Every generation that comes into the workforce is different from the one before it. What worked as little as five or even three years ago may not be applicable now when it comes to recruiting top talent for open positions within their organization.
For companies to stay competitive to top talent entering into the job market, HR professionals need to take a look at how they are engaging applicants. According to an article by Robert Blain appearing on Human Resources Online, that means keeping up with how the youngest applicants prefer to interact with would-be employers.
Generation Z or Gen Z is made up of young adults who were born between 1995 and 2012. According to a study conducted by talent acquisition software provider, Yello, like Millennials before them, these newest entrants into the job market have largely been interacting with technology from birth. Gen Z applicants are keenly aware of the advantages of technology, and most have little to no interest in working anywhere that uses what they consider to be outdated recruitment methods.
Yello’s CEO, Jason Weingarten said in an interview that job seekers from Generation Z are 66% more likely to become frustrated by back and forth telephone calls to set up an interview appointment than Millennial applicants. Given their level of comfort with technology and the preference for communication methods that give the quickest, most immediate answer, 51% of Gen Z participants in the survey indicated they prefer face-to-face communication.
Weingarten also advised that Gen Z applicants prefer authentic communication and to build relationships. To foster such rapport with these young workers, HR professionals and managers should focus on establishing quality rather than quantity when recruiting Gen Z workers.