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At CGK, we are passionate about uncovering and exploring what works with Gen Z as employees. Understanding Gen Z as employees is incredibly urgent for leaders and managers as Gen Z is soon to be the fastest-growing generation in the workforce. Already up to age 23, Gen Z represents this year\u2019s college graduates as well as employees in the workforce as young as 16.<\/p>\n
To understand Gen Z as employees, we led a unique national research study of Gen Z<\/span> to separate myth from truth. We dove into Gen Z\u2019s views about recruiting, employment, work, and much more. We lead this study\u2014called The State of Gen Z\u00ae<\/sup><\/em>\u2014each year.<\/p>\n Born between 1996 and approximately 2010, Gen Z is already proving to be very different from their Millennial predecessors. In short, Gen Z is far from Millennials2.0. In fact, what worked with Millennials as employees can completely miss with recruiting and employing Gen Z.<\/p>\n A key discovery: As much as employers look to attract, retain, motivate, and develop Gen Z, they need to be looking at them as an entirely new generation<\/em> and not just an extension of the Millennials.<\/p>\n CGK\u2019s co-founder and acclaimed Gen Z keynote speaker Jason Dorsey spoke to Fortune<\/a> <\/span>about the nuances of recruiting this new generation.<\/p>\n Gen Z is getting a lot more attention now that they are the traditional age of college graduates. At the same time, college recruiters are saying that this generation is already different than any other generation they have recruited in the past.<\/p>\n The new reality with Gen Z, particularly rising Gen Z college graduates in sought-after degree fields, is that employers have to \u201csell\u201d their jobs and company to these candidates as if they were marketing a product, service, or brand to this always-on-digital generation.<\/p>\n Gen Z is the inaugural digital-first generation to reach adulthood.<\/p>\n They have come of age always experiencing, remembering, and expecting the fast information cycles\u2014think: instant gratification\u2014of the digital world. Whether this was playing on their parents\u2019 iPhone as a kid, their own iPad as a tween, or engaging through ever-present social media as teenagers, this group has always<\/em> been able to get instant feedback. They expect the same when it comes to engaging with employers, from initial recruiting advertisements and online job postings to completing job applications.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study found that 60% of Gen Z candidates won\u2019t spend more than 15 minutes to submit an online application,\u201d Dorsey explains. So, think of your application process like a quick-hit online retailer form that asks for just the basics. If you ask for too much from this initial step, Gen Z candidates are going to scroll away. Collect the pertinent data and let the Z\u2019s be on their way. Or as Dorsey frequently says on stage about Gen Z, \u201cIf they don\u2019t apply, you can\u2019t hire them.\u201d Get the application started, and then you can see if you\u2019re a mutual fit.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can use that quick initial contact as a way to keep marketing your organization to these candidates, returning to the conversation over and over as if it were a half-filled cart on Amazon,\u201d says Dorsey, who speaks on how to recruit and retain Gen Z at events around the world. Essentially, he says, get Gen Z interested quickly, get their contact info with permission to reach out, and get your message in front of them until they answer your call (or text or IM).<\/p>\n In today\u2019s very tight labor market, it\u2019s clear that Gen Z has options about where they want to work. At the same time, CGK\u2019s research shows that Gen Z doesn\u2019t want just any<\/em> job. They want a job that aligns with their values, interests, passions, and social media expectations. While recruiters have typically had an advantage when it comes to recruiting young adults entering the workforce out of college, Gen Z is turning the tables and recruiters must adapt to make the hires they want\u2014and likely need\u2014to meet their hiring goals.<\/p>\n This newer level of recruiting engagement, whether a person is recruiting for an accounting firm, tech startup, or manufacturing company, starts on social media<\/em> platforms. These platforms are where Gen Z candidates spend much of their free time, and smart recruiters want to get in the pathway of Gen Z.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study showed that Gen Z is turning to social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook to vet future employers<\/em> based on their content, their transparency and their \u2018real\u2019-ness,\u201d says Gen Z expert, Jason Dorsey. So, if your social feeds are only showcasing generic slogans and marketing pitches, you\u2019re going to miss a huge opportunity to use the same feeds to recruit the talented emerging generation that can help you grow your business long-term.<\/p>\n \u201cInsert short, entertaining videos into the recruiting process,\u201d Dorsey suggests. \u201cParticularly videos that come across as \u2018unfiltered,\u2019 like a day in the life of a Gen Z\u2019er who works in your company, with candid conversations about what they do and why they like it.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, let\u2019s talk \u201csharing.\u201d<\/p>\n This generation grew up being told to \u201cClick the Share button now!\u201d if they liked a piece of content. For Gen Z, the mark of validation for a great video, post, comment, or experience is sharing, forwarding, reposting, and retweeting.<\/p>\n Gen Z is all about communal<\/em> growth<\/em> and sharing what inspires or connects with them. If you want to attract them as employees\u2014and win their peers\u2014create content about your company and employment opportunity that drives social media shares. This is true not only on social media but for getting current Gen Z employees to tell their friends that they should work for you, too.<\/p>\n \u201cReferrals are, hands down, one of the best ways to attract Gen Z talent,\u201d Dorsey told <\/span> Fortune<\/span><\/em><\/a>. But to make this show-and-tell brand of recruiting work, the referral reward has to be as immediate<\/em> as the referral itself. Most employers offer bonuses or rewards to the referring employee after the referred candidate completes a year on the job\u2014but, for Gen Z, a year can feel like an eternity.<\/p>\n \u201cFor most Gen Z employees, that\u2019s just too long a wait to be worth bothering with,\u201d Dorsey says. \u201cInstead, offer a tiered payout. Give a portion of the bonus when their referral is hired, another chunk at the six-month mark, and the final payout when he or she hits one year.\u201d If your referral payout is too slow, your referral funnel will dry up before it gets started.<\/p>\n Gen Z is looking at their job search similar to how they evaluate products, services, and brands as consumers. They\u2019re seeking an employer that makes the process easy, transparent, meaningful, and has a purpose or mission beyond the obvious profit or shareholder motives. In short, Gen Z is looking for an employer that gets who they are, what they find important, and aligns with their desire to make the world a better place. Showcasing this mission through videos, images, blog posts, Instagram stories, and other trusted Gen Z outlets will bring your mission to life\u2014and bring Gen Z to your employment page!<\/p>\n At The Center for Generational Kinetics, we study Gen Z every day. We are on a mission to provide you with research-based Gen Z insights you can use immediately to shape your recruiting, retention, and talent development strategies\u2014as well as for selling and marketing to this all-important generation. Gen Z is at exactly the right life stage for you to reach out to them and show them why your company is the right fit for their talent, and we are here to help!<\/p>\n Our acclaimed Gen Z keynote speakers can help you fine-tune your Gen Z recruiting and retention initiatives. We know exactly what works with this generation and how to unlock their potential through your employment brand, recruiting, and onboarding. We know Gen Z, and now we want Gen Z to know you!<\/p>\nGen Z Recruiting Strategy #1: Think One-Click Wonder<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Gen Z Recruiting Strategy #2: Show You Have a Social (Media) Life<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Gen Z Recruiting Strategy #3: Inspire Recruits to \u201cShare\u201d the Message<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Gen Z Recruiting Strategy #4: Seek a \u201cHire\u201d Power<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Want to Solve Your Gen Z Challenges?<\/strong><\/h4>\n