Recruiting Gen Z? Here’s What You Need to Know

Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash

As Generation Z enters the workforce, they’re bringing with them a sense of confidence and empowerment. This presents a unique challenge for employers who are accustomed to recruiting and retaining talent based on strategies tailored for earlier generations. For members of Gen Z, the traditional playbook no longer suffices.

While salary, benefits, and career advancement opportunities are important to this generation, the seismic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, to redefine their priorities. Factors such as holistic well-being, social and environmental activism, and personal fulfillment now top the list of values guiding workplace engagement for this generation.

Empowered by social media, these digital natives are vocal about their expectations. With Generation Z projected to represent over a quarter of the global population and one-third by 2025, employers must adapt their recruitment strategies, benefits packages, and redefine the concept of work itself to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving talent marketplace.

Effective recruitment strategies for Generation Z acknowledge this shifting reality. Here are ten actionable steps organizations and their recruitment teams can take to enhance their success in recruiting Generation Z:

• Acknowledge Their Significance: With an estimated 51 million Generation Z employees expected in the workforce by 2030, representing nearly a third of the U.S. workforce, investing in a robust recruitment program is essential for organizational growth and development.
• Utilize AI Tools: Recognize that many Gen Z individuals may lack extensive work experience due to factors like the pandemic. Implement AI tools to screen for both hard and soft skills, considering alternative indicators of potential, such as volunteering or programming experience.
• Prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Given that 48% of Gen Z in the U.S. identify as non-white, fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion is crucial for attracting top talent from this generation.
• Enhance Growth Opportunities: Emphasize continuous learning and development opportunities, as stagnation in skill acquisition or utilization is a significant deterrent for Gen Z professionals considering job opportunities.
• Leverage Referrals: Recognize the value of personal connections in the recruitment process. Encourage current employees, particularly recent hires, to participate in referral programs and share their positive experiences to attract potential candidates. Incentivize their efforts to maximize engagement.