With an incredibly low national unemployment rate of 3.7%, recruiting talent in today’s labor market is challenging for businesses. For hiring managers and recruiters that are tasked with filling jobs in the finance and accounting sector, it’s considerably more difficult. According to the latest jobs report, unemployment in the finance and accounting industry is half the national average at 1.8%.

How can companies recruit finance and accounting professionals in such a tough climate?

One tactic is to target the next generation of young talent. No, that doesn’t mean millennials whose youngest members are 25. The next generation of talent is Generation Z. Born beginning in 1995, Gen Z represents a quarter of the US population and is maturing to working age. The tactics and tips that employers have used over the past decade to woo Millennials need to be calibrated to the next generation.

Here are three tips for recruiting Generation Z finance and accounting talent.

 

1. Update Your Employment Brand

 

The young talent that belongs to Generation Z has grown up in a post-social media world. They’re masters of the internet and utilize it as a primary source of information. When they’re conducting their due diligence while looking for jobs, they’re going to take a hard look at your employment brand.

To appeal to young talent, you’ll want to take a hard look at your employment brand and analyze what it says about working for your company. There are a few primary areas you want to focus your attention when reviewing, and updating, your employment brand.

• Website: Specifically, your careers section. Is your careers section reflective of your company culture? Does it show pictures of your offices, employees, and company events?
• Social Channels: Your company social channels play an integral role in your employment brand. When creating your social strategies, don’t forget to spruce in content that helps your employment brand.
• Glassdoor: It’s a good idea to monitor your company’s Glassdoor reviews regularly. How favorably, or unfavorably, former employees found the experience of working for your company can have a big impact on your applicant pool.

 

2. Recruit Candidates Before They Graduate

 

Traditionally, college-aged students braced themselves for a bumpy road upon looking for their first job. But in today’s talent tight market, college students are fielding job offers well before graduation. If you want to get the best Generation Z talent, you’ll want to start your recruitment efforts while they’re still in school.

By partnering with universities in your area, your company can become visible for college students so that you’re top of mind when they begin considering employment opportunities. A great way to do so is by having members of your staff, or yourself, get involved in the classroom with current students. It’s hard to get college students to come to you unless you have an internship program, so instead, have your company go to them.

When recruiting college students, it’s important to keep in mind that today’s finance and accounting graduates have different expectations for their work and career than the generations before them. The wide and shallow strategy for funneling a constant supply of CPAs and finance grads into your company won’t be as effective. Instead, engage students with personalized recruitment that allows you to discover what’s important to them. If their values and goals align with your company, you can then personalize your pitch to match your company.

 

3. Be Mindful of Your Job Descriptions

 

For the Generation Z finance and accounting talent, if you’re not recruiting straight out of school, you’ll want to make sure that your job descriptions make your company, and the opportunity you’re hiring for, appealing to them. What appeals to them? Corporate responsibility and social outreach. A recent study found that Generation Z applicants cite volunteer work on their resumes 38% more often than Millennials, 140% more than Gen X, and 420% more than Baby Boomers.

Of course, you want your job description to reflect the skill and experience requirements of the role, but a great job description should also promote why talent should want to join your company. By including initiatives and programs that highlight that your company shares their value for corporate responsibility, your job description will jump out to Generation Z talent.

 

Finance and Accounting Recruitment from Ingenium Talent

 

By using the three tips we highlighted above, your company will be better positioned to attract Generation Z finance and accounting talent to your organization. Don’t have the time, network, or bandwidth to personally conduct a search for finance and accounting talent? We can help.

 

Contact us today to learn about our process of recruiting finance and accounting talent.

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