STANDING OUT IN THE CAMPUS: HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND AND ATTRACT TOP YOUNG TALENT

From the perspective of job candidates, most employers offer similar values, and distinguishing between them can be difficult. This is because all employers compete for the same pool of highly skilled individuals. What’s more, these skilled individuals have only a few highly favored employers to choose from. Therefore, it is essential to create a distinctive employer brand that appeals to top talent with the highest potential. The Pareto Principle highlights the importance of selecting the right talent quickly since the top 20% of employees are responsible for 80% of a company’s success. In the current job market, where the best talent selects the employer, being swift to attract and retain top candidates is vital. This is especially true when it comes to young people who tend to be impatient with slow progress. Failure to do so could result in losing highly skilled individuals before even making the first contact.

1- OBJECTIVE OF CAMPUS COMMUNICATIONS

In today’s competitive job market, many employers boast of being the “best employer”. Additionally, some have strong consumer brands, capturing the attention and retaining the interest of young talent. Differentiating yourself in such an environment can be challenging. While talent acquisition is a crucial aspect of human resources, it’s not the only factor that determines organizational efficiency. Even before “The Big Quit” during the post-pandemic era, employees tended to switch jobs every two years. And they switched either in pursuit of a higher salary or a better job title. Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on two primary takeaways.

• Candidates may initially choose an employer based on prestige, but culture is the key factor that keeps them engaged and retained. Culture cannot be conveyed through words alone, but it must be experienced candidly.
• An employee who leaves for better functional benefits may still have a positive work experience. If they do, they could return to the company later for a higher position. This is because they may have improved their skills and vision from exposure to different cultures. Additionally, they could refer other talented individuals to the company, providing a pipeline of potential hires.

Our ultimate goal is to establish a sustainable talent pipeline through effective employer branding. To achieve a unique and differentiated position in the minds of young talent, organizations leverage communication activities to attract and engage them continuously. There are various ways to gain exposure on campuses and attract young talent. However, it is essential to keep a few key points in mind before launching any brand communication activities.

2- CHOOSE: BEST TALENT VS. RIGHT TALENT

Organizations often prioritize hiring the “best talent” available in the market for talent acquisition. However, it’s equally important to recognize that retaining talent is vital. Imagine the employee being not a good fit, which leads to low motivation & turnover increase. In these cases, hiring top talent can be harmful to both the employer and the employee.

To avoid such situations, effective internal employer branding strategies are essential. Your strategies should include conducting employee engagement surveys and analyzing top performers’ backgrounds. This helps create a candidate persona that identifies the target audience the best. This persona would best fit the company culture, and align with the organization’s growth strategies to create a more efficient recruitment strategy.

In order tp prepare for unexpected situations, keep an open mind for opportunities. This means, don’t limit the search for talent to only certain backgrounds or universities. A well-crafted elevator pitch showcasing the organization’s unique culture & opportunities is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.

3- IMPROVE: CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE

Creating a positive candidate experience is a crucial component in attracting and retaining young talent. Before starting any campus communications or recruitment efforts, it is important to evaluate and improve the candidate experience journey. When candidates find it difficult to apply for a job or have negative experiences during the interview process, they tend to share their experience with others. They may even leave negative reviews on platforms like Glassdoor. These negative experiences can discourage potential candidates from applying for positions and damage an employer’s reputation in the talent market.

Begin by putting yourself in the candidate’s shoes and thinking about the user interface and experience (UI/UX) of your application process. Are there any roadblocks or frustrations that may deter candidates from applying? Design a user-friendly, consistent, and simple process that makes candidates feel valued and supported. Keep in mind that the candidate experience extends beyond automated emails. It also includes campus events, virtual office hours, interview workshops, and other interactions.

4- ENSURE: AUTHENTICITY

The candidate experience is more than just a seamless application process. It’s also about creating an authentic and differentiated employer brand that appeals to young talent. Although many employers may share similar values, supporting these declarations with observable facts and experiences is crucial. Here are some questions to consider when assessing your authenticity approach.

