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According to a report by Forbes, Gen Zs are expected to make up about a whopping 27% of the workforce by 2025, and soon, they’ll surpass millennials as the most populous generation. If you aren’t actively pursuing fresh grads now, you’ll not only have to contend with the challenges of an ageing workforce; you’ll also be missing out on the new and innovative insights and skill sets that often come from new graduates eager to prove themselves on the job. That being said, just because you’re open to hiring fresh grads doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guaranteed to get top talent joining your ranks. Plus, with increased competition from other companies, changing market conditions and differing priorities when job-hunting, you’ll need a new game plan to attract the right Gen Z candidates for your organisation.

Stumped about where to start? Here are 5 branding strategies you can use to get you on the right track:

1. The early bird gets the worm (like, really early)

It’s not enough to just focus your attention on current graduates; you should also extend your recruitment network to future ones too. You can start by connecting with students in their first or second year to help increase your brand awareness. Rather than sticking to just digital interactions, find ways to interact with them directly, such as by hosting roadshows or conducting company talks. By getting a headstart and making a good first impression, students will not only be more likely to remember you, but they too can help spread the word about your company as a potential employer to their friends, thus widening your influence.

2. Make your social presence known

Social media isn’t just an affordable way to promote your company without breaking the bank; it’s also one of the best ways to directly reach out to Gen Z talent. Whether it’s sharing videos about working life, candid Q&As with employees or sharing hints about the company’s next big venture, keep your audience engaged and the traction going.

3. Work culture matters

For fresh grads, the criteria for their first job tend to be more than just pay and company prestige. Rather, most of them look out for companies with strong, inclusive work culture. If that’s something your company is proud of, now’s the time to flaunt it. Do you offer flexible hours? A plentiful pantry? Opportunities for team bonding? Emphasising it on your job descriptions and social media platforms could attract your kind of fresh grad hires.

Ultimately, this allows them to take note of what makes your organisation unique and gives them a chance to compare their priorities when job-hunting with your company’s values. Fostering a healthy amount of transparency towards students is also a good way to easily help them understand your workplace culture.

4. Offer up internship opportunities

It might sound a little contradictory to offer internships when you’re looking to hire full-timers, but it can make good business sense to do so. Notably, graduates are more likely to want to continue working at the same company after completing their internship. When done right, this investment will result in a new hire who’s not only well-versed in their role, but is already a good fit culture-wise. This means less time spent on matters like onboarding and a lower chance of a social mismatch in the workplace.

5. Take campus career fairs seriously

Sometimes, you can find potential candidates for your company by chance, and that includes career fairs. So if you plan on attending one, go in with a proper plan in mind; figure out what makes you stand out from your competitors and capitalise on it. Whether it's your strong workplace culture, excellent benefits or highly-coveted career development programmes, flaunt it and do it well. Bring your best people to the event too; not just recruiters and hiring managers. Staff who are alumni are a good choice, as it’ll be easier for them to connect with students to share more about their working experience at the company.

Genuine effort pays off

Cultivating a strong brand presence isn’t always easy, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated or costly. Rather, authenticity is what matters, and this applies to all of your efforts; be it chatting up students on campus or creating new social media content. So long as you come across as genuine and enthusiastic, they’ll be more willing to not just get to know your company, but also potentially consider you as their dream employer!