With 97% of employers adopting an all-virtual or hybrid strategy and 82% planning to participate in at least half or more of their fairs and events virtually, employers are embracing 

hybrid recruiting strategies to meet Gen Z where they are

Even as in-person career fairs ramp up, employers are embracing a hybrid recruiting model. In fact, 85% of Gen Z prefer virtual fairs or virtual with some in-person component this spring. Watch our on demand webinar to learn how to build effective hybrid recruiting strategies to recruit students where they are.

Enjoyed the webinar? Put your learnings into practice by check out these 3 tips for hiring in the hybrid recruiting season ahead.

a limited number of schools with the Core Schools method

, they inadvertently limit themselves to students who are already aware of them. These schools tend to be representative of leadership’s alma maters, but recruiting here alone isn’t going to make a sizable impact.

For example, employers using Handshake Core can lean on 

School Recommendations—Premium partners can use School Explorer

—to visualize which potential school partners have a large population of students that meet their job requirements and tap into a broader audience.

Over the fall 2021 recruiting season, 62% of all career fairs hosted or promoted on Handshake were virtual. With Handshake Fairs, employers can view all career fairs hosted by their partner schools and get a detailed overview of the fair and schedule before submitting their registration request.

Planning early is key here so you’re able to tap into partner schools and fairs that’ll help you reach your target audience. And in addition to attending school-hosted career fairs, it’s a good idea to complement your engagement strategy with employer-hosted events—55% more employers are pursuing employer-hosted events outside of career fairs on Handshake YoY, and 87% of these recruiting events are still virtual.

Regardless of whether these fairs and events are happening virtually or in person, we recommend sticking to a specific theme for each session and creating interactive content that allows students to build their network and learn about jobs.

Employers are finding success with formats outside of career fairs, like quick screens, office hours, and 

. These formats are a lower commitment for students, and can reach a broader range of applicants.

To build your employer brand with future talent pools including freshmen and sophomores, consider experimenting with various event types besides career fairs to attract their attention. Less formal interactions—such as early identification programs, quick screens, skills-based training, panels, and social events—can spark relationships with early career job seekers. And you can schedule these either before or after fair season to keep your company top of mind and showcase your brand.

Strategies to Recruit Students Where they Are this Spring

Handshake Network Trends: The Changing Map of Gen Z Jobseekers

Mastering Hybrid Recruiting: A Crash Course for Spring 2022