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The pandemic has changed student engagement in a number of different ways. Virtual has become a norm &#8211; to attract as well as assess students. And it seems that employers are determined not to go back to old methods, but to embrace a more hybrid model. But this means different kinds of challenges &#8211; breaking through the digital noise, grabbing the passers-by, reaching out to diverse audiences and creating connected experiences that students want to be part of. We are here to support employers and help them transform engagement &#8211; from school years to graduate alumni, from initial contact to webinars, social engagement and more.

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Get ready for amazing virtual campus experiences

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Employability Roundtable

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is possibly the biggest challenge and opportunity facing the majority of organisations. We work with employers to engage diverse audiences, build strong communities, create peer to peer content and run events that put a spotlight on what DE&amp;I means to organisations and to their people.
Talk to us about:
• DE&amp;I insight 
• Targeting and campaigns 
• Content 
• DE&amp;I events 
• Influencers

DE&I

Today social is a way of life.  It influences our decisions in everything we do, from the music we listen to, to the food we eat. Talent brands need to socially immersed, creating and co-creating content, engaging with students, standing up for what they believe in, and showing the culture and values of the organisation.
Talk to us about:
<ul>
<li>Social media strategy</li>
<li>Content development</li>
<li>Social management</li>
<li>Influencers</li>
<li>Social measurement</li>
</ul>

Social

We are a brand and engagement agency; so we focus heavily on how a brand story can evoke the right emotions in the audience and provoke action.  We are master storytellers, using all the tools in the communications box to engage and inspire our audiences, from the first contact right through to life inside an organisation.  Remember, communications that engages really connect with the right people and builds the brand is as much about the science as it is surprising audiences.
Talk to us about:
<ul>
<li>Concept development</li>
<li>Student targeting</li>
<li>Campaign management</li>
</ul>

Campaigns

We&#8217;ve seen a seismic shift in the way we might work in the future – and it is more virtual and more digital, relying less on the traditional engagement opportunities.  Now more than ever brands need to invest in digital experiences that cut through the ever-increasing noise and engage people in novel and relevant ways.  It is no longer enough simply to have a website.  What is your social strategy?  How can you use Voice or AR?  What will help and support students in the best possible way?  Lots of questions.  We can help you come up with the answers.
Talk to us about:
<ul>
<li>Website design and development</li>
<li>App development</li>
<li>AR, VR and Voice</li>
<li>Social media engagement</li>
<li>Digital marketing</li>
</ul>