• How do you showcase and support your values, principles, and mission statements?
• What is the tone-of-voice and design style of your communications and materials? Do they accurately reflect your culture and brand?
• Are your job roles described in an authentic and engaging way?
• Can you provide examples of how you walk the talk, such as through Employee Generated Content for your diversity and inclusion approach?
• Have you chosen and trained internal speakers to represent your culture and purpose effectively?
• How differentiated is your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)?

By focusing on these questions and improving the candidate experience journey, you can create a strong and authentic employer brand that resonates with young talent. A comprehensive strategy and evaluation process can further increase the effectiveness of your recruitment efforts.

5- CONNECT: DIGITAL

Having a strong social media presence is essential for building a robust employer brand. With over 4 billion users worldwide, social media offers a cost-efficient, targeted, and interactive platform to attract, engage and retain top talent.

However, having a digital presence is no longer enough to attract the best talent. Candidates are looking for an authentic, active, and coherent online presence. As a recruiter, it’s crucial to imagine your own journey as a brand consumer. When you’re interested in a product or service, you typically do a quick web and social media search. Candidates do the same when they’re researching potential employers -on social media.

To create a positive impression on young talent, it’s important to provide a great campus visit experience. However, a career page with formal language and no images or videos of the company’s culture can be a turnoff. To avoid this, keep your career website or web page up-to-date and have a great career social media page.

Remember, just showcasing functional benefits is not enough to stand out in a crowded job market. Candidates are looking for psychological benefits, such as a positive work environment, growth opportunities, and work-life balance. So, it’s crucial to provide and highlight these benefits in your employer brand.

To truly differentiate your employer brand, it’s essential to showcase psychological benefits through social media. For example, sharing stories of employee success and recognition can help potential candidates envision themselves in a positive and supportive work environment. Highlighting your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can demonstrate your values and attract a more diverse candidate pool.

6- ESTABLISH: SEAMLESS EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING & ORIENTATION PROCESS

A great employee onboarding process is essential for creating a positive and long-lasting impression on new hires. An effective onboarding process can help new employees feel welcomed, informed, and engaged from day one. This can lead to improved retention rates and a more positive employer brand image.

To create a successful onboarding program, there are several key elements to consider. Clear job and process definitions, branded and thought-out content, buddy systems, weekly check-ins, and more are just a few that come to mind. However, there is no clear-cut definition of a one-size-fits-all onboarding program. Each organization has unique needs and requirements, and the onboarding process should reflect this.

One of the primary goals of an onboarding program is to make the newcomer feel safe and like they are part of a community. This helps immensely for their motivation and can contribute to employee retention. The young generation might have the tendency to switch employers after 1-2 years, but impressing them with your culture would result in great employee branding.

7- INTEGRATE: EVP

When it comes to crafting an effective employee value proposition (EVP), it’s crucial to understand what young talents are looking for. National research has shown that the following factors are most important to them.

7A- Opportunity

Young talents want to know what they can accomplish by working for your organization. They are interested in how they will grow and be supported, recognized, and given opportunities to move up the career ladder.

7B- People & Culture

Creating a strong company culture is crucial to attracting and retaining young talent. They want to be part of a community where they can build relationships, feel included, and work in a diverse, agile, transparent, and horizontal environment.

7C- Corporate

Young talents want to work for a company that is innovative, constantly evolving, and has a clear vision for growth strategies and success.

7D- Rewards

While salary is important, young talents are also interested in the benefits that come with working for your organization, such as flexible working arrangements, healthcare benefits, and other perks.

Integrating these key factors into your EVP can create a powerful message that resonates with young talent. This will help you stand out in a crowded job market. Remember to communicate your EVP effectively across all employer branding channels, such as your career website, social media, and employee onboarding materials. Doing so will attract and retain top talent that aligns with your values and mission.

8- INCREASE: VISIBILITY

Increasing visibility is crucial in attracting young talent to your organization. This involves both online and offline career communication strategies, including events organized by student bodies, clubs, schools, or corporations/agencies. Young talent is often motivated to further their careers by meeting new people and expanding their network. As a result, peer networking can be a valuable tool to help them achieve this goal. By partnering with student bodies and leveraging their networks, you can not only gain access to high-quality leads, but also develop brand ambassadors who can support your activities.

This, in turn, can help build a strong employer brand that resonates with young talent and positions your organization as an attractive place to work. Therefore, it’s important to consider peer networking as a key aspect of your talent acquisition strategy.

