Have you ever had this thought?
I worry that candidates don’t know enough about my company to want to work here. I want to stand out to early talent and learn how to use Handshake to build my employer brand with Gen Z.
If so, we hear you!
So we thought it would be helpful to share how you can build a brand that early talent loves—on Handshake, where your target audience of Gen Z talent can get to know you better.
Why it's important to invest in your up-funnel recruiting strategy
We looked at Handshake Network Trends research as well as platform data to identify Gen Z job seeker behaviors on Handshake. For example, in a survey of the Class of 2024:
- 94% of students would consider applying in the future if they had a positive experience with an employer
- 75% of students read reviews of an employer brand before applying to a job
- 73% of students are more likely to apply to a job after seeing employer content
If you haven’t gotten started yet with your up-funnel recruiting strategy on Handshake, here are some tips for building a brand that early talent loves.
6 things that early talent loves from an employer brand
1. Authenticity
Employer brands that Gen Z talent considers authentic are showing they’re a trusted voice in the space, keeping content casual and not overly produced, and using approachable language and tone.
The way you deliver content, like on the Handshake feed, matters to Gen Z, who prioritize authenticity from brands. What type of Handshake feed content, hiring events, and messages can help you get authentic and conversational with Gen Z job seekers?
- Relatable day in the life content to help students see themselves in the role
- Career advice and tips that are empathetic to students and new grads navigating a big transition
- Industry insights and trends to build trust and credibility in your brand
- Application and interview tips from recruiters to set students up for success
- Networking advice from relatable sources, especially for underrepresented talent
- Peeks behind the scenes, like office/site tours or typical schedule information, can demystify the job
Example: Day in the life content. Posted on Handshake feed by Chelsea Addy, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, Small Girls PR
2. Transparency
One way to build brand affinity with early talent is to be transparent across talent acquisition channels. A student having to search far and wide for info that can help them decide between one employer and another won't make a positive brand impression.
Building a brand that early talent loves includes being transparent about what you can offer. For instance, tailor your job descriptions geared at an entry-level audience to clearly list:
- Salary range
- Benefits
- Work schedule
- Work location
- Professional development perks
For another example, Teach for America's Recruiting Director took an application FAQ from students to mythbust: “How much does my GPA really matter?” and scaled his response into thoughtful, transparent content on the Handshake feed.
Example: Transparency and myth-busting. Content posted on Handshake feed by Teach for America
Best practice: When you’re posting videos on the Handshake feed, prioritize good lighting and sound. Experiment with creative formatting like effects, image overlays, and trending memes. Add closed captioning to enhance the overall viewing experience and improve accessibility.
3. Engagement
Your brand can stand apart from the rest by engaging with early talent, human to human, all the way through the hiring funnel. For example:
- Comment on student's posts on the Handshake feed
- Help students build their networks through events
- Keep interns and entry level hires engaged once they’re onboarded
Joining the conversation by commenting on student's posts is a great way to make your brand more accessible, especially if it's less well-known. This gives students a chance to explore your profile and your brand page, which can turn the flywheel on impressions, follows, and overall engagement—and boost your brand's organic growth.
Plus, students are 2.2X as likely to click on an employer message if they previously saw a post from that employer on the Handshake feed. Being more active on social channels like the Handshake feed is also a good way for you to build community with your peers!
Example: Student questions are a great opportunity for employers to engage. Posted to Handshake feed by Giles Nitunga, Portland State University
Best practice: On the Handshake feed, posts from individuals tend to perform better than posts from your corporate handle. So you can empower your broader team to get involved in recruiting next gen talent!
4. Peer reviews
Gen Z job seekers look to peer reviews, testimonials, and real employee experiences to research employers. On a Professional or Advanced Handshake Brand Page, you can include employee testimonials, videos, feature posts from the Handshake feed, and other dynamic content to help students picture what it’s like to work for your brand.
It’s not just on Handshake and digital channels where you’re building your brand—it’s on campus too, through tried and true channels like word-of-mouth. You can further amplify your brand by empowering Advocates and line of business stakeholders outside the recruiting team on best practices for representing your brand through campus events and personalized messaging.
Example: Peer review/testimonial. Content posted to Handshake feed by Bryanna Johns, Virginia Department of Transportation
5. Follow up
First time job seekers don’t necessarily have perspective on what the working world is really like, or how their skills can map to a job, career, or industry. Early career candidates will love a recruiting experience that provides clear next steps, so you can stand out by following up after each touchpoint in the hiring process.
For instance, after an interview, provide feedback that will help the candidate learn and grow—and show that you’re invested in their success. Driving qualified candidates to take next steps is something you’re uniquely positioned to execute on—and measure—on Handshake.
Another way to follow up is to ask for feedback. From sending out a survey after an event to learn what you did well and what you could do better, to asking in a poll on the Handshake feed about which swag you should bring to a career fair, you can become a brand that early talent loves by listening to their feedback.
Example: Following up with next steps after a career fair. Content posted to Handshake feed by Morgan Bauler, State Farm Insurance Companies
6. Have fun!
The interactions you and your team have with students at fairs and events, through interviews and message exchanges, and on your digital channels all contribute to a student’s impression of your brand.
Now that “influencer” is a career path in and of itself, campus recruiters can take notes from Gen Z for how you can market your opportunities. In the age of AI perhaps more than ever, your brand can stand out with humor, creativity, empathy, and fun!
For example, the Cognizant team posted a video to the Handshake feed poking fun at themselves while being supportive of students' success, with a script that several recruiters voiced over that ended with a CTA:
“We’re campus recruiters. Of course I have a basement full of swag, and a purse full of Sharpies and hand sanitizer.”
“I’m a campus recruiter. Of course I’m gonna give you unsolicited career advice.”
“We are campus recruiters. Of course we think you’re a good fit for the role. But we want to know why YOU think so!”
Example: Recruiters poking fun at themselves keeps it light! Posted to Handshake feed by Taylor Blatt, Cognizant
Build. That. Brand!
Handshake offers students and employers so many ways to connect throughout the college to career journey. Recruiting teams that think like marketers are the ones that will win with Gen Z talent. Use Handshake as a platform for not just achieving your recruiting goals, but also for building a brand that early talent loves.
Check out the Handshake feed for inspiration on how the employer community is engaging students and new grads with authentic content.
In the past, campus recruiting was transactional. Today? It’s transformational.
The recruiter’s role is changing. Get 4 ways to start recruiting like a marketer and influence moments that matter on a student's college to career journey...only on Handshake.
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