8 Components of a Successful Campus Recruitment Process
Introduction
The axiom “catch them young” comes to mind when discussing campus hiring. Yet, attracting Gen Z is not as easy as quoting the phrase. They are digital-natives, socially conscious, independent, and adept at having their way. Therefore, while traditional recruiting methods such as campus career fairs, assessments, and interviews still hold value, they are no longer sufficient.
How to resonate with Gen Z
New and improved tactics need to augment traditional recruitment methods to attract top talent. We suggest implementing these eight tried-and-tested strategies for successful campus recruitment:
- Establish hiring goals: The first step is to identify the department(s) in your business that need fresh talent. Is it the Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), or Finance and Accounting team? Which specific skill sets and what level of knowledge are you looking for in these budding professionals?
- Shortlist campuses: With a clear understanding of your hiring objectives, the path forward becomes much clearer. You can identify the academic disciplines that align with your needs and the schools that offer these specific courses so as to target the most suitable candidates.
- Build campus connections: There are endless possibilities to make your presence known: from hosting webinars, seminars, hackathons and workshops, to sponsoring events and offering internships. You can even engage with potential candidates through the vast landscape of social media. The key is to open up channels of communication and forge a connection with the student population.
- Generate visibility: Brand building is an ongoing quest. Out-of-sight is most certainly out-of-mind. Harness the power of social media and job portals to stay in the spotlight.
Employ visually engaging infographics and immersive videos (with the help of augmented reality and virtual reality) to keep things fresh. You could also announce job openings in innovative ways to ensure that you stay top of mind for fresh talent.
- Streamline the hiring process: The Gen Z crew is a discerning bunch, armed with a plethora of choices and used to conveniences. It is up to you to ensure that their hiring experience is seamless.
This translates to leveraging technology for creating mobile-friendly career landing pages and embracing virtual hiring platforms that offer advanced features such as automated workflows, online assessments, and video interviews.
- Reduce hiring bias: When it comes to attracting Gen Z, transparency and objectivity are the name of the game. Personal biases in the hiring process simply won’t fly with this generation. So, companies must embrace the latest tools and techniques such as AI-assisted and blind hiring to create a level playing field.
- Embrace diversity hiring: The modern generation firmly believes in equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, race, or colour — after all, skills and talents know no boundaries. Companies that champion inclusivity and diversity are their heroes, and they’re watching closely for evidence of DEI initiatives. By giving sincere weightage to these efforts, you are sure to catch their eye.
- Track metrics: Are your campus recruitment efforts yielding the desired results? Keep tabs on metrics such as the number of hires by university, the number of hires by channel, offer-to-acceptance ratios, and engagement durations for each hire. By evaluating them, you can pinpoint areas for improvement and revisit your strategies.
It is time to welcome Gen Z into the workforce. They are unlike what Gen Y or even millennials were, speaking their minds, demanding things, and expecting to receive them.
Are you ready to rise to the occasion and attract the brightest and best of fresh talent?
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