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Utilizing Technology to Enhance Campus Recruiting
Nov 28, 2023
Educational institutions are well-established sources of high-quality talent. Recent graduates can bring creativity, energy and strong digital skills to the workforce. They’re also likely to be loyal to organizations that provide them with learning and growth opportunities, which can improve employee retention rates and boost morale. Employers that successfully engage, recruit and hire individuals from college campuses—a strategy known as campus recruiting—can secure talented young employees with the potential for growth in their careers and create a pipeline of talented individuals. Depending on their unique needs, employers can connect with job candidates from various educational establishments, including trade schools, technical schools, liberal arts schools and community colleges.
Technology plays a crucial role in the success of a campus recruiting strategy. College students are typically tech-savvy and more likely to rely on social media and online resources for information about an organization. Furthermore, the lead time for campus recruiting is often longer than traditional recruiting, which gives employers the opportunity to leverage technology to build their brand on campus, improving recruiting efforts. This article explains how employers can use technology to attract, engage and recruit individuals from college campuses.
Utilizing Technology for Campus Recruiting
Skilled graduate talent is in high demand. Employers can leverage technology to boost their campus recruiting efforts with the following practices:
- Use social media. Research by business services company Experian found that 98% of college-aged students are on social media. Employers can capitalize on this trend by ramping up social media efforts, sharing organizational and employee successes on social media and building an online presence that will improve employer brand. Additionally, employers can involve employees in social media campaigns and fully complete company and brand pages on employment websites.
- Recruit on popular job sites. According to LinkedIn data, 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within the first 24 hours of posting a job on LinkedIn’s platform. Posting open roles and opportunities on job sites is crucial for recruiting recent graduates. Many of these individuals rely solely on employment sites, such as Handshake or LinkedIn, for information on job postings.
- Recruit virtually. Many colleges or universities don’t have a centralized campus. According to Forbes, nearly 2.8 million students enroll at online colleges and universities. This accounts for almost 15% of all U.S. postsecondary learners. Organizations can reach these students by leveraging online platforms, such as social media and virtual information sessions. Video interviews are another way employers can connect with students. Many students prefer virtual interviews and find them less intimidating, helping employers form relationships. Employers can also use online portals, such as Handshake, to connect with students and begin personalized recruiting conversations.
- Attend virtual recruiting events. Educational institutions may offer virtual recruitment sessions or career fairs to improve access for students who have financial or transportation obstacles and are unable to meet recruiters on campus. These events may include virtual presentations or webinars focused on particular industries, professions or geographic areas. Participating in these events can help employers connect with college students and find candidates with specific skills (e.g., computer science or engineering majors).
- Use mobile-friendly apps. College students rely heavily on their mobile devices for online activities. This includes searching and applying for jobs. Employers can boost engagement among college students and recent graduates by creating mobile-friendly experiences, including mobile-friendly job postings and a user-friendly application process.
Benefits of Using Technology for Campus Recruiting
In today’s digital age, employers whose campus recruiting efforts are limited to in-person fairs will likely miss out on opportunities to engage and connect with talented individuals online and through social media. The benefits of incorporating technology into campus recruiting efforts include the following:
- Provide a holistic view. Employers that are recruiting applicants across multiple educational institutions can use technology, such as candidate sourcing and candidate evaluation software, to schedule interviews, track return on investment and store notes, data and other information that will provide clarity during the recruiting and hiring process. This can lead to better acceptance and retention rates.
- Broaden reach. Employers can’t be everywhere at once. Job sites, such as LinkedIn and Handshake, can help employers reach students in new and remote locations. Furthermore, employers can use technology to connect virtually with job candidates, host webinars and hold virtual interviews.
- Build employer branding. Online platforms can help employers build brand awareness and share organizational values with a broad range of potential candidates. This is especially important when recruiting younger individuals, who tend to be more value-driven when making career decisions. Therefore, organizations that show candidates their values may have more recruiting success. Employers can leverage technology to promote company culture online via social media or employment websites.
- Save time. Recruiting technology can help employers quickly scan resumes and filter out candidates who don’t have the necessary qualifications. This allows employers to dedicate more time to evaluating top job candidates.
Conclusion
Employers that utilize technology effectively may experience a competitive advantage when it comes to engaging and recruiting tech-savvy college students. Campus recruiting technology can also help employers spread information quickly, filter out candidates, reach passive candidates, save money and find job candidates who are a good culture fit. This can improve attraction, branding and hiring outcomes.