Digital

Student Marketing

An emotional weekend…
…a weekend full of emotion in our household, as for many across the country, as we celebrated the life and mourned the loss of Queen Elizabeth. Not being a particularly strong monarchist (I did avidly watch The Crown and can’t wait for the next series mind you!), yet, I felt compelled to queue up to pay my respects in Westminster Hall and to bake a cake in her honour. But it’s not that emotion I wanted to talk about; our weekend was also one of emotion with the start of a new academic year and one of the kids’ cousins off to Uni for the first time. The stress of deciding what to buy, what to borrow, what to take, what to leave behind (“don’t your dare touch that when I’m away”), what to wear to arrive in, where to park to unload the car, which parent should do the drop off (“Dad you aren’t coming you’re too embarrassing”) … is palpable!
And it really got me thinking as we start this new term about our fresh undergraduate cohort and their expectations of their future careers. I read with interest recently the VoxBurner Youth Trends review of the world of work published in July 2022 and thought I’d share some of the key messages we as Early Careers Leaders need to be mindful of in our comms:
# 1 – Side hustlers inspired by influencers 
35% of UK 16-24s have started a business or side hustle, and another 49% are interested in doing so in the future. What is driving this stark figure?
<ol>
<li>Turning their passion into a job &#8211; They aren’t willing to accept that they should have to sacrifice 40 hours a week to a monotonous job just to pay the bills, and they’re making moves early in life to set up a more fulfilling career path for themselves</li>
<li>Being a boss is more desirable for a generation that values autonomy and individuality compared with working for a major corporation might have felt like the ultimate achievement in the past.</li>
<li>Being inspired by influencers to follow their goal of turning their passion into a career and encouraging them to gain experience, skills and knowledge that will be invaluable whether they eventually go on to pursue an entrepreneurial life or take a more traditional career path.</li>
</ol>
Brands that recognise the value and role that influencers can play in supporting under-represented audiences in building their career capital will do well.
#2 – A backlash against “hustle culture”
Although over a third of young people claim to be side hustlers this glamorisation of “hustle culture” isn’t met by all positively. As a generation that values their mental health, Gen Z are calling out this trend and refusing to prioritise work over wellbeing. 36% say social media posts about entrepreneurship inspire them to work hard and achieve their dreams but nearly 30% say they make them feel pressured or stressed about their career.
Bruce Daisley, author of the bestselling book The Joy of Work claims “There’s a growing sense that Gen Z workers are starting to question the ‘go harder, push further’ hustle mentality that Millennial influencers traded in. In China this started as the ‘lying flat’ movement which seems to have played some part in the creation of the ‘quiet quitting’ viral movement in the UK. ‘Quiet quitting’ in essence is a pretty rational decision &#8211; if working flat out is going to get me a 3% raise and working at an easy, disengaged pace but feigning interest gets me a 3% raise then life is too short to hustle.”
This trend will be of concern to business leaders striving for high productivity and engagement from their teams, but it should serve as a wake up call that Gen Z workers expect more from their employers. They aren’t unwilling to work hard, but they will only do so if their work is fulfilling and rewarding, and if their employer values their wellbeing and quality of life.
Those employer brands who focus on what the culture will mean to future apprentices and graduates will rise to the top of the pile it seems.
#3 &#8211; #nowhiringnotonLinkedIn!
The recruitment strategies that work when hiring older candidates will not be effective in reaching the digital native generation. Businesses looking to hire the best young talent need to think of this task similar to a marketing strategy. Keeping up with digital trends and understanding how online spaces such as social media intersect with career for Gen Z will be the key to success.
And limiting your channels to LinkedIn will not help. Only 57% of 16-24 year olds have an account on the platform, and 2/3 of those who are members simply have a profile there and don’t use it either to network or find work. A broader social media strategy is essential; if your brands aren’t engaging on or with social media platforms including TikTok, Locket or BeReal then you might be missing out.
#4- Gen Z’s dream job
Their idealistic nature means they are entering the workforce with high expectations and a willingness to hold employers to account if they don’t live up to them. In a recent focus group that 106 Communications held with 8 black heritage undergraduates they spoke about the importance of salary yes, of good work life balance yes, which supports this Youth Trend report findings, but what really sealed the decision to apply or not was the company culture. Having strong cultural ambassadors who “get me and my culture” and whose actions speak louder than words is key. Its not just about showcasing the organisations’ values, but proving to this discerning audience that how people behave consistently across the business marries with their own personal values.
If you would like to know more about how we at 106 Communications can support you in better nuancing your employer brand to the expectations of Gen Z then do get in touch – <a href="mailto:Jayne@106comms.com">Jayne@106comms.com</a>

Gen Z trends – hustles, hiring and dream jobs

On Thursday 7th September I popped into the Bright Network Festival of Careers at the Queen Elizabeth Centre in London. It surprised me in many ways as I hadn’t been to a face-to-face student event since before Covid. I was taken aback by the professional demeanour of (most!) students. I was also quite interested by the different approaches from the various employers from the informality of the Unlocked key game (great fun!) to free beers from Budweiser and to the politeness of the legal firms exhibiting.  It prompted me to think about some key things to think about before many of us get back onto campus, possibly for the first time in a while.
#1 – Train your team! 
Running a session to remind your team of the practicalities of running employer events will get your season off to a great start! Getting them to think about the types of students that they might meet is a fun way to get your teams excited and energised for being back on campus.
#2 – It’s not too late to order some enticing giveaways…
We all know that students love a freebie and at the recent Bright Network Festival it seems that their focus on sustainability was supplanted by the need to collect as much plastic free stuff as possible given the cost of living crisis!
#3 – Managing your stand 
The biggest barrier to students talking to employers is often a large crowd in front of an imposing desk. Ask your teams to mingle (and not sit behind the desk) and to ask lots of open questions to engage those who are looking timid. Try not to ignore those in the queue – encouraging those in the queue to join in a group conversation is much more inclusive than having lots of one-to-one conversations.
#4 – Putting yourself in their shoes
Who might you and your team expect to meet at the Fair?
Are they Career Innocents – those who are really only starting out on their career planning. It’s quite easy and all too tempting to disregard those students who seemingly don’t have a clue about who you are and what you do. But reminding our teams that everyone has to start their career journey somewhere.
Or are they Active Applicants – those who are really very well clued up and who are likely to ask you the more discerning questions so best to clue up on your eligibility criterion and application process details before you get on the train!
They might even be The Job Dodgers– students who are thinking about going travelling or doing a masters to avoid the jobs market in fear of an impending recession. They might just need that reassurance that there are lots of graduate level jobs available. Explaining the importance of graduates in your organisation will also reassure.
#5 – Offboarding conversations
We have all been stuck in a conversation with a student when we know it’s really not going anywhere (either they don’t have the right employment status or academic requirements for your programme). Word of mouth is ever powerful and showing your support for all students will do wonders for your employer brand. Giving some valuable advice to students is part of being at a Fair whether that by encouraging students to visit your website and their Careers services for that all important employability content or to attend a careers service session aimed at international students for instance.
#6 – One time only…
Given that many recruitment processes have gone 100% virtual this will be the one and only time they have the opportunity to meet you and your business face to face so making it count is vital. Ensuring that you have enough information to support you to have an informative and persuasive conversation is key. If you don’t have the breadth of information to help sell the firm authentically using your peers will help and having an online brochure to hand will help you too.
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And finally, let’s all remember that one person we met who made a difference to the paths we ended up taking… for some of us it will be that member of staff at the Fair who was engaging, fun and encouraging. Now its our turn to do the same.
106 Comms works with employer brands to help them tell their stories authentically and creatively. If you would like to know more about the work we do in the Early Careers Comms space do drop us a message – <a href="mailto:jayne@106comms.com">jayne@106comms.com</a>
&nbsp;

