How To Lose A Candidate In 10 Days

Foolproof ways for employers to avoid getting dumped by the class of 2023

By Christy Spilka, iCIMS

The job search is in full force for recent college graduates. They’ve worked hard for their degree –during a pandemic – and are looking to enter a professional relationship with your company.

In fact, iCIMS’ recent survey found more than a third (35%) are looking for a long-term career path and a place they can grow well into the future.

Don’t start shopping for rings just yet though. Just because they’re looking for a commitment doesn’t mean that getting these new graduates to fall in love with your company will be an easy feat. According to our Class of 2023 Report, this incoming crop of talent isn’t taking any chances after years of “unprecedented changes,” and they’re taking matters into their own hands with a new rulebook for their entry-level job search.

Just like in the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” you’ll find that with a little bit of effort (or lack thereof), it’s easy to make even the most dedicated candidates run in the opposite direction. As your company opens the doors to the Class of 2023 and fills your entry-level openings, be sure to take a page from Kate Hudson’s book. Below are some ways you might be losing out on Gen Z talent in ten days or less, guaranteed (and steps you can take to avoid getting dumped):

Day 1: Leave Salary Ranges Out of Your Job Postings.

After a turbulent few years, entry-level talent literally can’t afford any more surprises. College seniors (43%) even admitted that they wouldn’t apply for a job if the salary range wasn’t included in the job posting. If you are looking to hire entry-level talent, it’s up to you to be transparent throughout the candidate experience when it comes to salary. This also means going beyond the baseline.

Salary shouldn’t be buried in a long-winded job description. Bring the salary front and center so it can’t be missed. Lack of transparency about salary is a dealbreaker for Gen Z, so check your postings to ensure the salary is easy to find.

Day 2: Keep Them in the Dark Throughout the Hiring Experience.

The interview process is infamous for being exhausting and anxiety-inducing for many candidates. However, expectations for the interview process for the Class of 2023 are pretty high, with two-thirds expecting the entire process, from application to offer, to take about only three weeks. Recruiters, on the other hand, know that this may be unrealistic. Keep your candidates engaged before they grow impatient. Send them regular updates throughout the process, even via text, so they know that their candidacy is still top of mind. The less you leave them in the dark during the process, the more likely they’ll be to stay in it to win it.

Day 3: Use Outdated, Irrelevant Content to Promote Your Open Roles and Culture.

Gen Z is the first digitally native generation, so it makes sense that this generation would use social media to advance their careers. According to the report, half of Gen Z job seekers use social media apps like Tik Tok to learn about a company’s culture. No, you don’t need to learn the latest dance trend, but you can (and should) leverage this medium to give a better glimpse into what you have to offer. Companies like Uber create employee video testimonials to attract early career candidates, helping to peel back the corporate curtain and show graduates what working there is all about. Rather than long-winded job descriptions, candidates can watch videos on your career site and get an employee perspective from real team members to learn more about your company and the role.

2023 might still seem a little high, it’s important to have transparent conversations upfront about salary expectations and salary ranges to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Day 5: Provide a Benefits Package They Can Refuse.

While Gen Z does expect a higher salary, the truth is that salary is not the end-all, be-all. Aside from this, recent graduates want an employer that will champion their quality of life holistically. This includes benefits for financial, physical and mental wellness. College students revealed the top benefits they are seeking are: Bonuses or overtime pay for working more hours than contracted (50%), 401(k)/401(k) matching (42%), financial advisory programs (34%) and student loan repayment programs (28%).

Day 4:

Offer a Non-competitive Salary. They might be fresh out of college, but that doesn’t mean the Class of 2023 won’t be looking for a competitive offer. Recent grads expect an average salary of nearly $66,500, over $8,000 more than employers expect to pay entry-level candidates. You may think this is an overreach, but the reality is that college grads have actually tempered their expectations as they prepare to enter a more turbulent economy. Last year, 2022 grads expected a starting salary of more than $70,000. While salary expectations for the Class of

Day 6: Drag Out the Interview Process.

Where do you draw the line in the number of interviews in a hiring process? According to Americans, the ideal number of interviews for a job is three. Anything more, and you might risk your candidate becoming frustrated with the process, and even possibly losing interest in moving forward. When interviewing your candidate, make the most of their time. Ensure that every interviewer has a purpose in the interview process for the role you’re filling. Also, try to consolidate interviews where you can, without overwhelming the candidate with too many people on the line. Respect their time, and they’ll respect yours.

Day 7: Demonstrate Your Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Through Words, Not Actions.

This incoming class of talent is part of a generation that is composed 50% of people of color, and only two-thirds identify as exclusively heterosexual. As they search for their first employer, the Class of 2023 wants to work for a company as diverse as they are with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. But this will require true action on your company’s part, not just promises. When evaluating a company’s commitment to DEI, 2023 college seniors are looking for: diversity showcased during the hiring/interview process (46%), diversity represented in employee pictures on your career site, social media pages, etc. (46%), employee-led groups aimed at fostering DEI (45%) and diversity among company leaders (43%).

Day 8: Expect a Seasoned Professional Right Out of College.

We’ve all seen that job opening before. You know, the one expecting six years of experience for an entry-level role? The reality is that internships alone aren’t cutting it for entry-level jobs anymore. In fact, almost 90% of HR pros said they require entry-level candidates to have some experience — with 26% expecting three or more years’ experience and 21% reporting that it can’t come from internships. While every role requires a different level of experience, employers must evaluate what experience is truly necessary to succeed in the role. If the bar is set too high, you might risk out on top talent with an ability to grow their career with you.

Day 9: Deprioritize Mental Health.

Expectations around mental health support at work remain a consistent trend, with more than 40% of this year’s graduating class expecting their employer to support their mental health and participate in open conversations. Aside from managers having regular conversations about mental health with their team members, more than half (54%) of college seniors value flexible work hours as a top perk.

Day 10: Don’t Invest in Their Career Growth.

Gen Z has been through the ringer the last several years, with college experiences upended and internships canceled. Now, the one thing they are craving –and need – the most from their first job is stability. The majority (65%) of college seniors care about how long they stay with an employer, and more than a third (35%) are looking for a long-term career path and a place they can grow well into the future. Give the Class of 2023 a sense of stability by having regular, open conversations around career growth with them so they can see what a future with your organization could look like. This starts with the hiring process. Talk with candidates about career mobility and how this role can help them shape their careers.

If you’ve reached day 10 and followed all of the steps, your Gen Z candidate should be long gone by now. But that’s not how the story ended for Matthew McConaughey, right?

In all seriousness, as easy as it is to have Gen Z running for the hills, it’s just as easy to take the necessary steps to attract this generation of candidates and win the race for entry-level talent. Avoid making these mistakes, and you’ll soon find that your relationship with Gen Z will be better than those in any movie.

Christy Spilka is the Vice President, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, at iCIMS. Spilka is responsible for leading the global talent acquisition strategy and team, ensuring that iCIMS has the right people on the right teams to achieve business success. Spilka also serves as the board president of the Association of Talent Acquisition Professionals (ATAP), continuing to partner with talent professionals around the globe to advance talent acquisition. With more than 20 years of experience, Spilka is a passionate and avid supporter of providing top-notch talent experiences.

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