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On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to amend current requirements employees in white-collar occupations must satisfy to qualify for an overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule will take effect on July 1, 2024. Increased Salary Level The FLSA white-collar exemptions apply to individuals in executive, administrative, professional, and some outside sales and computer-related occupations. Some highly compensated employees may also qualify for the FLSA white-collar overtime exemption. To qualify for this exemption, white-collar employees must satisfy the standard salary level test, among other criteria. This salary level is a wage threshold that white-collar employees must receive to qualify for the exemption. Starting July 1, 2024, the DOL’s final rule increases the standard salary level from: $684 to $844 per week ($35,568 to $43,888 per year); and $107,432 to $132,964 per year for highly compensated employees. On Jan. 1, 2025, the standard salary level will then increase from: $844 to $1,128 per week ($43,888 to $58,656 per year); and $132,964 to $151,164 per year for highly compensated employees. Automatic Updates The DOL’s final rule also includes mechanisms allowing the agency to automatically update the white-collar salary level thresholds without having to rely on the rulemaking process. Effective July 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the DOL will increase the standard salary level. The agency will apply up-to-date wage data to determine new salary levels. Impact on Employers The first salary level increase in July is expected to impact nearly 1 million workers, while the second increase in January is expected to affect approximately 3 million workers. Employers should become familiar with the final rule and evaluate what changes they may need to adopt to comply with the rule’s requirements. Legal challenges to the rule are anticipated, which may delay the final rule’s implementation.
The recently enacted New York budget for fiscal year 2024-25 includes provisions mandating paid prenatal leave for the state’s workers, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and repealing the New York COVID-19 sick leave law, effective July 31, 2025. Paid Prenatal Personal Leave The budget amends the state sick leave law by adding what is being touted as a first-in-the-nation requirement that all employers provide their employees with 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave per 52-week period, starting Jan. 1, 2025. The amendment does not require employees to accrue the new leave, nor does it impose a waiting period before employees may use the leave; the full 20 hours must be made available on Jan. 1, 2025. Employees on leave must be paid their regular rate of pay or minimum wage if the applicable minimum wage is higher; however, employers are not required to pay out unused prenatal personal leave when an employee separates from employment. Permitted Uses of Prenatal Personal Leave Prenatal personal leave may be taken for health care services received by an employee during their pregnancy or related to the pregnancy, including physical examinations, medical procedures, monitoring and testing, and discussions with a health care provider related to the pregnancy. The new provisions do not require advance notification or documentation after the fact for using leave. Interaction With Paid Sick Leave and FMLA Leave The new requirement is in addition to the annual sick leave the law already mandates, which ranges from 40-56 hours and may be paid or unpaid, depending on the employer’s size and income. The amendment does not indicate that the leave runs concurrently with any federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave taken for prenatal care, meaning the state prenatal personal leave would be in addition to any FMLA leave taken for this purpose. Sunset Date for COVID-19 Leave The budget also establishes July 31, 2025, as the expiration date for New York’s COVID-19 employee sick leave law . The law took effect at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 18, 2020, and requires leave of up to 14 days, depending on the size and income of the employer. As with the regular sick leave law, whether leave must be paid also depends on the size and income of the employer. The sunsetting of the law comes in the wake of expired states of emergency and changed recommendations for isolation and quarantine. Steps for Employers New York employers should prepare for the start of paid prenatal personal leave in January 2025 and watch for any agency regulations and guidance implementing the new leave entitlement. Employers should also train managers and supervisors about the new requirements and make sure employee policies and handbooks are up to date. Employers should continue to allow COVID-19 sick leave when it applies and keep in mind that other leave requirements, such as paid sick leave, may allow employees to take time off from work for illness, including COVID-19.
