This year will mark the first individuals from Generation Z entering the workforce. This demographic, born in the mid-90s to early 2000s, is different to millennials in one key way: they cannot imagine a world without technology.
The majority of millennials remember a time without smartphones or high-speed internet connections. In other words, they were influenced by technology, Generation Z was born into it.
While this might not seem like a huge distinction, it is an important one. The silver lining, however, is that recruitment strategies adapted for millennials only need a small tweak to work for Generation Z candidates.
It is all about fine-tuning the companys recruitment strategy to ensure it is enticing the latest generation of candidates to work for your business. As a group unaware of a world without mobiles or the internet, they are true digital natives and must be approached with this in mind.
The question, of course, is where and how do you engage this new generation of future talent
Search where they spend their time
Firstly, take a step back and consider what Generation Z knows. Within this group, individuals have been brought up in a world where mobiles, the internet, and social media are inescapable. This is why digital should be the first port of call for HR and recruitment professionals.
Not only does your career site need to be engaging, the entire process from start to finish, including the application stages, need to be accessible and user-friendly for mobile devices. This way, there is no reason for the candidate to leave the site until they have applied for a role.
While the website is undoubtedly important, it is not the only platform that an HR or recruitment professional needs to focus on.
5 millennial myths and 6 personality traits your business should be aware of
Wake up to social media
Secondly, you need to focus your companys resources in the right areas to attract the attention of Generation Z. Technology, and specifically social media, is an integral part of this generation’s lifestyle. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Pinterest, you can guarantee that Generation Z candidates are on there.
Its essential to remind the HR team that it is not a case of waiting for the candidate to find their career website, it is about pushing the business out on these platforms and establishing a strong online presence that inspires people to learn more about the company.
After all, the fact that there are 100m daily active users on Snapchat alone should motivate HR professionals to take social media seriously as a recruitment tool. Once on your platform of choice, it is equally important to check the tone your business is using, and adjust the messaging accordingly. For example, no one is interested in a lengthy, LinkedIn-style post that uses a lot of business-language on Instagram.
