Recruiters the world over have a very dynamic job. They have to be able to attract workers of varying skill levels from several different generations. Hiring for a senior position that requires decades worth of experience means that a recruiter will generally seek more mature talent. Older talent looks for new positions in a very different way than younger talent now enrolled in college. Today’s recruiters are constantly learning new skills that allow them to source the newest – or youngest – job seekers.
The firm Royall & Company has for the first time released survey data that reveals how today’s future college students look for their four-year schools. The Virginia-based organization specializes in student recruitment. Since 2000 they have interviewed more than 800,000 students, but rarely share their findings with the public.
Even though the data is about how young people research colleges and universities, it can also be used by recruiters looking to attract entry-level talent. The Royall & Company data clearly show how today’s young adults source their own topics – like which college to attend.
The data is striking. Today’s students look “everywhere” when sourcing a topic. And they are open to several forms of direct communication.
As you can see from their infographic synopsis, young adults will accept information from any corner – texts to social media – but each specific medium carries clear rules about content.
For example, most of the survey’s respondents (57 percent) are willing to receive texts. But the content of a text has to be time-sensitive texts about deadlines (86 percent), a response to specific question (82 percent), or reminders about events that have registered for (75 percent).
Students are still willing to use paper and email as well. So asking for a copy of the traditional CV is not going to be a turn-off for the next generation of workers.
Fortunately, students are not all that different than any other workforce generation. You have to hit them with high-quality messaging from several different sources. The key seems to be knowing the specific communications rules – their rules not yours – for the medium being used.
Hat-tip: Eric Hoover
