Gen Z Recruiting Strategies

Feb 26

Generation Z (Gen Z) is revolutionizing how organizations recruit new customers and employees. What worked to connect with previous generations - Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers - fails to spark the same sentiment with Gen Zers. This generation of true digital natives is highly skeptical of established organizations and traditional advertising methods. Coming of age during years of mass disruption, Gen Zers are an innovative, trail-blazing bunch that’s quick to question the status quo and actively seeking novel approaches to solving real-world problems. These generational trends require that mission-driven organizations re-evaluate and revise recruiting strategies to develop a Gen Z-friendly (and effective!) recruiting plan.

Meet Generation Z

Generation Z is a generational cohort of people born between the years 1997 and 2012. Gen Zers are the generation that falls between Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Alpha (born between 2013 - 2024). While Gen Zers share some of the technology usage habits of Millennials, Generation Z is distinct in that many members of this generation do not recall a world before smartphones and social media. In fact, many Gen Zers were on social media before they ever opened a social media account, as Gen Zers’ parents (Gen Xers) were already posting content about Gen Zers online. This early exposure to social media has greatly influenced Gen Zer’s unique behaviors and priorities when it comes to technology.

In 2021, Gen Zers made up approximately 68 million Americans, accounting for 20 percent of the United States’ total population. While constituting a slightly smaller generational cohort than their Millennial predecessors, the heightened connectivity and online presence of Gen Zers have positioned this cohort to drive change in society in new ways. The majority of Gen Zers support a more “inclusive” society, with inclusion being defined across multiple diverse demographics. Gen Zers’ dedication to values-driven patronage of organizations can be readily observed in their support (or lack thereof) of entities, leaders, and movements. The world in which Gen Zers entered adulthood was fraught with instability, and these global events - the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matters protests, the January 6th storming of the US Capitol, and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine War - have influenced their paradigm of what and who can be trusted.

Gen Z Recruiting Challenges

Many private and public sector organizations are struggling to recruit Gen Z talent. Over the past few years, government agencies at all levels - federal, state, and local - have reported challenges related to recruiting Gen Zers. The U.S. military has encountered immense challenges related to Gen Z recruits. In 2022, the U.S. Army reported the worst recruiting year since the Department of Defense switched to an all-volunteer force post-Vietnam. Additionally, colleges and universities are facing declining enrollment rates across the country, as Gen Zers opt for alternative career and education options. Corporations and nonprofit organizations in many industries struggled to stay afloat during the Great Resignation, as many workers (including Gen Zers) seized the opportunity to forgo taxing employment opportunities for more lucrative and accommodating career opportunities. While changing demographics were projected to impact many industries, very few organizational leaders recognized the impact Gen Zers would have on their organization’s recruiting model - an often obsolete model that was geared towards Millennials struggling to launch careers during the Great Recession. Recruiting strategies that worked to attract previous generations are falling flat on Gen Zers.

Trust: The Secret Ingredient to Gen Z Recruiting

Generation Z approaches prospective organizations with great skepticism. Growing up in a world saturated with commercial content, corporate scandals, and an onslaught on digital communications and information, Gen Zers have entered adulthood with tendencies toward pessimism (or “realism,” depending on who you talk to) regarding the traditional way of life. This high degree of skepticism greatly influences how Gen Zers interact with organizations. For example, Gen Zers are reported to be “virtually immune” to advertising. To successfully engage Gen Zers, organizational advertising can’t look like advertising; hence, the relative success of influencer marketing with Generation Z. This generation trusts organizational recommendations from peers more than information about organizations distributed by traditional media outlets or the organization itself.

A lack of trust in established organizations is rampant across the Gen Z cohort. Having observed years of instability and upheaval, many Gen Zers may view the status quo as a key contributor to observed destruction on a global scale. Thus, Gen Zers are distrusting of anything they view as a potential cause of the negative outcomes they encounter in their young adulthood. High levels of widespread distrust are especially concentrated on government entities, including federal, state, and local agencies. According to the Aspen Institute, low levels of trust in American government systems may be attributed to multiple events, including economic downturns, globalization, government ineffectiveness and inefficiency, increased polarization, and the rise in mis- and disinformation spread across social media.

Organizations committed to recruiting Gen Zers must recognize the critical role trust plays in effective Gen Z marketing. En masse, Generation Z is a cohort of individuals who are reticent to respond to any type of traditional advertising content and distrust anything and everything that comes from established organizations, including government agencies. Thus, to engage Gen Zers, organizations must prioritize communications and outreach initiatives that restore trust - not contribute to its continued diminishment.

7 Gen Z Recruiting Strategies:

Capitalize on Gen Zers’ desire to make a positive impact.

Gen Zers want to make the world a better place. They recognize the widespread impacts past decisions and actions have had on our communities, the economy, the environment, international relations, and public health. Gen Zers want to align themselves with organizations that positively contribute to our world. When developing Gen Z recruitment messaging, organizations should outline ways their mission positively impacts our world and how Gen Z recruits can engage in supporting these initiatives. Mission-driven organizations should communicate how their employees' work contributes to the organization's overall mission. Gen Zers aren’t content with just punching a clock - they want their work to matter and are willing to sacrifice aspects of their short-term comfort to support a mission bigger than themselves. Organizations that do more than “just make money” have an advantage when recruiting Gen Z talent, as these opportunities allow Gen Zers to leave a lasting impact on our world. Mission alignment and impact potential are key when it comes to Gen Z recruitment.

Prioritize Gen Z’s favorite social media platforms.