Top tips for employers going back onto campus this autumn

Influencers are the key to recruitment drive success 
‘Influencers’ – a term which strikes fear into the heart of recruitment teams. There is much mystique and uncertainty surrounding this role and how they can be used as a tool to attract talent.
You might associate this title more readily with the likes of Molly-Mae or other Love Island winners who go on to sign million-pound deals straight out of the show, rather than someone who can grow the quality of your talent pool.
However, influencers, content and social platforms can impact those job hunting in a similar way to how they shift consumer behaviour.
Humans, and Gen Z in particular, who have been labelled as ‘generation cynic’, look to people as their trusted source.[1] We are more likely to trust a familiar face, whose status is ultimately at stake, than a shiny billboard showing only the good stuff. 70% of consumers are more likely to buy a product from a brand if they work with an influencer they know and trust for instance.
What does this mean for businesses?
In order to attract those hard-to-reach or underrepresented talent groups, it is well worth investing in influencers to bridge the gap.
In research carried out examining attitudes towards companies, one student disapproved of a cosmetic brand for publicly ‘supporting’ the Black Lives Matter movement, despite selling no products for darker skin tones…[2]
Your business may be plagued by a similar disconnect. Proclaiming to value Diversity and Inclusion is useless unless there are visible ambassadors and content which shares the experience of these groups, for instance. If you find yourself lacking in that department, then influencers are a brilliant tool to tackle that.
As Georgina Brough, Partnerships Marketing Manager with Co-Op puts it, ‘young people will believe real people going through real experiences over and above a company CEO saying, ‘We support xyz’.
Case study
Perhaps the advantages of using influencers are best illustrated by detailing the Civil Service Fast Stream’s (CSFS) successful 2021 recruitment campaign.
The CSFS was blighted by misperceptions about its graduate scheme, including issues around the work involved and the types of people who can or should apply. They wanted to diversify their application pool to ensure the Civil Service represented the community it serves.
There were multiple reasons for using an influencer-led social media campaign. It was an innovative and cost-effective move which challenged what the Fast Stream is associated with; the target audience also viewed it as more authentic than traditional methods.
The CSFS chose influencers from BAME and lower socio-economic backgrounds as this was the demographic they wished to engage. Vee Kativhu, a popular studytuber (a type of influencer who primarily focuses on productivity, school and careers content), acted as a middleman of sorts. She spoke to those involved in the programme and produced content such as ‘A Day in The Life of a 23 year old Civil Servant’ YouTube video afterwards.
The video received just over 18,000 views in less than 48 hours and there was a successful % increase in diverse applicants.
Aside from Vee, the CSFS also made use of 12 nano influencers. These may not necessarily have had as big a following, but their highly engaged, often niche audiences guarantee a noticeable increase in interest.
How can 106 Communications help?
86% of job seekers use social media in their job search, so excluding this resource from your recruitment drive places you at a great disadvantage.
Here at 106 Communications, we have a comprehensive understanding of how social media and influencers can bolster your talent pool.
We can help identify those influencers, ranging from nano to macro, who will be best suited to accomplishing your objectives.
So do get in touch if you are interested in connecting with the 86%.
&nbsp;
[1] https://hypecollective.co.uk/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Generation-Cynic-1.pdf
[2] Same as above

