University Recruiting Playbook
Win The Game. Start Engaging Today.
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WePow / University Recruiting Playbook
University Recruiting Playbook
Every company has struggled at some point with recruiting university students or recent
college graduates. This can be blamed on all sorts of things: budget, resources, and even
time. But let’s stop making excuses. Today’s market is more competitive than ever and in
order to compete in the game, organizations need to drop the blame and get with university
recruiting. It’s simply too crucial a market to ignore.
Many strategies exist for university recruiting. Most of them miss one simple thing -- failure to
ask the right questions. Asking the right questions means getting into the minds of students
and being able to identify and relate. Think about what they're seeking and ask what they need
to transition from student to professional. Let the answers and inspiration guide your candidate
experience.
It’s pivotal to remember that we live in an age where all of us are inundated with information
-- information that is constantly vying for our attention. The same is true for students. More
than ever strategic communication is a must. Organizations have to set themselves apart and
put forth a message that cuts through the clutter. They have to strive to make an
emotional connection with people. It just so happens that the people in question are
students and recent grads.
Real, emotional connections only happen when you know who it is you want to reach and how
to communicate with them. In this case, the “who” is university talent. When you know what
they like, what they’re worried about, and what gets their juices flowing, you unlock the key to
connection! Want to play the game in a way that positions you to make real connections with
lasting, impactful results? If you answered “yes”, this playbook is for you.
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WePow / University Recruiting Playbook
Table of Contents
LACE ‘EM UP
-or- Have An Employer Brand That Kicks Butt
HUDDLE UP
-or- Get In The Minds of Students
RUN THE ROUTE
-or- Go The Distance For Biggest Impact
COVER THE FIELD
-or- Be In The Right Places
CALL AN AUDIBLE
-or- Make Strategic Changes That Matter
GO FOR TWO POINTS
-or- Use Logic And The Less Obvious
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LACE ‘EM UP
-or- Have An Employer Brand That Kicks Butt
Know Your Opportunity.
Recruiting used to be more like scouting, a single-faceted approach, personal to each recruiter.
The “how” simply wasn’t as important as making sure it was done and meeting bottom lines.
Most of it happened locally and in person. It goes without saying that the internet has
completely revolutionized this approach, opening the door to many ways of getting in the
game. Modern recruiting is mobile, global, and personal. The ability of candidates to research
your company before you even know they exist means the process starts long before any
connection with a candidate is made.
Market Don’t Recruit.
Today, recruiting is marketing. When you’re in talent acquisition, you represent your company
everywhere you are at all times. This includes the places you hang out online. To make the
most of this heightened exposure, organizations need to develop overall brand messaging
that appeals not just to customers, but to candidates as well. The key to branding is knowing
what differentiates you from your competitors. So know what makes you awesome and
different, and develop an employer brand that highlights these things. Convey a story that is
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Live Your Brand.
Once your employer brand is rocking, recruiters must embrace the brand and carry the torch!
They are your living, breathing brand story. The more powerful the brand message and the
more it is embraced by recruiters and every employee in your organization, the more successful
your efforts will be.
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WePow / University Recruiting Playbook
HUDDLE UP
-or- Get In The Minds Of Students
See Your Target.
Once your employer brand is established, your next play is knowing your target employee. Get
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of not just reaching students, but the right students.
Establish Relationships.
How do we learn about other people? How do we learn what others need and want? It starts
with having a relationship. When you know who your ideal candidate is and you have a good
idea of the schools they come from, reach out to those universities and build relationships.
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university/college programs. Immerse yourself wherever you can in the communities or
social organizations that students might be involved in.
Be Ready With Answers.
Transitioning from school to the world of work is a scary thing. The set of concerns and questions
of this demographic will be different from, say, recruiting a “30-something.” Educational
culture has shaped their attitudes, expectations and behaviors for the last four years. Accordingly,
they’re still in the mindset of a student, focused on their development and growth, and they’ll
want to see how you are committed to the continuation of that process.
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RUN THE ROUTE
-or- Go The Distance For Biggest Impact
Be Transparent.
