RECRUITING v GEN Z - careers.edhec.edu · letter.” “A cover email is more appropriate today.” 56% have a version of their CV accessible from their smartphone 45% think it’s

v GEN ZRECRUITING

B U S I N E S S S C H O O L

2May 2018 - GEN Z: RECRUITING GEN Z

You have no doubt heard a lot about how Millennials are changing the work and recruitment landscape. But, with the youngest of the Millennial generation turning 25 next year, what about post-Millennials? More commonly known as Generation Z, or the iGeneration, these are the teenagers and young adults who were born between the mid-1990s and the mid- 2000s. Their childhoods were shaped, in large part, by the Great Recession, they have never known life without a smartphone, and they are now – or soon will be – entering the job market.

Recruiters need to quickly understand this unique and digitally native generation.

In surveying close to 2,000 Gen Zs in Europe, we have uncovered some important data on how they approach their job and internship searches. We learned which tools they are using, how effective they are, and what they would like to see change in the recruitment process.

They are hugely present, but surprisingly quiet, on professional social networks. At least for now, although that is clearly changing as they move into the workforce. They value empathy, compassion and open-mindedness, expect alignment with their values in the companies for which they work, and they rely heavily on social networks to assess employer brands.

Smartphones are as essential to this generation as computers were to the generation before, and they are being used more and more as the primary tool for their job searches.

Gen Zs are very determined and they do their homework. And in turn, they expect the recruitment process to be transparent, responsive and, perhaps somewhat ironically, human.

S U M M A R Y

HOW TO RECRUIT YOUNG TALENT TODAY?


HOW DO GEN-Zs LOOK FOR INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS?


GEN-Zs are hugely present and frequent users of professional social networks

are registered on at least one professio-nal social network.

This percentage, which includes stu-dents and recent graduates, has not changed since 2015.

of those registered check their accounts at least once a week (unchanged since 2016).

How often do you consult your professional social networks?

87% 78%

on Viadeo

Everyday

1 to 3 times a week

1 to 3 times a month

Less than once a month

on LinkedIn

on Xing6% 2%

86%

40%

38%

15%7%


While still fairly quiet on professional social networks, they are starting to contribute more

share content (links, other user’s posts …), an increase of +5 points since 2017

8 out of 10 update their profiles

3 out of 4 read their newsfeeds

10% comment on other user’s content7% create their own

content

Q. What is your activity on professional social networks? (registered base)

21%


They rely heavily on professional social networks to find company and job information…

Finding information Job applications

91% believe that the information they find is useful

81% read the news and the company page before applying

83% have looked at job offers

60% have applied

7

... and they use the professional social networks to make connections

Mai 2018 - GEN Z : COMMENT LES RECRUTER ?

1 out of 5 was recom-mended to a company through a professional social network

28% of students were contacted by recruiters

52% of graduates contac-ted by recruiters on social networks

May 2018 - GEN Z: RECRUITING GEN Z


Smartphones, essential for finding information, are now widely used for job searches

ths of students and recent gra-duates use their smartphones to look for internships and jobs

ths of smartphone users consult job of-fers on their phone.

rd of smartphone users who consult job offers on their phone also apply

3/43/4 1/3

2016 2017 2018

74%74%69%

34%

20%13%


WHAT DO GEN-Zs EXPECT DURING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS


Gen Z does its homework

“I look at the company values and the news before applying. The company must be in line with my own personal ethics”

Channels used for finding information

26 % Personal social networks

Professional social networks38 %

Questioning an (ex-)employee 56 %

Online reviews 60 %

Website75 %

80% 78%research company culture before applying

report that company culture in-fluences their decision to apply


Gen Z expects transparency and responsiveness

“Be as clear as possible in the job advertisement: company expectations, deadline, requi-rements, selection criteria, type of contract, work location and salary.”

requested a transparent recruitment process 71%

expect real-time responses to questions about job opportunities, for example by a chatbot

1/5


Gen-Z says it’s time to change how you apply for a job…

“A work example is much more telling than a cover letter.”

“A cover email is more appropriate today.”

56%have a version of their CV accessible from their smartphone

45%think it’s important to be able to apply in one-click, without completing a form

40%would really like to apply without a cover letter

48%would prefer to submit an informal message rather than a traditional cover letter


... and they expect a personalised response to their application

90% 74%believe they should receive a response to their application, even if it is pre-registered

believe they should receive a personalised response

“Companies that don’t even take the time to send a rejection email, even automated, lose all of their appeal in my eyes. It is very detrimental to their image and the company culture that they promote to attract candidates.”

“The worst case scenario is to not even receive a response.”

“It is important to know why an ap-plication has been rejected. It allows the candidate to make improve-ments for future job applications.”


Gen Z expect transparency and honesty in the recruitment process…

Job opportunities

Transparency in terms of salary

Up to date job opening

Well-documented job descriptions

Differentiating job openings which reflect the company’s values

Centralised job openings

“The real job expectations, beyond the ‘shopping list’ of skills and required experience.”

“More diversity in the types of assignments available. It seems like there is just one standard internship in a company.”

Q. What is lacking the most today in terms of your search for a work placement/job?


…and value feedback, responsiveness and empathy

ApplicationsFeedback at each step of the application procedure

Administrative support for foreign applicants

Information on recruitment procedures

Information on the company’s real expectations

Swift replies to applications

Means to track the job

application

Esteem

Trust

“As a recent graduate, I had the impression during my job interviews that I was a potential resource rather than a human being. They pushed me for answers to a multitude of questions without saying anything that might have motivated me to join the company. (...) I have already turned down a job offer because the recruitment manager barely gave me a reason why I would want to join the company.”

Q. What is lacking the most today in terms of your search for a work placement/job?


GEN-Zs LOOKING FOR AN INTERNSHIP


How effective are their methods for finding an internship?

They use: How effective?

Intranet / University career websites

Professors

Company websites

Personal networkPersonal network

Intranet / University career websites Job sites

Unsolicited applications Unsolicited applications

Job sites Professional social networks

Company websites Career forums

Career forumsPrevious graduate year

Personal social networks Professors

Professional social networks

Personal social networksAPEC, Job centre

APEC, Job centrePrevious graduate year

48%

57%

39%

54%

35%

41%31%

30%31%

25%31%

23%17%

22%14%

19%10%

18%

6%17%

4%15%

Rate of effectiveness* of methods for finding work placements* percentage of respondents having used a given channel in their search and who have been successful thanks to this channel


Methodology

The study was carried out between 27 February and 27 March 2018. It included 1,799 participants, all students and recent graduates who have studied in Europe or of European nationality.

Among the respondents:

54% women

46% men

46%at Business /Management school

85%students

15%recent graduates, with less than three years’ experience

16%at engineering school

38%at university

Nationality Country of studyFrench France

European excluding French Europe excluding France

Rest of the world Other countries

47% 50%

32% 47%

21% 3%


ABOUT THE EDHEC NewGen TALENT CENTRE

The EDHEC NewGen Talent Centre was set up in 2012 under thestewardship of Manuelle Malot in order to deliver innovative solutions in line with the EDHEC for Business strategy and to enable global corporations to attract and retain new-generation talent.

For more information:www.edhecnewgentalent.com

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RECRUITING v GEN Z - careers.edhec.edu · letter.” “A cover email is more appropriate today.” 56% have a version of their CV accessible from their smartphone 45% think it’s