Hiring talented new employees can help a company grow. Young employees, in particular, often bring fresh perspectives, new skills, and lots of creative energy to the businesses they join. However, it can be difficult to attract young talent, especially in today's competitive environment. Here, 10 members from Young Entrepreneur Council share how your business can attract the best young professionals.
What's your best advice for attracting young, talented employees to your company?
1. Offer opportunities for growth
Make it clear from the outset that you train your team and are invested in career development at your company. Let younger hires know they’ll be trusted to lead projects from day one. Many graduates are eager to start working and build their careers quickly; they want to know you'll help them progress. —Mark Stallings, Casely, Inc.
2. Provide development stipends
Offering to pay for professional development is a great way to attract young talent who are looking to grow and expand their skill set. I consider the stipend that we offer to be an investment in our team's future. Not only has it made our employees happy, but it has also made our team be on top of their game. —Brian David Crane, Caller Smart Inc.
3. Have a strong vision and mission focus
It is important to build a great company with a strong vision and mission focus that speaks to the kind of people you wish to attract. If you want to attract high-performing junior employees, our employee Net Promoter Score and feedback shows that support for remote work, a coaching culture, and learning and development that challenges new hires are what junior team members value the most. —Alexander Young, Virti
4. Be active on social media
One piece of advice for attracting young talent to a company is to have a strong social media game. If you can provide content of value on the platforms they frequent and communicate that you are a strong and cool brand, you will most likely have a lot of candidates who will apply to your company's open positions. —Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME
5. Leverage LinkedIn opportunities
To attract young talent to your company, try LinkedIn. You'd be surprised how many young people use LinkedIn to find new job opportunities and work with new companies. By tapping into this platform, you can easily find top talent that boosts your business. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
More articles from AllBusiness.com:
- How to Hire the Best and Brightest Talent for Your Small Business
- 4 Keys to Sales Success
- First Time Firing an Employee? Advice for New Business Owners and Managers
- Using Personality Tests as a Hiring Tool: What Are the Pros and Cons?
- 10 Surefire Ways to Find Qualified Job Candidates
6. Create engaging video content
Being active on social media, especially on platforms that have a large Gen Z base, is important to appeal to new talent. You also have to adapt and use new social media formats and interactive elements. Video content, in particular, creates the most engagement and is likely to help you reach more youthful groups. —Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
7. Offer an internship program
Build an internship program with local universities. You will not only attract the talent of college students who need the experience, but you will also help them nurture their skills and prepare them for full-time positions. Providing a program can create a reliable network of employees. —Duran Inci, Optimum7
8. Create a positive, flexible environment
The best way to attract young talent to your company is to introduce a positive and flexible work environment, similar to what Google does. The Google work culture is so attractive because it focuses on keeping its employees happy while maintaining their productivity. Their culture is founded upon trust, and employees have the liberty to work whenever they want and however they want. —Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
9. Highlight the causes you support
The younger generation is vocal and insistent that businesses also take part in important social causes. One way to appeal to younger job seekers is to highlight the values and causes your brand supports, whether it's greater inclusivity or a commitment to environmental causes. Such matters play a big role in attracting young talent. —Blair Williams, MemberPress
10. Research the priorities of your target candidates
Research the priorities of the generation that you are targeting to hire. While millennial employees are known for valuing flexibility and freedom, the younger Generation Z cares about job security. With each new hire, meet them where their values lie. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and it’s up to companies to learn how to target each position and each hire appropriately. —Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.
