Gen Z and employees working in today’s post-pandemic environment expect a better work/life balance. Today’s hybrid model of remote and in-person employment is one example of the flexibility they crave. Many job seekers express a need for fulfillment and job satisfaction that older generations didn’t seek as strongly. Gen Z and Millennials want the flexibility of living life on their terms. Work is just a part of that life.
Promote a Job Candidate’s Early Buy-In
So, how do recruiters respond? How can they recruit, hire, and retain employees with these present-day demands in the midst of a talent shortage? It starts with the first encounter with the job seeker. The first impression is a lasting impression. Organizations that don’t generate early buy-in from a candidate are losing candidates in the interview process. Many candidates aren’t putting themselves fully into the interview and withdraw their application. They spend the company’s time and resources, potentially continuing into the offer process or onboarding, then leave soon after.
Implement a Strategic Process for Hiring
The 15dots® Selection Process generates early buy-in by carefully walking candidates through a strategic process that includes on-site visits and board interviews. Candidates visit the organization and talk with employees. They get to know each other on a personal level and a workplace level. Instead of only talking to a recruiter or hiring manager, applicants talk to people on the floor, in the office – and in a job interview. The 15dots structured board interview consists of a panel of four interviewers. The interview panel includes team members who actually will be working with a new hire shoulder-to-shoulder, not just HR managers they rarely see again.
Prevent Job Hopping by Making Connections
Job hoppers often accept a job while thinking, “I was never really committed to this job, this company, this environment because this was not a company that would provide all of the things that I want in a work environment.” Organizations can counter this flightiness by connecting the job candidate to the organization itself and to the individuals working in the organization. Both are important. It’s very important for the organization to get its fingerprints on the candidate at a very early stage in the recruitment process.
Invest Time in Every Applicant
Today’s recruiters don’t have the luxury of extra candidates, so they really need to take the time to invest in each one. They won’t know early on which applicant will be their top candidate, so they need to treat each with care. The most successful recruiting programs are those that, early on, weave in the reasons for candidates to fall in love with them as a company. To do so, they weave in person-to-person connection points between the applicant and hiring managers, team members, and recruiters. They also connect the applicant with the organization and its values.
Create an Inclusive Work Environment
Hiring managers and recruiters shouldn’t ask job candidates to change who they are to fit into an organization. Instead, they want to bring out the candidates’ best performance in an inclusive environment that allows them to be who they are. Diversity movements get the most out of candidates who thrive in an environment where they can be their authentic selves.
Defy Gen Z Industry Norms with 15dots
If a job candidate has a choice between two jobs (or perhaps a dozen jobs!) the personal connections they make early in the hiring process can get them on board and keep them in the organization long-term. Recruiters who get their fingerprints on applicants right away improve their hiring outcomes. 15dots trains HR leaders to consistently select, hire and retain the right people for their organization. Contact us today to learn the hiring practices that defy industry norms.
