Mark your calendars! 2023 is the year of authenticity. And it's not just us saying it. News sites like Wired, Forbes, and more deem 2023 as the year of authenticity on social media. This turn toward authentic content isn't popping up out of nowhere. There's long been a rise in the popularity of authentic content, especially amongst Gen Z consumers. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which typically feature more polished and curated content, are falling out of favor with the younger generations. They've instead turned to social media platforms like TikTok and BeReal, which prioritize authenticity over a cultivated online presence.
Even though Instagram and Facebook have tried to follow in TikTok's footsteps by introducing short-form, video content, younger users still prefer TikTok, where authentic, unpolished video is king.
But what does this mean for you? How does authenticity impact reruiting? And how can this information help you attract Gen Z candidates?
Just like social media has reinvented itself in the form of new, more authentic platforms, your job posts and how you try to attract new candidates desperately needs a refresh. If many of the major social media networks are out of date, then surely text first, dry job posts are on their way out? But many businesses still use these and expect to attract top-tier candidates. That's just not realistic.
To attract the best candidates in the war for talent, you'll need to be inventive and authentic in telling your story to potential candidates.
Gen Z have told us over and over that they prefer to learn through video. TikTok is easily the most popular social media site unless you count YouTube, which is where Gen Z goes to learn new information. Given that information, it makes sense to deliver information about your company in the form they prefer to receive: video. Making videos that speak to job-seekers can seem daunting or scary, but don't worry too much about that.
You don't need to make perfect videos to speak to Gen Z job-seekers. Because Gen Z places enormous value on authenticity, you don't need to have a perfectly polished script or hire an expensive production studio to help you make your videos. Impromptu and unscripted responses to questions will work better among this audience.
As long as you allow the voice of your workforce to shine through, they'll respond to your content. Think about questions that are frequently asked in the application process. Could you answer them better or for more people at one time through video? Or what about a great perk that potential candidates don't get to see until they walk in the door? Show that to applicants on video!
Hearing from a company's employees about why it's a great place to work is much more powerful than seeing it written on a job post or watching an over-produced video featuring a company's CEO. After all, a company's employees are often its strongest advocates. Applicants want to hear from current job holders before applying for your company.
Video can help to illuminate what makes your company a great place to work in a way that feels authentic and natural to consumers.
And with the powerful results you'll get from video, Gen Z won't be the only one who prefers that communication method. Companies who utilize video in their recruiting efforts can expect 8x the views compared to other companies' video-less recruiting content.
But using video doesn't just get you more views and more applies. It gets more job-seekers to apply who know why they want to work for you. Because video gives viewers a more in-depth look at what working at your company would be like, job-seekers can more accurately discern whether or not they really want to work for your company.
And the benefits continue beyond there. If you do offer one of these applicants a position, there's a higher conversion rate. Job seekers feel reassured by the transparency that comes with video and tend to be more confident about accepting a job at your company.
Gen Z values authenticity in everything they do. In the same way they want a social media presence that reflects who they truly are, they want to work at a company that reflects their values. That means they need an accurate idea of the type of company they're applying for before they even apply. They likely won't waste time putting in an application for your company if you don't communicate your company's values. That can be hard to do through dry text-only job posts. Video is a much better way to communicate authentically with potential applicants.
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