Influencers are the key to recruitment drive success

Speaking to a recruiter recently, he was moaning how much of a candidate market we are in.
One candidate, he said, demanded £17k more than he was being offered!  He didn&#8217;t get that role, but was obviously confident of his salary demands.
Low unemployment, high demand for a range of key skills, contrasting views about office and remote &#8211; and recruiters are pulling their hair out just to get 5 people on a shortlist.
It&#8217;s not even recruiters that are frustrated.  One business owner of a Beauty Salon in an affluent market town is considering closing her doors, not because of client demand (there&#8217;s plenty), she just can&#8217;t find talent.
But what&#8217;s different in the world of early careers recruitment?
There are plenty of applications on the whole.  One recruiter recently said that she doesn&#8217;t want to walk in next January to thousands more applications; just improve the quality, please.
And can we have more people from diverse backgrounds?
Of course, recruitment has always been about quality; but how do you grow quality applications in a candidate market?
<ul>
<li>Be the best in your category &#8211; find your value proposition (and not just fluffy make a difference statement) and go further than the competition to put it in front of the right people.</li>
<li>Unleash the power of social &#8211; forget just posting in your channel; find the best ways to engage with new communities of talent &#8211; whether through influencers, content, blatant stunts, or simply great advocacy.</li>
<li>Make your recruiters the face of your business &#8211; recruiters on LI are powerful champions of your business and culture.  In a recent focus group, students talked about specific people and how important they were &#8211; even though they had never met them.</li>
<li>Actions rather than words &#8211; when it comes to diversity and inclusion.  You might not be particularly diverse right now, but show your commitment in what you are doing to change that.</li>
</ul>
It&#8217;s hard work.  You need resilience.  And it won&#8217;t be easy.  But like all the best things, it will be worth it.
Good luck &#8211; and if you need any help, please shout in our direction.
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Recruitment is all about the quality…

There is a huge amount of noise about business and brand purpose, why consumers and colleagues are drawn to purpose (are they?), and how purpose-driven business and brands will save our planet – or at least our corner of the planet.
Fundamentally, purpose is defined as “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists”.
Netflix tells us they want to “entertain the world”.  Okay, fair enough.
TED’s is simply to “spread ideas”. Brilliant.
Workday wants to “make and provide great products and services”.  Bless.
IKEA exists to “create a better everyday life for the many people”.  I can’t get the sound of a Swedish “better everyday” out of my head.
Meanwhile, Sky “believe better business creates a better world”.  Presumably, one game of football at a time.
And of course, Google are out to “organise the world&#8217;s information and make it universally accessible and useful”.
Purpose is one of those things that businesses and brands can struggle with – moving from the downright dull (Workday) to the woefully worthy (Sky).  So how much do colleagues care about this?
At first glance, Cognizant’s “Purpose Gap” says that it means everything to young talent – and that there’s a real disconnect between what people want and companies offer.
However, on closer inspection, it’s interesting to see what really constitutes purpose.  In this report, it isn’t simply a commitment to a worthy cause, it is a triangulation of Passion, Work/Life Balance and Pay.
“The vast majority of millennial (aged 27-40) and Gen Z (20-26) workers expect employers to be highly committed to having a positive impact on the environment and on the wider society.  However, most centre their own purposes at work on far more personal objectives. More than half define purposeful work as being passionate about what they do and achieving a healthy work-life balance.”
So Purpose is not necessarily changing the world, solving poverty or combating climate change.  Yes, the company should have a positive impact.  But in many ways, Purpose is about purposeful work – together with Work-Life Balance.
And then comes the crunch.  The third most important factor in purposeful work is Pay.  Purpose and purposeful work is of course important; but it also needs the pay to go with it.
They are interlinked, and we should remember that it’s not about pursuing your own personal agenda or simply signing up for a worthy cause, but committing to a passion, as well as having the flexibility and pay to fulfil your aspirations.
So, in short, people do care about your purpose; but not as much as you might expect.  Like so much in our lives, it’s what is relatable that really counts.  People relate to what they and their colleagues do on an everyday basis – not necessarily the overall purpose or mission…

Do people really care about your purpose?

