How To Attract Young Applicants Using Your Job Ad

Hiring young job seekers has several benefits. They may be in school learning about the field and have new ideas, and they have a willingness to learn that more experienced employees may not have anymore. However, it can be difficult to find younger employees and encourage them to apply. Luckily, there are ways you can make your job ad more appealing to younger job seekers so they apply.

Identify biases in your ad

You and your recruiting team may have hiring biases that you may not be aware of. You may say that you want younger employees but then require a certain amount of experience or a post-graduate degree. To appeal to younger applicants, go through and see if there are any of these criteria that may be adjusted. You may also want to add language that states that not all of the criteria need to be met perfectly. This way, if a younger person feels that they are strong in most of the job needs, they will feel more likely to apply if they do not have to fit all of the requirements.

Post where they will see the ad

Younger people have certain ways they look for and apply for jobs. Recent grads will likely use their alma mater’s job board and career services, so make sure you reach out to colleges in your region to promote your job. Young people tend to be on social media, so consider putting out a post on your social media channels that links to your job ad. This way, they can get a brief synopsis of the job and know where to apply. You will not attract younger people if they do not even see the ad, and any changes you make to the ad to bring in younger people will be a waste of time.

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Highlight career growth opportunities

Young people are just getting started with their careers. While some people are okay with staying at a job for a couple of years and moving on to another opportunity, others may want to stay at the company if they have growth opportunities. If your company allows for career growth and professional development, especially if the position is a lower level, highlight these aspects of the company. Young people will be interested in these growth opportunities. Even if the person does not stay with the company for a long time, they may still be able to take advantage of things like courses, workshops, and networking.

Avoid cliches

Young people may be new to the job market, but they may have seen all of the cliches before. Letting your company culture and the job description itself shine without cliches and over-the-top language will attract younger people to your job posting. Leaving the same wording that you have always used will draw in the same candidates you always do without attracting younger applicants. Avoiding cliches and oversaturating the ad with jokes will attract a younger audience, who will take your ad seriously.

Include relevant information

Many job postings now have a lot of information about the company and the position. While young people know they have to do some research on the company, when they are applying for a job and have to write a cover letter, it is important to have information on who to address the cover letter to. Even if this means just posting the position title that is hiring for the role, this can aid in research. Other relevant information can include growth and professional development opportunities, location, salary, and benefits. Young people see a lot of job postings, especially if they are actively looking, and these bits of information can help them determine if the role is best for them.

Assess the qualifications and skills

As mentioned above, the amount of skills, experience, and even the education stated in your job ad may deter younger people from applying. Take a look at what skills are absolutely a must and assess the others. It is okay to have a list of qualifications that are needed to be successful, but make ones that are easily learned on the job as preferred skills. Have a list of “needed” qualifications and “preferred” qualifications and have a section of each on the job posting. This takes the pressure off the young person of having to live up to every single qualification on the job ad.

Highlight salary and benefits

Young people need to know about what benefits you offer and the salary. The cost of living is going up, and benefits like retirement savings and health insurance are essential. Highlighting these, as well as professional development benefits and anything else you offer, including free lunches, can attract young people to your job. Knowing the benefits allows them to determine which jobs are best for them to apply for.

Young people are a valuable asset to any company as they are the future of the field, so making sure your job ad attracts them is crucial.