Insights from Recruiters Websites

Why Recruiting Websites Lose Millennials and Why It Matters

recruiting-websites-lose-millennials

There is perhaps no buzzword used with more trepidation and contempt than millennials. Images of bearded hipsters bringing two dogs and a papoose-bound newborn to the workplace haunt hiring managers and recruiters. And while that image may sometimes be reality, it doesn’t alter the greater reality. Millennials are the pool of candidates you will be dipping into now and for the foreseeable future. Failure to accept this is why too many recruiting websites lose millennials. For the sake of argument, we will reference the Strauss and Howe range for millennials, which as of publication date, is ages 13-35. There is quite a bit of debate regarding the edges of that range, but there is little denying that the much-maligned millennials are the present and future workforce.

 

Our focus at Recruiters Websites is to help our clients develop a digital ecosystem that is dynamic and effective. Many of our clients are concerned with how best to reach and approach millennials. We have focused on three major issues that often turn millennials off to a recruiter's web presence.

 

Not Responsive

 

Functionality is king, and in the world of websites, responsiveness is the throne on which it sits. To clarify, responsiveness refers to the appearance of the website across the browsers and devices used by today’s audience.Many recruiting websites lose millennials because they simply don’t mesh with the devices millennials are using. For every job search done on a desktop browser, two are performed on a mobile device. Millennials will back out of your outdated site before your Flash plugin has a chance to load. For millennials, the desktop version of a website on a mobile device indicates an outdated business.

 

Not Modern

 

We too often see recruiting websites lose millennials, as well as other groups, because of a lack to accept the norms of modernization. Sometimes a classic approach to your website’s design can have its own appeal, and we certainly aren’t suggesting to abandon a more traditional design scheme, if that scheme is relevant to your company’s messaging and still meets the functionality needs of the website. However, a lack of faith in the intuitiveness of today’s users can make your website come across as outdated and unaccommodating. Recruiting websites lose millennials too often because they miss the aesthetic mark, not just in the visual appeal of the site but also in operational designs therein.

 

Not Authentic

 

Openly pandering is the quickest way to lose your millennial audience. Millennials are the generational group most likely to reject their label. Millennials don’t like being called millennials. This can make creating compelling content that connects with without being too obvious a little difficult. As the old saying goes:  “The main thing is Honesty. Fake that and you’ve got it made.”

In all seriousness, don’t manufacture authenticity. Just be honest and speak to millennials plainly and directly. There are a few suggestions that can make honest content more targeted. Make your content more conversational by using personal pronouns like you and your. This makes your message seem more personal. Making your content too slang-ridden or immature, however, can quickly deter millennials.

 

It can seem difficult to navigate the millennial waters, but ultimately recruiting websites lose millennials because they are either trying to hard or not at all. Avoid this by creating modern, functional websites that speak to the user honestly and plainly, but not unprofessionally. Recruiters Websites understands millennials. Some of us might even be millennials (sorry). This makes us an exceptional ally. Our personal experience provides us with the perspective your firm needs to connect with clients and candidates.

Cole Windler

Cole Windler is a copywriter and SEO expert. He uses his creative writing background to create fresh, compelling and customized content for Recruiters Websites clients.

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