&#8216;It doesn’t smell does it?&#8217; *recoils in horror*
Have a go at guessing what that comment was in response to…
An awfully out of date yoghurt? A gory wound? Entering the room your flatulent pet dog has been relaxing in?
This comment was actually said in a conversation about my hair earlier in the week (not by one of my fabulous 106 collegues). And no, there wasn’t some kind of rotting vegetable balancing on my head.
All jokes aside, comments such as these are worryingly commonplace in work environments and have a marked impact on Black people’s sense of belonging.
65% of Black Gen Z do not feel confident wearing their natural hair in the workplace. Compare that to the 76% of White Gen Z who do feel confident.<a>[1]</a> Responsible for the difference in these statistics are the Eurocentric beauty standards which dictate what is most widely accepted in terms of appearance. Unfortunately, these are not shifting any time too soon.
 So, what can businesses do to help their employees feel comfortable wearing their hair in its natural state?
 *Might I just add that doing so is sure to increase the productivity and punctuality of their staff members as they may not feel obliged to wake up at the crack of dawn to undertake an extensive hair ‘taming’ regime.*
 Firstly, understand the issue at hand here. If your staff do not feel comfortable being themselves, then they are unlikely to thrive. Try to place yourselves in the shoes of somebody whose mind is preoccupied with something as menial as the strands of keratin emerging from their head, rather than the tasks at hand.
Secondly, ensure that the comms and content you share internally within your workplace have tackled the issue. Perhaps circulate testimonials from staff members who are willing to share their experiences. After all, I believe 90% of the time, comments such as the one I received are rooted in ignorance, rather than intentional offence. Indeed, it was said to me after an initial compliment and I’m sure they meant no harm. Even during the application/interview process, make sure you explicitly position yourself as valuing diversity in appearance/hair texture.
 Thirdly, it’s often argued that it is not the sole responsibility of Black people to raise awareness of diversity issues. Such situations are labelled ‘cultural taxation’, because of the burden they place on these members of staff.<a>[2]</a> Therefore, direct staff members to existing resources such as Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri or the World Afro Day report<a>[3]</a>, which provide comprehensive food for thought.
Ultimately, I understand that at times, Black hair can be fascinating, and the variety of styles and textures may astound people. However, remember that the person just beneath their hair is not a zoo animal to be probed and gawked at… Instead, research and endeavor to learn what is involved in the upkeep and maintenance of such complexities. Ensure your company’s comms, both internally, and externally, are aware of the issues Black staff may face and remain culturally sensitive.
<a>[1]</a> <a href="https://www.thisisblackgenz.com/_files/ugd/9709f6_f421f1f8bb504384a94c16462eefa2b4.pdf">https://www.thisisblackgenz.com/_files/ugd/9709f6_f421f1f8bb504384a94c16462eefa2b4.pdf</a>
<a>[2]</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/1176259">https://doi.org/10.2307/1176259</a>
 <a>[3]</a><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58c1d7399f7456c9116ad8c8/t/5cde92fb72fc20000181e8fc/1558090496159/WAD+Hair+Equality+Report+2019a.pdf">https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58c1d7399f7456c9116ad8c8/t/5cde92fb72fc20000181e8fc/1558090496159/WAD+Hair+Equality+Report+2019a.pdf</a>

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Employability Roundtable

Recent Posts

GEN Z TRENDS – HUSTLES, HIRING AND DREAM JOBS

TOP TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS GOING BACK ONTO CAMPUS THIS AUTUMN

INFLUENCERS ARE THE KEY TO RECRUITMENT DRIVE SUCCESS

RECRUITMENT IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY…

DO PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR PURPOSE?

THE HAIRY REALITY OF BEING BLACK IN THE WORKPLACE

No going back for student employers

Case studies

WORK AND PLAY

REAL DIFFERENCE

YOUR NHS

100% YOU

BE THE APPRENTICES

Services

Insight

.css-1xu3tth{color:black;}.css-kqwcob{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;min-width:0;color:#00c9ff;color:black;}.css-kqwcob:hover{color:#00c9ff;}Get ready for amazing virtual campus experiences

Event

Employability Roundtable

Recent Posts

GEN Z TRENDS – HUSTLES, HIRING AND DREAM JOBS

TOP TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS GOING BACK ONTO CAMPUS THIS AUTUMN

INFLUENCERS ARE THE KEY TO RECRUITMENT DRIVE SUCCESS

RECRUITMENT IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY…

DO PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR PURPOSE?

THE HAIRY REALITY OF BEING BLACK IN THE WORKPLACE

Get ready for amazing virtual campus experiences