Recruiting Next Generation of Talent  

It’s no secret that all generations have different views, expectations, work ethics, and driving forces when it comes to their career.  

Recruiters are challenged daily to keep up with evolving hiring trends and stay ahead of the competitive talent market. In recent years, HR teams focus more on the nuisances with Generation X, Millennials, and even the upcoming Generation Z population of professionals due to the change in candidate behaviors.  

These generations of talent are raised in an on-demand and technology connected world. This creates unique preferences with how they communicate and consider job opportunities. One example is the rise in text communication compared to traditional calls.  

Here are a few tips to recruit and retain the next generations of talent: 

Attract: 

  • Agile and transparent recruiting: Candidates want speed of communication and honesty. Everyone’s time is valuable and it’s important to get to the point and not drag interview processes along. People are discouraged by vague communications and deserve honesty at every stage of their career from being hired to their last day. 
  • Enhance social media content: This is often a first stop for many candidates. How you’re perceived online is crucial and requires a robust plan for compelling content. The right plan will give candidates a glimpse of what it’s like to work at your company. 
  • Add your Core Values and positive terms in job descriptions: List your core values upfront in job descriptions to let candidates know your company’s principles. This goes back to the previous article here (link to core value article). 

Be transparent with every aspect of the job description and make sure it’s written in a positive and welcoming manner. Here are some examples of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” with phrasing. 

  • Do use terms like, “flexible work environment,” “collaborative,” and “rewarding.” 

Only list these if your company culture reflects them. 

  • Don’t use these terms like “fast-paced environment,” “demanding,” or “nimble.” 

These terms insinuate a lack of direction with the company, the potential for a toxic environment, and burn out.  

 Retain: 

  • Develop talent for their next position: Professional development and internal mobility is often overlooked by leaders. If you help your team learn and gain more expertise, not only will they help your company thrive, but morale will increase drastically. Focus on your team developing as professionals and they will grow with your company, instead of growing out of your company. 

The biggest thing to remember throughout the entire recruitment process is being respectful to candidates and providing timely feedback. If they’re not a good fit, let them know why.  This simple response will help the candidate with their ongoing search and may encourage them to refer someone they know who is a better fit.  

Good luck with your recruitment and contact us if you ever need assistance!