Finding the right candidates for seasonal or part-time roles never gets easier. Especially when you’re targeting students who may have just moved in from other cities, juggle school commitments, and still look for work-life balance.
Whether you’re an HR manager or a business owner, we’ve got six tactful strategies that you can use to recruit students effectively, and also stand out from other local businesses. These modern strategies will help you recruit eager student workers.
These tips will have you filling those shifts in no time. Let’s dive in!
1. Easy to Use Job Portals
With time spent online for Gen Z averaging a shocking 10 hours a day, having a digital-first approach for recruiting students is essential.
Online job portals are a must for any recruitment strategy, particularly when it comes to reaching tech-savvy students. Gone are the days of newspaper job postings or putting a sign out front to get applications. Especially if students come from out of town, they won’t have the opportunity to be exposed to traditional forms of recruitment marketing and probably won’t have printed CV’s on them.
Posting job openings on proximity-based recruitment platforms like Evolia can dramatically increase your chances of finding the right candidates. It allows you to post openings specifically targeting local job seekers while also being able to collect walk-in applications.
The portal’s proximity-based search feature ensures you’re reaching students who are just around the corner, ready to jump into a shift between classes.
Recommended Reading: How to List a Business and Recruit from Evolia
2. Student Ambassador Marketing
Posting your jobs online sometimes isn’t enough to stand out if you’ve got larger recruitment needs. If you really want to make waves on campus, consider setting up a student ambassador program.
This is more than just a marketing tactic—it’s a way to create real connections with the students and local community. Student ambassadors act as your on-the-ground team, spreading the word about your business in a way that connects to your hiring goals.
Ambassador programs typically are used for product sales but they can also be amazing for recruitment, as you’re presenting an opportunity for the right student.
Finding Student Ambassadors
Starting with just two enthusiastic students can be incredibly effective. Begin by identifying students who may be already familiar with your brand—maybe they follow you on Instagram or you see them come into your store now and then. Or ask your existing employees or contacts at local schools to recommend students who might be a good fit. Then reach out!
Make an Appealing Offer
Next, we’ll need to make the offer appealing. To attract students to be ambassadors, emphasize the unique benefits of becoming a student ambassador. These could include gaining free or discounted items from your shop, commissions for recruitment efforts, and low-commitment requirements.
From there you can help consistently recruit students at scale from the help of other students.
3. Pair Social Media with Virtual Events
When it comes to reaching students, you need to be using social media, no excuses! Platforms like TikTok and Snapchat aren’t just for fun, they can be great tools for connecting with students that need jobs.
Combine Virtual Open Houses with Social Media
To make this effective now, try combining your social media presence with Virtual Open Houses to help attract the right students who are looking for work. The great thing about these open houses, it allows you to do in-depth Q&A sessions or behind-the-scenes tours that give students a real taste of what it’s like to work at your business.
It’s all about making the important information about your business easily accessible on these platforms, so you can reach who you need, where they are.
Recommended Reading: 4 Ways to Successfully Recruit New Employees
4. Offer Student-friendly Benefits and Work Flexibility
Students have a lot on their plate and these competing priorities often conflict with working for your company. Between classes, assignments, and exams, they require a job that fits around their schedule, not the other way around. A beneficial way to combat this is with work benefits that align to these busy schedules.
Think about offering perks like tuition assistance, study breaks, or even academic leave. And don’t forget about flexible scheduling. It’s all about centering the benefits around your target’s needs.
Tuition Assistance and Scholarships
While this benefit can cost more, it’ll also help retain staff longer. You may even get repeat student staff for the season year-over-year until they graduate. These programs can ease the financial burden of student debt, making it very motivating for students to apply and work for your business.
Flexible Work Schedules
Shift flexibility is a must. Allowing open shifts, adjusted start and end times, etc. We highly recommend using a scheduling app that lets students pick up shifts on short notice or swap shifts with co-workers, providing them with the autonomy to manage their time effectively while making sure your needs remains covered.
Also, plan ahead for exam periods so you can reduce hours without penalty, and look to fill this time with another part-time or full-time staff member. This foresight will give potential candidates peace of mind that their employer is willing to accommodate their needs.
There are many other benefits you can offer like dental plans, paid study time, financial planning assistance, and other traditional benefits. Be sure to make it student-centric and also avoid duplicating the same benefits already offered by their school.
5. Partner with the Local Schools
Ultimately, building strong relationships with local schools can be the best long-term partnership for student recruitment. Whether it’s through career-day involvement, guest lectures, or event sponsorships, these partnerships not only help you connect with students but also position your business as a supportive and engaged member of the community.
The first step in partnering with local schools is to establish strong relationships with key staff, like school administrators, career services staff, and faculty members who are directly involved with students.
Try reaching out to the career services department to set up an initial meeting. You can begin by discussing if they have any opportunities for businesses to get involved and help the students. This will help you find out if there are partnership opportunities to add value to the school and get potential students to work for your business.
Recommended Reading: 28 Fun Pre-Screening Interview Questions for Shift Workers
6. Offer At-School Mentorship & Community Training Programs
Outside of the campus or classroom, mentorship or training programs amongst the community can also be a great way to engage with potential candidates.
You can still attract and work with certain age-groups who may be interested in coming to work for you one day. The best part? These programs are about more than just recruiting. They’re about giving back to the community and helping students develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce.
Plus, mentorship and training opportunities allow students to experience your company culture firsthand. People get to see how you work with others and experience that first-hand. Which can be instrumental in their decision to apply.
Final Thoughts
Recruiting student workers doesn’t have to be a headache every semester. By implementing even one or two of these strategies with a long-term outlook, you can create a recruitment process that’s not only effective but also adds value to the community.
Not only that, you can recruit students that’ll want to stay with the company over the course of their entire program. Long term staff retention!
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