Gen-Z is the generation born between 1996 and 2012. Currently the oldest members of this generation are 25-ish, which is the age when most people are entry level employees and are at the beginning of their careers. However, Gen-Z won’t be as eager to join your company compared to the previous generation—Millennials. There are some things companies should get aligned now that this generation are becoming job seekers.
1. Be Tech-Savvy
Gen-Z was the first generation to grow up with technology and social media. They had Facebook and Twitter accounts as soon as they could. Most companies are still acclimating to this shift in technology while Gen-Z has mastered it. Gen-Z will notice your company if you put in the effort to keep your profiles up to date. Whether it’s Twitter or LinkedIn, Gen-Z is going out of their way to experience your company’s social media presence. If they notice it’s outdated or lacking, they’re not going to be compelled to apply.
2. Instant Feedback
No one looks for instant gratification more than Gen-Z. They’ve grown up in a world with instant feedback, so it’s easy for them to become impatient. It’s important for companies to adapt to this in their job hiring process. An easy solution is to use an automated system to keep applicants up to date on the status of their application. Emails that go out to the applicants to let them know where in the process their application is, as well as a note to let them know if they’ve haven’t made the cut (in a professional way) will make all the difference. While employers being ghosted is a recent trend, you don’t want to ghost them back.
3. Job Security
Unlike Millennials, Gen-Z was raised during a recession. This means most of them saw their parents or friends struggling to maintain a job. As a recruiter, you should be able to offer job security, career growth and a path to retirement savings. These are things they saw being stripped away from older generations which created the worry in the first place, so reassuring them with this results in a long-lasting employee.
4. Flexibility
Another prevalent characteristic of Gen-Z is their desire to break the norm. They do not want to be tied down to the hours of 9-5, which is why 46% of Gen-Z work in freelance gigs. Especially after COVID-19, people prefer to work from home or have a flexible schedule that works for them. Job recruiters should offer Gen-Z this flexibility. It will strengthen their individual management skills and allow them to have more freedom within their work and life balance.
Job recruiters had to accommodate Millennials, and now it’s time to accommodate Gen-Z. With these tips you should be able to craft the perfect recruitment experience for them.
Nexxt is a recruitment media company that uses today’s most effective marketing tactics to reach the full spectrum of talent – from active to passive, and everything in between. Learn more about hiring with Nexxt.
This article was written by Mariana Toledo.
Mariana Toledo is a recent graduate and obtained their degree in Communications. They also have a passion for anything public relations and social media related.