You may have spent countless hours, resources, and years working on how you attract and hire millennials. While you have a better handle on this, a newer generation is coming to the workforce: Generation Z (Gen Z).
According to a study by the Manpower Group, 24% of the Gen Z population will make up the workforce in 2020. As they gradually enter the workforce in large numbers, HR professionals should optimize their hiring techniques to hire the best candidates effectively.
Most HR professionals and recruiters believe that Gen Zs are more laser-focused for an upbeat work environment and unique growth opportunities. When picking an employer, Gen Zs tend to develop insights about a company’s identity and how flexible and diverse the employer is regarding work-life balance.
Gen Zs are also more tech-savvy than any other generation. This means HR professionals should consider optimizing their recruitment tools when testing job applicants. These tools may range from screening, skill and talent test, integrity test, and personality test for job applicants.
So if your company is gearing up for a new generation of job candidates, you may want to know what to expect when recruiting Gen Z candidates.
Gen Zs are tech native
As mentioned earlier, Gen Zs are more tech-savvy than any other generation. They earned the name “digital natives” by referring to people born during the smartphone generation. Basically, Gen Zs can’t imagine living without the Internet, digital gadgets, or social media. To make things work, they need technology in almost every aspect of their lives.
Obviously, Gen Zs are expecting more from their prospective workplaces. For them, there’s nothing special about companies hosted by cloud technology, and they think video calls are much better than an old-fashioned phone call.
Gen Zs are also known for their amazing ability to absorb loads of information instantaneously. This skill is critical for companies that need employees who can keep up with any changes happening in the industry.
Some companies are adjusting their hiring practices to connect with Gen Z. While millennials are known for their impatience, Gen Zs want instant feedback. Employers can meet this need by streamlining the hiring process. These applicants are used to instantaneous reactions, direct messaging, and online support, so the company needs to be agile enough to recruit and analyze Gen Z applicants.
There are plenty of ways to streamline the hiring process. Today, most companies use a third-party recruiter for their applicant pools and AI-based applicant tracking systems to decide, respond, and offer interviews.
Gen Zs are go-getters
Unlike their millennial predecessors, Gen Zs are more daring when taking risks. They value purpose and security when finding a job. This Gen Z mindset may require HR teams to reinvent their recruiting strategies when communicating the meaning and value of their company.
The best way to start is to familiarize yourself with their expectations. They’re looking for diversity, flexibility, mentorships, and, more importantly, work/life balance. Gen Zs would rather work part-time than work overtime for money. Meanwhile, others are looking for flexible work arrangements where they can adjust their own schedule.
Employers can highlight their meaning and value through corporate messaging. A great example is to focus on areas concerning the long-term impact of the job on the applicant’s personal priorities and career growth.
Gen Zs are go-getters who demand complete transparency about career opportunities. They don’t really care about job titles, as they focus on the security of their career growth. Although switching companies is stressful and risky, exploring potential career opportunities keeps them happy.
Gen Zs are visual creatures
Learning how to reach out and cultivate a relationship with Gen Zs is a critical factor for HR teams. First and foremost, this generation hates being chased by employers on social media. Instead of talking about the recruitment opportunity, it’s important to work on the brand messaging to attract and engage millennials.
Snackable content is key to create resonance than big, flashy ad campaigns. This can be done by sharing employees’ experiences working in the company. While this may look informal, visual content such as emojis and quirky images can also grab their attention. Your purpose is to communicate the message in the shortest time, so visual platforms may come in handy for this approach.
Gen Zs are an entrepreneurial generation who knows exactly what they want and will not compromise. They treat work as the extension of their values, beliefs, and personality. While this may be a challenge for the HR industry, recruitment professionals should seize this opportunity to improve their recruitment strategy and hire the best candidates for the company.