3 New Ways to Reach Gen Y Candidates
While current recruitment methods may help you to find great workers, how long before these methods run dry? The clock is ticking: You’ve got 13 years until Millennials become the majority of the workforce. If you want to attract the best Millennials, you have to appeal to their unique habits and interests.
Check out these three new ways to source the best of Gen Y before they take over the workplace:
1. Get Visual—Create Infographic Job Descriptions
We’ve seen infographic resumes, but what about infographic job descriptions? These are the same as traditional job advertisements, but they incorporate themes, images, or a story within the infographic description. Not only can this method tell a fun story, it’s visually compelling, easily shared on social media channels, and can make your organization stand out from other companies.
Why this attracts Gen Y: Members of this generation are social and have a pension for enjoying the visual. This method satisfies both while getting your point across.
2. Drive Them to Mobile Sites
By 2017, mobile phones and tablets will account for 87 percent of all sales of connected devices. So, if more people will be using mobile devices, more applicants will likely be finding and applying to your organization via smartphones and tablets. In addition, mobile career sites can reach a diverse range of candidates. If your career site isn’t already mobile-friendly, you may miss out on some great candidates—particularly those from younger generations.
Why this attracts Gen Y: It’s no surprise that members of Gen Y are glued to their gadgets. Making your career sites mobile friendly not only gives you a greater reach, it will allow Millennials to send their application materials through a device of their choice.
3. Sourcing? Get An App For That
Recently, a tech company offered a job to candidate via Instagram. The photo depicted two members of the organization holding up a sign that offered a position to a former intern. While the Instagram photo and the idea are fairly basic, using a popular smartphone application to reach Gen Y is pretty bold—and it could go viral, boosting your overall brand image. Plus, 67 percent of Instagram users are under the age of 34. They’re already there waiting for you!
Why this attracts Gen Y: Gen Y leads the way in smartphone and mobile adoption. The reason for this is simple: Smartphone applications are a convenient, streamlined way to get your message across, whether you’re sending job postings out on Instagram or SnapChatting job listings to your network. Reaching Gen Y using the latest applications may take more work and upkeep, but can be a valuable way to contact this key market on their terms.
Gen Y isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. By using these and other innovative sourcing methods, you’ll not only find the best of Gen Y candidates, you’ll do so using methods tailored to their personalities, likes, and conveniences.
What do you think? What are some other ways to reach Gen Y candidates?