Gen Zers are prolific users of social media; however, they tend to use social media a bit differently than their Millennial predecessors. While Millennials tend towards excessive documentation of their lives on social media, Gen Zers shy away from archival social media platforms. Having observed the personal and professional effects of “cancel culture,” Gen Zers frequent social media platforms that offer ephemeral (disappearing or short-lived) content. Gen Zers don’t want their social media posts from three years ago to interfere with their professional pursuits and goals. Popular Gen Z-focused social media platforms that offer ephemeral content features include Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, and BeReal. Additionally, Gen Zers tend to place a high priority on app privacy features and, consequently, are flocking to emerging social media apps that offer some level of anonymity, such as Jodel or Yik Yak.

An effective Gen Z recruiting strategy will include an organizational presence on social media platforms that support a broad Gen Z user base. Short-form video content posted to popular apps is key to Gen Z online engagement. While previous generations may are reported to have a longer attention span, organizations have a mere eight seconds to capture the fleeting attention of Gen Zers online. Interactive, short, video content that clearly communicates the value of joining your organization as a customer, employee, or recruit can be extremely effective in Gen Z marketing. When evaluating what social media platforms your organization should be on, prioritize social media platforms that Gen Zers frequent. While they aren’t huge fans of Facebook, Gen Zers do patronize social media apps that’s capabilities and content support a Gen Z-friendly user experience.

Integrate customization and flexibility in Gen Z recruiting initiatives.

Many Gen Zers are not seeking the same type of career experience that their parents or grandparents encountered. Instead, Gen Zers want customized career options that align with their overall life goals, including objectives that fall outside of work. This career development approach may be more holistic than observed with previous generations. Clearly communicate how your organization’s opportunities will work with Gen Z’s overall life - not against it. Gen Zers want a career that supports their overall well-being and non-work interests, including friends, family, health, hobbies, and passion projects. Additionally, Gen Zers seek career options that work synergistically with evolving life stages, including being supportive of their non-work responsibilities such as parenting and caregiving.

If a Gen Zer wants to customize their career progression laterally through cross-training instead of the traditional vertical “climbing of the corporate ladder,” they want an employer that recognizes the value in their unique skill sets and backgrounds. The ability to customize their careers to their individual needs is paramount when evaluating work options. One example of this in action is the Department of Defense (DoD)’s recent launch of Gig Eagle - an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered talent matching platform that allows interested U.S. military reservists and National Guard members with specialized civilian skills to connect with short-term work (“gigs”) with the DoD. This unique approach to workforce management allows the DoD to optimize personnel resources while simultaneously boosting the career progression of servicemembers.

Engage Gen Z parents and guardians in recruitment initiatives.

Gen Zers are noted as having strong relationships with their parents and/or guardians. They actively engage their family members in decision-making, especially as it pertains to career and financial decisions. Interestingly, Gen Zers are leading the return to their childhood homes, as multi-generational households become more of the norm, rather than the exception. According to Pew Research, approximately one-quarter of Americans currently live in a multi-generational household. Likely influenced by the pandemic and economic events that transpired over the past few years, this shift in generation-based demographics regarding household structure provides organizations with an opportunity to strengthen Gen Z recruiting efforts by not just focusing on Gen Zers; instead, organizations should evaluate ways to engage Gen Zer’s parents in the recruiting process. The majority of Gen Zers were raised by Gen Xers - a generational cohort known for their skepticism, resourcefulness, and financial conservatism. Development of a multi-generational marketing strategy that includes Gen Z and Gen X-relevant messaging may help support overall recruiting initiatives.

Evaluate digital transformation and modernization efforts.

Before investing in a Gen Z recruiting campaign, organizations should evaluate the status of digital transformation and modernization initiatives as they relate to internal and external operations. How is technology used to enhance organizational effectiveness? What digital tools are used to streamline employee communications and workflows? How well-versed is senior management in generation-specific communications styles and preferences? In what ways is technology used to support employee engagement? The success of Gen Z recruitment and retention programs often depends on the organization’s ability to integrate technology into the organization’s operations in an effective way. Digital natives do not want to waste hours of each workday trying to collaborate with digitally-illiterate personnel through obsolete mechanisms. Organizations that are committed to maintaining the 1990s status quo, aren’t going to succeed in recruiting Gen Zers, no matter how much money they throw at an expensive Gen Z marketing campaign.

Invest in Gen Zers' career goals and interests.

Gen Zers are attracted to organizations that demonstrate a commitment to investing in their people. This could include providing tuition assistance for employees continuing education or donating to nonprofit organizations that their employees support. This type of people-first organizational strategy was not evident in many corporations that employed Gen Xers - Gen Zer’s parents - during the Great Recession. As a consequence, Gen Zers observed their predecessors put many aspects of investing in their communities and their own careers on the back burner, in response to the unbending obligations to their employers; thus, Gen Zers have entered adulthood placing a high priority on employers that invest in their people. Liberty Mutual, General Motors, and Novo Nordisk offer employees volunteer time off (VTO) to spend hours supporting nonprofit organizations. When developing a Gen Z recruiting campaign or strategy, evaluate ways that your organization re-invests in employees and includes these people-first opportunities in Gen Z outreach.

Recognize that successful Gen Z recruitment is a long game.

Crossing generational divides and restoring trust in established entities among skeptical cohorts isn’t going to happen overnight; instead, it’s a long game, requiring organizational accountability and transparency over a lengthy period of time. Gen Zers don’t naively take organizational claims and communications at face value. They watch organizations to see if they can “walk the talk”- demonstrating their commitments through actions. A successful Gen Z recruiting strategy will recognize that trust-building takes time and requires a long-range plan. Social media can be a great platform to demonstrate an organization’s commitment to the overall good of society. Consistent, well-researched digital content can help organizations build and restore trust with prospective Gen Z employees. This generation of digital natives is unlikely to trust your organization in response to one social media ad; however, they are likely to watch your company’s online presence for company-generated and user-generated content to research the organization.