The best thing you can do for students is to be transparent about what it means to work for
your organization. Communicate values, mission, expectations and do it in a way that’s easy
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descriptions of the role -- including everything from daily routine to what part of the job might
be tough.
Educate And Inspire.
Since these candidates are coming out of school and likely don’t know about your organization,
the best way to get them onboard with your brand is to educate them! How can you
communicate your story in an inspiring and memorable way? What stories will you tell? Your
goal is for students to picture themselves working at your company. Tell visual stories of
successful alumni who’ve done just that. Better yet, get those successful alumni to tell it for you.
Lead With Meaningful Work.
In addition to telling alumni stories, tell the story of your company in the bigger world. How is
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What events or programs does your organization take part in to help the community, the
world, be a better place? Create a big picture and communicate it. Young people are ambitious
and interested in changing the world. The more you can attach meaning to your organization,
the more of an impact you’ll make with them.
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COVER THE FIELD
-or- Be In The Right Places
Go Local.
Career fairs are a must. There’s nothing like face-to-face communication with the schools in
your locale. It’s important to establish your organization in the community beyond the career
fair, too. Volunteer, offer workshops, and build your reputation as an organization that is present,
active and giving back -- in as many places as possible.
Use Technology.
When you can’t be there in person or you have a small talent acquisition team or university
recruiting team with limited resources, don’t worry. Technology is your big gun. You can be
competitive with bigger companies by using tools like WePow’s video interviewing solutions
(WePow. Screen), which cannot only help expand your reach with schools where you are
unable to have a physical presence but also help grow your brand in an authentic and meaningful
way. When you are at career fairs, use tools like WePow's career microsites (WePow. Brand)
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Students and recent graduates love technology, so use it to your advantage!
Leverage Social Media.
Keep speaking the language of students by leveraging social media. Make sure students
A talent community on LinkedIn? Students may not be ready to work for you right now, but
they will be ready to connect. Engage them through email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc..
Follow up on every conversation. You never know when you’ll be tweeting with your next
summer Intern or next year’s class of new hires!
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WePow / University Recruiting Playbook
CALL AN AUDIBLE
-or- Make Strategic Changes That Matter
Be Creative.
Whatever tools and strategy you implement, one thing you must be is creative! And we’re not
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employees.
Be Mobile.
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They are the tastemakers of our time. Keeping up with them is crucial to an all-over powerful
recruiting strategy. Create a company magazine or a company mobile app. Offer text messaging
as a way to stay in touch and initiate campaigns that keep students engaged. Go where these
candidates are, be mobile, and you are sure to not just attract but also increase your talent
pool.
Be Persistent.
This is possibly one of the most crucial and often over looked plays. It’s not only important in
this digital age that you press forward with your efforts, it is a must. Stay ahead of digital
communication trends and demonstrate to employees that you are a company that embraces
change and evolves with time. Attract, engage, and inspire these students often – do so
where they are and in a way that stays with them. It isn’t enough to attend career-fairs and
post job openings anymore. Companies that stand out and “stay in touch” have a higher
success rate with this unique demographic.
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WePow / University Recruiting Playbook
GO FOR TWO POINTS
-or- Use Logic And The Less Obvious
There is only one play here. Switch up your strategy. Change may seem risky to some, but the
real risk is falling behind and not connecting with the talent you need. You have to stand apart
if you’re going to make the most impact. Do that. Know your brand, create a compelling story,
and live it. Be memorable, be bold, and go mobile. Embrace technology and use it to your
advantage. And above all else -- be brave and get started! The game waits for no one and the
clock is ticking!
About WePow.
WePow is a global leader in recruitment communication, offering breadth, depth, and a
personal touch to attracting talent. WePow’s scalable and customizable video and mobile
recruitment solutions simplify the way talent acquisition goals are achieved. Our innovative
clients are increasing their productivity, improving their efficiency, and significantly reducing
their interviewing cost, while improving the quality of their engagement with candidates. At
WePow, we translate human interactions into amazing experiences!
For more tips and tricks for using technology to attract and communicate at the university
level, visit www.wepow.com and click “Free Demo” or email a WePow solutions consultant at:
[email protected] today!
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