Companies today are putting more thought into developing their employer brand to stand out from competitors and attract the best talents to their workforce. An effective recruitment campaign targeting students requires careful planning and a strategic approach.
It is important to build a positive and appealing brand, utilize diverse channels, create engaging job advertisements, and offer meaningful internship opportunities. Here are some tips to create a recruitment campaign that will appeal to job seekers.
1. Build an attractive brand
Construct an employer brand that resonates with students. Highlight your organization’s values, culture, growth opportunities, and other attractive factors. Incorporate employees’ voices into the recruitment process and let them share their own stories. Remember, employer branding is an ongoing process and not just limited to the campaign period!
2. Define your target audience
Determine the types of students you want to reach and the skills and qualities suitable for the open positions in your organization. Consider factors such as the field of study, degree level, and expected performance. Understand the needs, interests, and expectations of your target audience regarding the working life.
3. Utilize channels effectively
Make use of various channels to reach students. Social media, university collaborations, recruitment events, student organizations, and career services are excellent ways to engage with students. Find out where your target audience is studying and choose channels accordingly.
4. Craft attractive job ads
Write clear and captivating job advertisements that describe the open positions and the benefits offered by your organization. Emphasize learning and development opportunities, interesting tasks and projects, and a positive work atmosphere. Use targeted keywords that appeal to students, such as trainee, internship, summer job, or junior. Remember that personality should show in job advertisements. Read about the clichés that you should avoid in job advertisements.
5. Use visual elements
Visual elements like images and videos can enhance the appeal of recruitment materials. Use visuals that convey your organization’s culture and work environment. Consider organizing a photo shoot with your employees at the workplace and use those images in your campaign materials.
6. Offer internships
Providing internship opportunities is an excellent way to spark students’ interest and give them firsthand experience of your organization. In the best-case scenario, interns may become valuable long-term assets to your company. Create attractive internship programs that offer valuable learning experiences and practical work opportunities.
7. Build relationships with educational institutions
Establish collaborations with educational institutions. Participate in career events, give guest lectures, or offer personalized mentoring and coaching to students. By building connections with educational institutions, you can increase your visibility and reach potential students. Participating in Tuudo’s recruitment fairs is also an excellent way to introduce your company to students.
8. Collect testimonials
Testimonials from students can be highly convincing in recruitment materials. Ask satisfied former interns and employees about their experiences with your organization and use their testimonials in your marketing.
9. Remember active communication and follow-up
Keep in touch with students throughout the entire recruitment process. Ensure that you respond promptly to questions and inquiries. Clearly communicate the next steps in the process and keep applicants informed.
10. Gather feedback and continuously improve
Evaluate the results of your recruitment campaign and identify areas for improvement. Collect feedback from students during the recruitment process and at various events to refine your recruitment strategy further.
Are you planning a recruitment campaign for students? Get in touch, and we will help you reach students all over Finland!