Don't Just Call Your College Job Candidates

I asked more than 1600 "Gen Z" college students (avg age for survey: 21) about the tools they're using to communicate, and, as you'd guess, texting rules the day, followed closely by email. What you may not realize is that they will respond to Instagram, Snapchat or even Facebook before they deign to answer their phones. (WeChat and Discord were most commonly mentioned for "other.") That doesn't mean they want their recruiters contacting them on their social media (see survey responses on that below). It does, however, mean that phone calls are not always the best way to reach younger candidates, nor will voice mails always be noticed quickly. Email is generally best for initial outreach, with texting as a backup that works as a follow up, rather than as a sole form of contact. Phone calls can be worked into the mix, but an email introduction prior to the call is a good idea to make sure they're both receptive to and prepared for your call.

These are busy people with busy, online lives, who need ways to compartmentalize. As a result, college job boards, career fairs and campus presentations are still among the favorite ways for college-age candidates to learn about your jobs. In other words, as much as they're online, they still want a one-stop shop set aside just for career information. But don't forget that a little bit of face-time still goes a long way in the recruiting world, even for the digital generation.