The “tried and tested” approaches you’ve been applying to your recruiting efforts are no longer relevant for today’s top millennial talents. They might have worked some years ago when the information wasn’t as accessible as they are today, and when millennials didn’t make up the overwhelming majority of the workforce.

The top talents of this generation don’t just have different demands and expectations of their employers; they have also adapted their behavior of how they look for jobs. Failing to keep up with these demands ultimately means losing out on some of the best talents out there. 

Here are nine statistics to get you on your way to recalibrating your recruiting strategies for today’s talents:

1. 93% of job seekers want to be thorough and informed about all aspects of a company before accepting an offer
   The days of solely looking at the hard facts of the job offer (designation, benefits, and salary) are gone. Topics most dear to the hearts of today’s top talents are career development opportunities, a clear mission, accessible leadership, and work-life balance.
2. 80% of the information talents use are from sources other than the company itself
   Look at it this way, would you buy something from Amazon without checking out reviews? Whether it’s scrolling through Glassdoor, connecting with ex-employees on LinkedIn, or reaching out to personal contacts, talents will exhaust all possible channels to get the lowdown on the company they’re interviewing with.
3. 76% of candidates agree that information on job ads are not sufficient
   Insights into the company culture, salary brackets, actual working hours, professional development opportunities, or reviews from current employees are some of the information most candidates find lacking in proper detail in most job ads. This means they don’t know if the position is a good fit for them and either apply for the wrong position or, worse, don’t apply for an open position.
4. 75% of recruiters say it’s easier to attract top talents when they know of or about an organization
   The more brand visibility you have, the higher the chances of getting good people to join your team - so you need to get your brand out there and make talents aware of what a great employer you are. Investing in innovative employer branding strategies with trusted partners can completely change the outlook and appeal of your company.
5. 75% of job seekers would carefully assess a company’s employer brand before applying for a job
   They want to be able to identify with the company they choose to work for - employees are essentially walking (and working) brand ambassadors of their company.
6. 75% of job candidates say the look and feel of a job post has influenced their decision to apply
   As arbitrary as this may seem, readability and the design of your job listing on your site is key. Bad design and clusters of texts are going to be a hindrance to getting top talents to click on the “apply now” button.
7. 59% use social media to research the company culture of organizations they are interested in
   This digitally savvy generation has the world of social media in their hands, and you should be investing in showcasing your company culture on these platforms. Young people want to feel part of a community, and work, where we spend a third of our lives, is no exception. If you’re hosting Friday drinks at work, signing up for a marathon as a team, or doing some volunteer work for the holidays, make use of this opportunity to share it with your social media followers. It might just lead to your next top hire.
8. 57% of candidates reported that employers fail to share important information such as ‘day-in-the-life’ stories
   A job title and description only yield so much insight into what it truly means to work in a particular position. Getting into the nitty-gritty of a role can actually increase your chances of finding the best possible candidate for the job.
9. 34x is how much more views videos attract
   It’s simple, videos are and will always be more effective in conveying tone, attitude, and personality. So it’s only normal that the click rate for a video is higher than that of someone reading content off your site. On top of that, we’re more likely to retain information from a video when we engage both our sense of sight and hearing. 

The one-size-fits-all recruiting strategies of yesteryear need to stay just there. For today’s top employers looking to get ahead of the talent acquisition game, you need to clearly define your audience and direct all tactics to engage and attract them. An innovative and relevant employer branding strategy conceptualized with trusted and knowledgeable partners will go a long way in position your organization as the dream employer for talents. 

But it doesn’t end there. There needs to be effective communication between recruiters and hiring managers to ensure that the information provided about jobs, the company, and workplace culture aligns with the interests of candidates, and therefore, attracts these talents. This includes incorporating an attractive design that says you’re in the know of what technologically savvy applicants are looking for and want to be identified with.