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The Top 5: Tips for Hiring Gen Z
Hiring Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
We published our 2022 Mid-Year Q&A with our expert recruiters in June. They described what most of their candidates are looking for in a new employer: better compensation, more flexibility and a clear career path.
However, that’s what they’re observing in more experienced, established professionals of the Boomer, X and Millennial generations. The new folks joining the workforce are from Gen Z and, like the generations before them, they have their own goals and outlooks for their professional careers. Employers need to adapt their strategies to attract this emerging workforce.
Don’t be tempted to write off these young people – you need to be hiring Gen Z
As we’ve been saying for years, the Copier Channel urgently needs to bring in new blood to alleviate the existing candidate shortage and to ensure the industry continues to support businesses in the coming decades. Keep these tips in mind when interviewing this next generation.
- Leave the catastrophizing to the 24-Hour News Cycle. We go through this with every generation – young people entering the work force are always a disruption. Some may be inexperienced or naïve or have unreasonable expectations but they will not be “the worst workers in the history of the world.” Remember that candidates are interviewing you as much as you’re interviewing them – if you run an interview with a condescending or dismissive attitude, they will know and they will not be interested.
- Look for potential. We all know employers need to bring in new blood, emphasis on “new.” You’re unlikely to be hiring Gen Z employees who already has OEM certs and five years of comparable experience. With young candidates, you aren’t looking for experience as much as potential. Can they focus, can they learn, can they handle pressure, can they communicate? Great – they can be trained! Don’t forget that hiring now is an investment for later or you’ll be singing the Short Staff Blues.
- Explain what you’re offering. Remember, Gen Z is new to this – you might be their first or second full-time employer. You might be the first employer to offer them benefits or a 401K. Come prepared to thoroughly explain your compensation and benefits package and any other perks you offer. Paint them a picture of how it will affect them, how you will invest in them, how your company provides them a career path.
- Sell them on long-term employment. Gen Z is coming into the job market fully aware of previous employment trends. If you tell them you will double their PTO and match their 401K in five years, they won’t be interested. Based on what they’ve heard, five years with one employer might as well be fifty. They are not expecting to stay more than a few years anywhere. It’s the interviewer’s job to convince them that they can and should stay with you.
- Seek feedback and be open to change. In this market it’s the interviewer’s job to convince candidates to work for them. If hiring Gen Z is a struggle for your company, the problem is not, “young people just don’t want to work anymore.” It’s your company’s recruitment strategies. Start correcting this by seeking feedback from your candidates. Your interview questions should include, “What are you looking for in a manager and company?” After you make your pitch, ask if it appeals to them and, if not, what puts them off. With this info, you can identify issues, implement changes, and learn how to overcome common objections.
Need employees? You’re not alone!
We recruit for any role from techs to executives and everything in between. We work to find industry-experienced professionals and bring in new talent from comparable fields. We are dedicated to helping the industry’s top employers grow and evolve in every economic climate. Contact us today to learn how we can help!