So, you have decided to take on new young talent and are probably looking to find that perfect candidate fit for your business. We thought we would share our experiences and insight to help you get the most out of your next project, and to better understand those that could be crucial in your business' development.
Knowing what your desired candidates want from their employer, and what will best attract them to your company or opportunity, is a useful insight and advantage in the retention of good talent.
As the market stabilises, and employments rates hit a record high, increasing numbers of vacancies have started appearing. Recruitment platform volumes are also on the rise too, which means more ways to find the vacancies. As a result, candidates have more choice and expectations than ever before. You will find however, that not only are businesses challenged to meet these, but exceed them too if they stand any chance of appealing to candidates.
Starting with the below, polls taken from our current GetMyFirsJob candidates show that pay rate, location and career progression are the top three values when looking for a vacancy.
Of those that answered 37% of candidates also felt that career progression was a big influential factor to them applying for a job. The role itself came in a close second emphasising the importance of job description and specifications.
Company ethics are also hugely important to candidates applying for vacancies. Shouting about what you do as a work force and how you do it is a great way for candidates to connect to the personality of your business. Having this connection and transparency will allow individuals to relate externally and drive the appeal of your roles.
Working with local charities, cycle to work schemes, and recycling schemes, shows an interest in not only your employees but also long term sustainability. Many companies feel they have a corporate responsibility but translating this in an advert could really make the difference between applying or not in some cases. Siemens, a featured client of GetMyFirstJob, were named by Forbes as one of the top 10 sustainable employers two years in a row (2017/18). It’s no surprise that their candidate focussed marketing activities via GetMyFirstJob have revealed early successes in applications.
SUSTAINABILITY: An organisation’s practices
“... that meet the needs of the present without compromising ... the environmental, social and human needs of our descendants.” www.wbcsd.org
In a similar vein, Sustainability, defined by wbcsd.org as practices “... that meet the needs of the present without compromising ... the environmental, social and human needs of our descendants.” was also of importance to candidates. Now more than ever it seems imperative that companies consider their responsibility with external factors and their professional personality to appeal to Emerging Talent.
Another aspect to focus on when considering your entry level role is pay. We always question ‘Why pay the minimum? Why not pay the maximum’. Many employers choose to pay the minimum wage because they see a lot of other employers doing this, allowing them to save considerable costs. Not only this, but with a large proportion of businesses paying minimum wage, they believe they can still remain competitive in other areas. The truth is, pay often denotes the value a company puts on an employee. Paying an employee less says they are worth less. Paying them more obviously means the opposite. The cost to the business is almost always outweighed by the calibre and choice of candidate attracted.
Consider this - we were recently questioned by an employer as to why they weren’t receiving any applicants for their role. They were a reputable company, paying £4.50/ph and a fully completed advert. When searching for similar roles in the area, it was discovered that there was an additional 25 employers offering the same qualification, almost identical daily duties, and within a 5-mile radius. A prime example of where you may have a very good role paying more than the minimum, but if there are other employers in the same area paying more, you are just not going to get the volume of applicants.
Competition for the best candidates is always a challenge. For all brands, no matter what your EVP, it’s important to stand out. That might include a stand-out proposition in terms of wage or employee benefits, or communicating the brand image and personality. When designing any campaign it’s also important to understand how these elements will engage with your target, and presumably diverse, applicant base.
A recent campaign that we designed and executed on behalf of an international restaurant group successfully demonstrated the importance of tailored communications. The techniques used allowed individuals across multiple demographic and ethnographic groups to receive subtly different treatments; this approach to personalised messaging delivered a swing of over 25% engagement between groups in different geographic areas. The EVP was the same, but leading with a tailored message delivered a more diverse, engaged and informed candidate base.
Technology has the potential to revolutionise the candidate attraction and engagement process. It is no longer enough to rely on a one-size fits all message; your EVP must be tailored to promote higher levels of engagement, and applications from the right candidates. Insight into changing candidate behaviours and preferences is at the heart of this model.
