of college graduates will be walking across a stage, tossing their hats in the air, and jumping into the workforce. Employers, prepare yourselves because a whole new ballgame is about to begin as you look to recruit and hire candidates from Generation Z.
Born between 1996-2010, Gen Z represents 32% of the global population, which means the workforce takeover is only just beginning. Employers, recruiters, and hiring managers need to embrace a different process when it comes to not only finding new talent, but leading new talent to them.
So what can those in charge of hiring or recruiting do to attract Generation Z?
Use Indeed.com – Twenty eight percent of Gen Zers say they find an employer on Indeed, second only to 13% searching on LinkedIn. If you don’t have any sort of brand presence on this website, it’s time to get moving. Even if you have dabbled on Indeed, you need to make sure that your brand message is clear, reputable, and presents itself in a way that this tech-savvy generation will find appealing.
Be Responsive – Sixty nine percent of Gen Zers are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its brand. This includes a mixture of clear brand representation, whether it’s keeping the messaging consistent, sharing updates that give an inside look into the culture, or responding to any sort of comments, reviews, or overall engagement on all digital platforms. Seventy percent of Gen Zers look at company reviews before making a job decision. Do an audit of reviews and company mentions across the internet frequently so you know what possible future candidates are seeing.
Engage on Social Media – It’s painful that this needs to be included considering social media has legitimately been around for almost 20 years. Although this should be an unwritten rule, it’s still important to bring attention to it. Generation Z has essentially grown up with a Smartphone in their hands or within reach, making visuals a huge draw for them. So it’s no surprise that Youtube, Instagram, and Snapchat rank as their top three social networks of choice, making it important for your brand to either be represented in some capacity across those networks or at least aware of stylistically what is appealing to them.
Embrace innovation – Entrepreneurship and tech-savvy opportunities are what Gen Zers look for in a company and career. On average, this generation spends 17 hours a day on their mobile phones, and because technology is limitless it provides them any type of experience they choose. As a result, Gen Zers are comfortable with the innovative world we live in, so it makes sense that the entrepreneurial mindset would blossom in them as they go about their lives in a tech-focused world that has no limits on what can be achieved. If innovation isn’t one of your company’s core values, it’s worth thinking about.
Focus on Stability – As they enter a more adult stage in life, this group is now coming to terms with the understanding of what their families went through after the housing and financial bubble burst in 2008. Because of this, they are more financially cautious which is why job and career stability is something they desire. Give them a place where they can come, grow, and feel stable in their company choice.
Offer Appropriate Benefits – The focus on stability rolls into the benefits package a company offers. Gen Zers want all of their work-related needs to be met by their employer so this doesn’t just mean offering a standard health package, but one that includes vision, dental, maternity/paternity leave, and even Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) focused around mental health. The days of offering just health insurance that allows you to go to your primary care physician once or twice a year are not only gone, but they’re not competitive with what companies are offering to this generation today.
Include Remote Work – If you haven’t already boarded this train, you better book a fight and catch up. Telecommuting isn’t going anywhere and needs to be a part of your offering to attract Generation Z candidates. They are focused on individualism and because of that are hard-working multitaskers who want to save time and money. They see the opportunity of working at home as a way to do just that by skipping out on a commute and digging right into the workday without leaving the house.
Get High Tech – Gen Zers are known as the iGeneration for good reason, considering they are the first group of job seekers who have no concept of a non-digital world. New technology drives this generation so that means recruiting and hiring practices need to play in this sandbox. Mobile optimization for job posts and “easy-apply” options when it comes to submitting applications are key for attracting these candidates so try to apply these to yours as often as possible.
Build a Supportive Culture – Use your social media accounts as a mouthpiece to showcase your corporate culture and make sure it’s a supportive one. A survey conducted by Quartz at Work asked Gen Zers what they valued in a job and the top response was an empowering work culture, second only to high salary and raises. Be aware of this as you are recruiting or hiring because it’s something that will be discussed at some point during the process.
Be Inclusive – Diversity in the workplace is important when it comes to recruiting and retaining this generation. Seventy-seven percent of Gen Zers said a company’s level of diversity affects their decision to work there. Being inclusive is only a bonus to the employer too, as organizations with inclusive cultures are two times as likely to meet or exceed financial targets and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes.
Get ready workforce… grab your Smartphone, download your Indeed app, build your company culture, and get your techie on because Generation Z is coming in hot and ready to rock the recruiting and hiring world from here on out.
