The workforce is changing. Millennials now comprise one-third of the labor force; by 2025, Gen Z will make up one-fifth of it.
Which means the times they-are-a-changin’ for early-career recruiting.
Hiring managers face new challenges to secure top talent, whether it’s creating the right mix of high tech and high touch, or focusing on different skill sets than before.
Here are five ways early-career recruiting is changing at a breakneck pace.
We’re in the age of the candidate experience. Never before has such an emphasis been placed on making sure that—whether a candidate gets the job or not—every applicant has a positive experience.
And for good reason. Negative candidate experiences cost companies revenue.
Fortunately, companies can reap the rewards of providing a positive candidate experience. Sixty-four percent of candidates with a ‘five-star experience’ plan on increasing their relationship with a company, regardless of whether they receive a job offer. If candidates have a positive interview process, they share that information more than 80 percent of the time; they also post on social media about it 50 percent of the time.
Nice people (in this case companies) no longer finish last.
As part of the candidate experience, companies are communicating with applicants more frequently. Thankfully, technology is helping companies do this easily.
Plus, innovation is important in early-career recruitment. Gen Z wants to work for innovative companies, so incorporating it into your early-career recruitment process improves the candidate experience and connects with Gen Z candidates at the same time.
In this tight labor market, candidates have become the belle of the ball. To attract top candidates, companies need a strong employer branding strategy. Luckily, having a great employer brand reduces hiring costs by 43 percent, according to LinkedIn.
If companies need to brush up on their wooing skills, they can learn how to showcase their employer brand here.
Just remember: If candidates don’t believe in your company’s mission, they’ll continue to look for one they do identify with. And that company will get top talent.
Foundational skills—commonly known as soft skills—are the focal point of what companies are looking for in candidates. Why? Sixty percent of applicants don’t move past the first round because they lack the necessary foundational skills required for success.
Unfortunately, early-career candidates are sometimes lacking communication skills, which are a big part of interviewing. In fact, 38 percent of recruiters are looking for candidates who are strong communicators. So how can this be rectified?
Well, early-career candidates want feedback after an interview, as LinkedIn notes. And companies can get candidates to improve foundational skills through interview coaching.
While early-career recruitment evolves and streamlines parts of the hiring process, one thing remains constant: the need for human interaction. Candidates want to be able to interact with companies to learn more information—about the interview, interviewers, and the company itself. Companies that offer a high-touch hiring process are going to attract more qualified candidates.
As much as some things change, others stay the same. And at the heart of early-career recruitment still lies the need for people to identify and create relationships with qualified candidates.
