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How to recruit the talent of tomorrow

Are you interested in recruiting the brand-spanking new talent for your business? It's essential you understand the best way to communciate with the younger generations, who are often targeted bur frequently misunderstood.

While of course, not all generalisations will apply to all individuals – which is why personalising the experience is important - there are some key considerations companies and hiring managers should bear in mind when recruiting 'tomorrows talent'.  

Ensuring they fully understand the candidates and their motivations will allow appropriate marketing of roles, in a way that is most likely to appeal to them, putting you in a better position to successfully recruiting millennials and young individuals.

The REC reports:

  • 45% of millennials have no plans to stick with an employer for more than 3 years.
  • 64% of millennials say they would rather make less money and enjoy their job than make more money but hate it – the quality of work life is a key factor to consider when hiring.
  • 77% say a sense of purpose from a company is an important factor when looking for jobs – so a company’s culture, ethos and its wider ambitions are something that an individual recruiter needs to put across

Showcase career progression

Gen Y and Gen Z want and expect authentic, values-based leadership with meaningful careers that provide the opportunity for learning, growth, empowerment and achievement. The most important factors in a job, according to research by Zero Cater, are an "empowering work culture and the potential for career growth", viewing 'communications and problem-solving' as the two most important skills for success. They want the kind of financial stability that the gig economy frustratingly lacks in order to fund their future and dreams.

Companies should ensure they promote their progression opportunities, evidencing cases of self-development and advancement. An example of this is our client Vision Labs' 'Success Stories', videos showcasing candidates who've grown within their roles and progressed within the company, evidencing the ability to do so.

Personalise each touch-point

Future generations seek authentic brand experiences, with 72% of 'Gen Z's' stating they prefer face-to-face, 'authentic' conversations, even though ultra-connectivity is something viewed as 'crucial in day-to-day life'. Young people can see straight through companies who use excessive slang and memes in their social media messages in an attempt to resonate on social media- it can quickly become cringe-worthy. Alternatively, companies should focus on highlighting strengths and benefits in simple, succinct language. 

Organisations must ensure their company culture and available roles are presenting in an appealing and accessible way to ensure a pro-active reach of this talent pool. Ensure you've done your research to truly understand what candidates want to see, where and how. While Facebook remains the 'most popular social media platform', this doesn't necessarily mean this audience is using it, in fact, Snapchat and Instagram are the two most popular platforms will younger generations, with 50% spending 10 hours a day connected online. 

As a generation, these candidates are used to personalised emails and targeted adverts, ensure the recruitment process reflects this. Relevance is expected - don't lose the interest of top talent through unnecessary and irritating notifications.

What does our young talent want from their workplace?

  • 69% prefer their own workspace
  • 77% expect to work harder than previous generations
  • 75% want to have multiple roles in an organisation
  • 80% prefer to work in a midsize or large company

Consider their 'world view'

What matters to them? 72% of the 'Millennial' and 'Gen Z' generations believe racial equality is the most important issue today, meaning companies with strong values surrounding diversity and equality are more likely to attract such candidates. Similarly, they're becoming increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint- acknowledge this! Thinking of creating a flyer to attract new candidates? It's possible that these individuals will view this as wasteful and socially irresponsible, acting as a deterrent.

The Economist reports anxiety and depression is the leading concern for people born after 1997. This is simply not something to be taken lightly, having a huge impact on their view of the world, let alone the recruitment expectations. Companies who offer a clear employee well-being regime and shout about their supportive culture are going to appeal to this generation.

Hewett Recruitment is accredited with Worcestershire Works Well, Level 2, a scheme focussing on improving the health and well-being of the workforce. Improved employee health and well-being have been shown repeatedly to improve the profitability and productivity of businesses, benefiting both staff and overall workplaces.


If you’re going to be successful in recruiting millennials, you not only need to understand what they want, but also how they gain information about potential roles and employers.