Recruiting Gen Z employees into your workplace is a totally different from how you attracted previous generations. Our latest research reveals some of the top ways you can recruit and retain Gen Z employees into your line of work, no matter the industry.
1. Promote Your Company Values and Culture
Most companies have a website, and many also have a LinkedIn company page as well. But are you using these pages in the right way to attract Millennials and Gen Z?
Our research shows that these younger generations are increasingly relying on your website and social media to learn about your company and what it’s like to work there. In fact, in our 2018 State of Gen Z® study, we found that to determine if they want to work for a company:
- 40% would use YouTube
- 37% would use Instagram
- 36% would use Snapchat
They want more than just a job description though. You need to share your company values, culture, and even your mission. Millennials and Gen Z want to have passion for what they do, and who they do it for, so make sure you show them the impact they will have at your company.
Showcase the fun activities your company does around the holidays, the employee appreciation celebrations, or how employees get to spend time volunteering in the community.
2. Use Video as Much as You Can
It’s one thing to share a blog about employees volunteering, but it’s a totally different experience to show it. And for Millennials and Gen Z, seeing is believing. That’s why video is so important to these generations.
What kinds of videos should you share? Some examples include:
- Clips with employees sharing their favorite things about working for you
- “A day in the life” videos where you go in-depth with one employee or a team
- Behind the scenes at your company’s annual internal conference
- Employees talking about what your mission and values mean to them
And most importantly, share these videos on your website and social media channels!
3. Ensure Your Job Descriptions Stand Out
Job descriptions determine job applications. The first two sentences of your job description are incredibly important, particularly on Indeed and LinkedIn. Just like with writing a paperback in high school, your introduction must grab their attention, or else you risk losing their them as they click away to another company’s posting.
The secret to is to make it about them and speak to their emotions. So, instead of starting with a list of responsibilities, talk about the challenges they might face and how they can solve them to make an immediate impact on your company.
You can also highlight other aspects of your company that offer value to employees, such as:
- Stability or growth potential
- Scheduling flexibility
- Benefits and vacation
- Fun perks
- Professional development opportunities
Then, once you’ve hooked them with how great your company will be for them, you can review the different responsibilities for the job.
4. Make It Easy to Apply
What we find over and over again in our research is that Gen Z and Millennials want it to be easy to apply for a job. Printing out a paper form that they then have to fax is not easy—at this point that might be too cumbersome for Gen X and Baby Boomers!
You can make the application process easy in three ways:
- Let them apply online via your website or a job posting website like Indeed
- Allow them to upload a resume or use their LinkedIn profile to apply
- If they have to fill out a more complex online form, give them the ability to create an account and save their progress along the way
The last one is especially important. Many times, when someone starts an application, they might not have enough time to complete it or they don’t have all the information they need right in front of them. So, when they can save the application, they are more likely to come back to it later. And if they don’t come back, you can send them reminders since you collected their email address.
5. Be Active on Ratings and Review Sites
From what we’ve learned about Gen Z over the last three years, we know they rely on ratings and reviews to make purchases. So, there’s little doubt that they will also incorporate what people are saying about working at your company into their job search process.
If you weren’t aware, your current and former employees can review your company on sites like Glassdoor, Great Place to Work, and Indeed. If you haven’t already updated your profile or started posting on these sites, now is the time to start.
Make sure your contact information is up-to-date and that you’ve taken the opportunity to fill out any relevant information about your company as well as the benefits of working there.
Also, you should have a plan for responding reviews—both positive and negative. Potential Gen Z and Millennial employees need to see that you are listening and responding to your current employees.
Want to Solve Your Gen Z Challenges?
We lead national and international Gen Z, Millennial, and generational studies for our clients every day. We also keynote events around the world, helping businesses better understand their customers and workforce.
Let us know how we can help you. Send us an email or give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide a little information for you to review.
Keep the conversation going. Follow The Center on Instagram @TheGenHQ or on Twitter @GenHQ. We are passionate about sharing our latest generational discoveries!