However, planning and executing these communication ideas can be challenging, especially when managing brand and operations alongside daily tasks. In such cases, it is advisable to seek assistance from a brand communications agency with expertise in this area. This will help in creating online and offline recruiting materials, as well as promotional materials for events.

To ensure maximum engagement and shareability, it is essential to make everything exciting and appealing to your target audience. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the details of various engagement ideas that can help you increase your visibility and attract the best young talent.

9- TYPES OF YOUNG TALENT ENGAGEMENT

9A- Career Fairs

Career fairs are organized events where employers and potential job candidates can interact with each other. These events can be held online or in-person, and they offer a great opportunity for young talent to network and learn about potential career opportunities.

9B- Career Summits / Conferences / Seminars / Panels

These events are focused on professional development and offer opportunities for young talent to learn about industry trends, gain insights from experienced professionals, and network with others in their field.

9C- Class inclusion

This involves inviting a company representative to speak to a class of students about career opportunities and the company culture. It’s a great way to introduce young talent to potential employers and can help them get a better understanding of what working for that company might be like.

9D- Project inclusion

Inviting young talent to participate in a project or team-building activity can be an effective way to engage them and give them a taste of what it’s like to work for the company.

9E- Interview simulation

An interview simulation is a mock interview designed to help young talent prepare for real job interviews. The simulation can help them improve their communication skills and get comfortable with the interview process.

9F- Workshop

Workshops are training sessions that can be focused on either soft skills (e.g. communication, leadership) or hard skills (e.g. coding, marketing). They can be a great way to develop young talent and prepare them for a career.

9G- “Tea talks”

These are informal chats or discussions over a cup of tea or coffee. They provide a relaxed atmosphere for young talent to interact with company representatives and ask questions about career opportunities and company culture.

9H- Corporate trip

Inviting young talent to visit the company’s office or attend a company event can be an effective way to engage them and give them a better understanding of the company’s culture and values.

9I- Online Q&A

An online Q&A session is a virtual event where young talent can ask questions and interact with company representatives in real-time. This can be a great way to engage with young talent who may not be able to attend in-person events.

9J- Internship program

An internship program is a short-term work experience designed to give young talent a taste of what it’s like to work for a company. It’s a great way for them to gain practical experience, develop their skills, and potentially get hired full-time.

9K- MT program

A management training program is a structured program designed to train young talent for future leadership positions within the company. It can involve a combination of classroom training and on-the-job experience.

9L- Online experience/certificate program

An online experience or certificate program is a structured online course designed to teach young talent specific skills or knowledge relevant to their field. It can be a great way to engage with young talent who may not be able to attend in-person events.

9M- Mentoring-Reverse Mentoring program

A mentoring program pairs young talent with experienced professionals who can offer guidance and support. Reverse mentoring flips the script and pairs experienced professionals with young talent to learn about new ideas and perspectives.

9N- Brand Ambassadorship program

A brand ambassador program involves engaging young talent to represent the company and promote its values and culture. This can be a great way to increase brand awareness and engage with potential hires.

9O- Ideathons/Hackathons/Bugathons

These are competitions focused on innovation and problem-solving. They typically involve teams of young talent working together to develop a solution to a problem or create a new product or service.

9P- Case Studies

Case studies involve presenting young talent with a real or hypothetical business problem to solve. This engagement method is designed to test their problem-solving skills, creativity, and critical thinking abilities. It is an excellent opportunity for young talent to demonstrate their skills and knowledge while gaining valuable experience. Moreover, case studies can help organizations identify the most promising candidates who possess the skills and abilities required for success in their roles.

9Q- Quizzes

Quizzes are a fun and interactive way to engage with young talent and test their knowledge about the company’s culture, values, and industry.

10- CONCLUSION

Overall, the engagement methods we provided are diverse and can be used to attract and retain young talent. You need to provide them with opportunities to gain experience, develop skills, and build relationships with potential employers. Companies that invest in engaging young talent in meaningful ways are likely to reap the benefits of a highly motivated and productive workforce.

To learn more, you can join a free week session of Employer Brand Academy certificate courses here or you can download our free ebook creating an authentic employer brand here.