Are you marketing to Generation Z candidates? If the answer is “no,” what’s stopping you? With more older employees leaving the workforce and middle-aged workers reconsidering their professional aspirations, Gen Z workers are taking over. To build an effective recruitment strategy in today’s hiring landscape, you need to get in front of young job prospects with relevant, personalized messaging to show them why you’re worth working for.
Let’s take a step back. Generation Z is generally defined as people born between 1996 and 2010. They’re one of the largest generations, made up of 2.47 billion people (roughly 32 percent of the world’s population). Maybe you’re already posting job ads on social media to capture their attention, but you need a strategic recruitment marketing plan to reach the new generation of digital natives.
So, what’s your strategy for recruiting new Gen Z workers? And how can you use social media to find the right people without spreading yourself too thin? Here’s how to break through the digital noise to hire qualified Gen Z job candidates that fit your company culture.
Know Your Target Audience
Before you kickstart your recruitment strategy to break into new markets, you’ll need to take a deep dive into your new audience segment. What kind of Gen Z candidates are you marketing to? Where do they spend time online, and what are their professional goals?
Gen Zers are digital natives. They grew up surrounded by digital technology, and they’re more attached to social media than other generations. They’re also experts at collecting information. According to a 2018 study by McKinsey, Gen Z behaviors are all anchored in one goal: the search for truth. They make decisions in a highly analytical and pragmatic way, and they’re more willing to accept diverse points of view.
What does this mean for your recruitment marketing strategy? Above all else, you need authentic messaging to connect with Gen Z job candidates—and that starts with strengthening your employer brand on social media.
Gen Zers want to work for companies that reflect their values, so you’ll need to establish clear brand values that appeal to their motivations and interests. And remember: It’s not enough to just talk the talk. Whether you’re committed to community service or sustainability, you need to show potential candidates how those values are tied into everything your company does.
Automate Your Communication Strategy
If you’re not already treating your job candidates like customers, here’s your sign to start. With modern technology at their fingertips, Generation Z candidates expect information quickly. Once they learn about your company, they’re going to scour the web to learn more about your brand. They’re going to scroll through your social media profiles, read online reviews, and check out your Glassdoor profile. And when they’re ready to reach out with a question, they expect an answer—fast.
The solution? Rethink your social media communication strategy. If you leave interested job candidates waiting around for answers, you’ll risk losing them to the competition. Instead of leaving interested candidates on hold, consider investing in smart recruitment automation tools to slash your response time and keep prospects satisfied with lightning-fast responses.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to sit at a computer 24/7 to answer questions like “What’s your PTO policy?” and “What are your health benefits?” With automation, you can instantly respond to job candidates with the answers they’re looking for—all while keeping candidates engaged.
Leverage the Right Social Media Platforms
The best way to connect with Gen Z? It’s simple: Go where they’re already spending time online. According to Morning Consult’s January 2023 survey on Generation Z’s social media habits, 54% of Gen Zers spend at least four hours daily on social media—and nearly half (38%) spend more time online than that. Compared to previous generations, Gen Z candidates typically prefer visual platforms over text-driven content. They’re also quick to shift to newer platforms if they find something better.
Do not sleep on TikTok advertising! TikTok might be the first platform that comes to mind when it comes to Gen Z, but let’s take a look at the numbers. According to Morning Consult’s survey, YouTube is the generation’s most popular social media platform, with 88% of Generation Z spending their time on the platform. Meanwhile, Instagram is the second-most popular platform at 76%—and TikTok (68%) and Snapchat (67%) aren’t far behind, either. That said, there’s a noticeable dip in usage once you get to more text-based platforms like Facebook (49%) and Twitter (47%).
Of course, you should also research your target audience before crafting your social media marketing strategy. Make sure to review your candidate personas and data from past Gen Z candidates to find out where they’re spending time online. Even if the majority of Gen Zers spend their time on YouTube, you’ll still want to create a personalized and targeted strategy for your ideal job candidates.
Create Authentic and Engaging Content
Once you’ve picked the right social media platforms for your strategy, it’s time to create content that resonates with Gen Z candidates. As the most popular platform among Gen Zers, YouTube is typically associated with educational or entertaining content (think: “how to” videos, vlogs, and FAQs). So, to capture the attention of Gen Z, you’ll need to invest in video marketing and create educational content that adds value to their lives.
For example, you might film sit-down videos to talk to your employees about their journey with your company or show prospective candidates a tour of your facility. Regardless of the type of content you create, keep it straightforward, honest, and creative. Gen Z candidates appreciate employers who openly state their company culture, employee benefits, and company values. The more you can educate Gen Z on your unique employer value proposition (EVP), the better.
If you’re marketing to Gen Z candidates, do your research to choose the best length, format, and platform for your content. Creating scroll-stopping content is easier said than done—and you’ll need to capture candidates’ attention fast to avoid losing them completely. When it comes to video content, you’ll want to impress potential candidates with professional videos, visual effects, and audio to make your videos more engaging and position your company as an industry leader.
To maximize engagement, optimize your video captions and thumbnails, and be sure to mention your company’s name within the first few seconds of your video. And if you’re already working overtime to recruit new candidates, consider hiring a professional video production agency to take the production, filming, and editing tasks off your plate. This way, you can focus on recruitment and leave video production to the professionals.
With pro-grade filming equipment and storytelling experts at your side, you’ll be able to shine a spotlight on your employer brand with custom-tailored landing page videos, employee testimonials, and more.
Reach New Markets With Recruitment Marketing
If you haven’t started marketing to Gen Z job candidates yet, there’s no better time to start. As more Gen Zers enter the workforce and start searching for available job opportunities, you need to adapt your recruitment strategy to attract new prospects and fill your team with the right people.
Ultimately, tapping into new markets can help you fight the talent shortage and fuel your organization with qualified employees. Schedule a discovery call with our team today to capture the attention of Gen Z job candidates.
