I just wrote an article in the learn section about how important timing can be in terms of finding the right job. Students look for jobs in April and employers are hiring in September, and as you can imagine, this creates a problem. The article is directed towards students, but there is a lesson to be learned by employers there as well. It is simply this: In order to communicate effectively with Gen Y, you must use Gen Y communication tools.
Career fairs are outdated. They are expensive and attract relatively few potential candidates. Career centers are rarely used to their full potential; students are too busy, especially in their final year, to devote hours of their time to an abstract concern like their employment status 10 months down the road. A school year is a long time to a student and not everyone is ready to search for a job in September. There are smart, passionate students all over the country who are simply unaware that most of the hiring takes place way before they actually leave school. What is the solution? It is the responsibility of HR staff across the country to help bridge this communication gap by using mediums that appeal to our generation. We are working hard to ensure that TalentEgg is on the leading edge of Gen Y communication tactics and that we are doing our part to bring together students and employers.
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December 4, 2008 at 2:18 am
I could not agree more with you about career fairs being outdated. During the frenzy, there is no real time to talk let alone connect with the employers before being shoved aside by another prospect. Many times, the employers look overwhelmed and unable to process all of the students coming through.
However, I believe the career sessions where the employers come to the career centers and speak to a small group are even less useful. Any time I have attended such an event, the presenters could only provide general information about the firm and the entry level jobs with very few specifics about my field of interest. They usually had even less information about advancement opportunities in certain business segments, and could only offer the usual promise of excellent promotion options for successful entry employees.
What remedies have your team come up with? Maybe you could write a post on that.
March 5, 2009 at 1:50 am
Thanks for sharing. That was EXACTLY what I had in mind.