No matter your industry or company, success at work begins with hiring the right people. Having a great team around you is the key to reaching your goals and taking your organisation forward. However, many recruiters and managers are still using outdated hiring practices.
Young people can be an amazing asset to your team. Energetic, enthusiastic, and forward-thinking, they can bring a wide array of attributes to the table. In today’s article, we will share some of our best-practice tips for hiring great young talent.
Get the Job Description Right
The first step in finding the right person or people for your team lies in writing a great job description. It should accurately reflect the purpose, responsibilities, and key tasks of the role. If you have not revisited the job description in a while, do so before you start taking applications.
A great job description is clear, specific, and written in plain language. Keep it short and to the point, as your prospective candidates are busy and likely applying for several different jobs. You should also outline any essential skills and prior experience and what it takes to succeed in the role.
Prioritise Potential Over Experience
Remember that many young people will be applying for jobs straight from school, college, or university. This means that they may not have as much prior experience as older candidates, which can make it hard for them to get a foot in the door. Don’t let a lack of prior experience deter you from giving a young applicant a chance.
Experience can be helpful, but we believe potential is much more important. Instead of hiring someone who has done a similar job before, consider giving an opportunity to an enthusiastic young person who is hard-working and eager to learn.
Look at Soft Skills
Hard skills are the specific abilities or expertise required to do a job. For example, knowing a particular programming language or understanding how to use a piece of software are hard skills. While they are important, looking at soft skills can also help you to hire exceptional young talent for your team.
Soft skills are those attributes that are harder to teach but that can make or break a team. Things like teamwork, communication, work ethic, critical thinking, and problem solving all come under the umbrella of soft skills. Give these at least as much weight as hard skills in your hiring, if not more.
Advertise in the Right Places
If you want to attract young talent, your job ad needs to appear in the places those young people will look. The vast majority of job hunting takes place online nowadays, so it’s vital to make sure your ad is findable online.
Your job ad is likely to appear on your company website’s “Work With Us” section. You might also upload it to LinkedIn and to job search sites such as Indeed, Reed, and Monster. If you are looking to attract young people, it can also be smart to advertise on social media. Consider using sponsored ads to target young people with relevant interests and qualifications in your geographical area (or more broadly if the job is remote).
Another great way to get the word out is to approach your local further education colleges and universities. Many have a system for advertising available positions to students and graduates who are looking for work. And, of course, you can always advertise on our Opportunity Finder board once you sign up for Youth Employment UK Membership.
Be Inclusive
Diversity can be one of your team’s greatest strengths. But to recruit and work with a truly diverse team, you need to be inclusive in your approach.
Even quite subtle details can make a big difference when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Here are a few things you might want to be wary of:
- Use gender-neutral language (e.g. “The post holder will…” rather than “He/she will…”)
- Make sure that any “must haves” listed in the job description are truly essential. Studies have shown that men will apply for jobs when they meet around 60% of the requirements, while women will hesitate unless they meet 100%.
- Avoid terms that can come across as gender-coded, even unintentionally. This includes terms such as “rockstar” and “guru”.
- Do not insist upon higher qualifications, such as degrees, unless they are absolutely essential. Many young people, particularly those from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, are less able to access higher education but can still be a huge asset to your team.
- List a salary (or at least a range). Applicants from disadvantaged groups, such as women and people of colour, are less likely to negotiate on salary at the offer stage. This often results in them being paid less than their white male counterparts.
- Use plain English and eliminate jargon as much as possible.
- When you invite an applicant to interview, explicitly ask whether they require any adjustments or accommodations.
Offer Flexible Working Arrangements
Talented young people are looking for more than just a competitive salary. More and more are also seeking out remote, hybrid, and flexible working arrangements that fit around their other commitments and allow them to seek out a better work/life balance.
Are you open to working patterns such as atypical hours, flexitime, part-time working, or job-shares? If so, mention this in your job advertisement and again at the interview stage. When you are flexible with your young workers, they will show up as their best selves and consistently work hard for you.
