By Roy Maurer

April 17, 2023

 

The recruiting trends panel at the SHRM Talent Conference & Expo 2023 in Orlando, Fla., explored the must-have practices and programs necessary to hire talent in a tight labor market, from using emerging technology and appealing to Generation Z to supporting hiring managers and shifting to skills-based hiring. The popular annual discussion was moderated by Tony Lee, vice president of content for SHRM, on April 17.

Here are 10 brief takeaways.

 

1. Adopt New Methods, Tools

HR must embrace new recruiting methods and technologies to fit the current era of hiring, such as using QR codes, text-based outreach and generative AI for job descriptions.

“We are figuring out where our candidates are and then meeting them there,” said Rose Ann Garza, SHRM-SCP, chief human resources officer for Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin, Texas.

“I encourage you to consider who your best candidates are and find out how they look for jobs,” Garza said. “We’ve moved to QR application codes to make it significantly easier to apply for a job. We use text-based interview scheduling, programmatic job advertising, and are placing ads on TikTok and Instagram.”

 

2. Attract Generation Z

“There are now five generations in the workplace,” said Chelsea C. Williams, founder and CEO of Reimagine Talent Co. in Atlanta. “We are not going to create a whole new strategy to focus solely on one generation, but [Generation Z] will be 30 percent of the workforce soon, and they have different values than what we have seen before.”

Williams recommended employers set up focus groups with their Generation Z talent, asking them how they had perceived the organization as an employer before they accepted the job and what they think since they became employees.

“That is important because Gen Z will share all their experiences with one another—the good and the bad,” she said. She also recommended performing a companywide audit on policies and practices, with a focus on benefits.

“Some benefits may lean to older generations and some may lean younger,” Williams said. “We are seeing a shift in what emerging talent wants from an employer and what they value about their work. We are certainly seeing an emphasis on social impact from Generation Z. And there is still a focus on diversity. Be prepared for those types of questions when interviewing Gen Z candidates.”

Heather Deyrieux, SHRM-SCP, human resources manager for the Sarasota County Government in southwestern Florida, said that what younger talent wants may not be something employers have thought about.

“I was just at a local high school speaking about the range of benefits we offer,” she said. “We offer tuition reimbursement, which normally generates some excitement, but the kids went wild for cellphone stipends. It’s part of our sales pitch now.”

 

3. Tell a Compelling Story

Deyrieux said that everyone has a unique story, and employers should take that mentality and apply it to jobs as well. “You are hiring unique individuals, and they are looking for something different,” she said. “I love what I do, and we want to make sure all our employees feel that way, so we have to put together the content and video that speaks to them so they think, Wow, that looks like an exciting opportunity where I can make an impact.”

Williams said that compelling employer brand content should focus on workplace culture and career paths—opportunities that are very important to job seekers.

Lee offered a practical tip. “Some companies think they have to hire a professional crew and produce expensive-looking videos,” he said. “Those are not the effective videos. The ones that work are when you ask a loyal, engaged employee to shoot a video on their cellphone, asking their colleagues why their employer is a great place to work.”

 

4. Reconsider Compensation and Benefits

When your competitors are paying more and offering more perks than ever before, it’s time to focus on authenticity and transparency.

Kerbey Lane Café is competing with much larger, well-known companies moving into central Texas. “We can’t beat those companies on compensation,” Garza said. “So we think about what makes us better, what we lack and what we can add. Ask your employees these questions and try to meet them with their needs.”

For example, Kerbey Lane created a mentorship program that is so popular, it has a waiting list, she said. “If you don’t invest in your people, they will feel like you don’t value them,” she added.

 

5. Support Your Hiring Managers

Hiring managers and recruiters often have a fraught relationship, but it doesn’t have to be that way. “One idea is to create a resource library, or roundtable training with hiring managers,” Williams said. “It’s so important to have a central place where managers can go and browse resources. And if you have great hiring managers with strong skill sets, you want to make those individuals ambassadors. Try to replicate what they do for newer managers.”