Top students and grads are interested in working for organizations that can offer meaningful points of engagement.

Flexible work arrangements, innovative workspaces and other workplace perks are high on Gen Y’s list of requirements, but so are less-tangible aspects of a workplace that may be harder to define, like shared values, leadership and loyalty.

Incorporate the following elements into your messaging to provide top talent with the meaning and insight they need to get on board with your employer brand.

Shared values

Gen Y talent are looking to engage with employers in significant ways. Yes, they want to gain experience, develop skills and work in a cool environment, but they also want to feel connected and aligned with an organization’s value system.

Your company mission, core values and goals say a lot about who you are as a business and an employer. Your messaging should be able to articulate what you do, why it matters and how prospective candidates can help you achieve those goals.

This shift in focus can lead to higher levels of engagement among students and grads who identify with and share your overall objectives, and illustrates your investment in hiring candidates who bring a sense of purpose into their work.

Shell utilizes their TalentEgg employer profile to communicate shared values. Their landing page is dedicated to articulating who they are and why it matters, both to consumers and potential candidates. Check out Shell’s profile by clicking here.

Leadership

Students and grads are inspired by strong leadership, and want to work for employers who cultivate true leadership culture.

Real leaders lead by example. They exemplify company values and are consistent in their words and their actions.

One way to engage Gen Y talent with the leadership at your organization is by creating a marketing video that illustrates your commitment to leadership. Profile senior leaders who epitomize your core values and ask them to talk about what leadership means (what it looks like, how it’s practiced) and how it drives success at your organization.

The relationship between leadership and engagement is an emerging trend with job-seekers. On Glassdoor, there’s an entire section where past and present employees can “rate” their company CEO. Submitted reviews also reflect a concern with leadership: many discuss the influence senior leadership has on employee engagement, positive or otherwise.

Loyalty

Forget the stereotypes: students and grads want to join organizations they can grow with.

Gen Y talent are attracted to employer brands that have high levels of retention – they pick up on high-turnover and are careful to avoid workplaces with low morale.

Engage students and grads with your employer brand by showing them how loyalty is valued and rewarded on your current workforce. Feature Gen Y employees who have advanced beyond entry-level positions in your online content – if you partner with TalentEgg, our team works with you to integrate these themes into custom editorial content.

Public Outreach shares stories of loyalty and success through their TalentEgg custom content. Take a look at this feature article: it focuses on a senior-level staff member who hatched a rewarding career with the organization after starting out as an entry-level hire. Articles like this are easily shareable on social media platforms and are a compelling way to broadcast your recruitment message out to talent.

Discussion: How will you incorporate these aspects into your messaging?

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