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to issue a final rule that would ban noncompete agreements in virtually all employment relationships. The final rule has not yet been filed in the Federal Register, but is scheduled to take effect 120 days after such filing. Final Rule The final rule defines a noncompete clause as a term or condition of employment that prohibits a worker from, penalizes a worker for or functions to prevent a worker from: (i) Seeking or accepting work in the United States with a different person where such work would begin after the conclusion of the employment that includes the term or condition; or (ii) Operating a business in the United States after the conclusion of the employment that includes the term or condition. Such terms or conditions include employee contracts or workplace policies, whether written or oral. Subject to very limited exceptions, the final rule provides that: The use of noncompete clauses will be banned as of the effective date; Any existing noncompete clauses (other than those entered into with senior executives) will be invalidated; Employers must notify all employees (other than senior executives whose existing noncompete agreements will remain enforceable) that their existing noncompete agreements will not be enforced. Currently, the enforceability of noncompete clauses is determined by state and local legislatures and courts. The FTC rule would instead govern the enforceability of noncompete clauses at the federal level and supersede any less restrictive state laws or judicial interpretations. Legal Challenges On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sued the FTC, seeking to block the final rule. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and argues that the FTC lacks the authority to issue rules that define unfair methods of competition. Additional legal challenges are likely, so employers should monitor for updates and anticipate potential uncertainty in the coming months. Next Steps for Employers Employers may consider reviewing existing employee agreements or form agreements (such as new hire paperwork) to determine whether any contain noncompete clauses that would be invalidated under the rule. Employers may also begin preparing revisions to such agreements and consider whether to use alternatives to noncompete clauses (e.g., nondisclosure clauses) to protect competitive business information.
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On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to amend current requirements employees in white-collar occupations must satisfy to qualify for an overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule will take effect on July 1, 2024. Increased Salary Level The FLSA white-collar exemptions apply to individuals in executive, administrative, professional, and some outside sales and computer-related occupations. Some highly compensated employees may also qualify for the FLSA white-collar overtime exemption. To qualify for this exemption, white-collar employees must satisfy the standard salary level test, among other criteria. This salary level is a wage threshold that white-collar employees must receive to qualify for the exemption. Starting July 1, 2024, the DOL’s final rule increases the standard salary level from: $684 to $844 per week ($35,568 to $43,888 per year); and $107,432 to $132,964 per year for highly compensated employees. On Jan. 1, 2025, the standard salary level will then increase from: $844 to $1,128 per week ($43,888 to $58,656 per year); and $132,964 to $151,164 per year for highly compensated employees. Automatic Updates The DOL’s final rule also includes mechanisms allowing the agency to automatically update the white-collar salary level thresholds without having to rely on the rulemaking process. Effective July 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the DOL will increase the standard salary level. The agency will apply up-to-date wage data to determine new salary levels. Impact on Employers The first salary level increase in July is expected to impact nearly 1 million workers, while the second increase in January is expected to affect approximately 3 million workers. Employers should become familiar with the final rule and evaluate what changes they may need to adopt to comply with the rule’s requirements. Legal challenges to the rule are anticipated, which may delay the final rule’s implementation.
The recently enacted New York budget for fiscal year 2024-25 includes provisions mandating paid prenatal leave for the state’s workers, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and repealing the New York COVID-19 sick leave law, effective July 31, 2025. Paid Prenatal Personal Leave The budget amends the state sick leave law by adding what is being touted as a first-in-the-nation requirement that all employers provide their employees with 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave per 52-week period, starting Jan. 1, 2025. The amendment does not require employees to accrue the new leave, nor does it impose a waiting period before employees may use the leave; the full 20 hours must be made available on Jan. 1, 2025. Employees on leave must be paid their regular rate of pay or minimum wage if the applicable minimum wage is higher; however, employers are not required to pay out unused prenatal personal leave when an employee separates from employment. Permitted Uses of Prenatal Personal Leave Prenatal personal leave may be taken for health care services received by an employee during their pregnancy or related to the pregnancy, including physical examinations, medical procedures, monitoring and testing, and discussions with a health care provider related to the pregnancy. The new provisions do not require advance notification or documentation after the fact for using leave. Interaction With Paid Sick Leave and FMLA Leave The new requirement is in addition to the annual sick leave the law already mandates, which ranges from 40-56 hours and may be paid or unpaid, depending on the employer’s size and income. The amendment does not indicate that the leave runs concurrently with any federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave taken for prenatal care, meaning the state prenatal personal leave would be in addition to any FMLA leave taken for this purpose. Sunset Date for COVID-19 Leave The budget also establishes July 31, 2025, as the expiration date for New York’s COVID-19 employee sick leave law . The law took effect at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 18, 2020, and requires leave of up to 14 days, depending on the size and income of the employer. As with the regular sick leave law, whether leave must be paid also depends on the size and income of the employer. The sunsetting of the law comes in the wake of expired states of emergency and changed recommendations for isolation and quarantine. Steps for Employers New York employers should prepare for the start of paid prenatal personal leave in January 2025 and watch for any agency regulations and guidance implementing the new leave entitlement. Employers should also train managers and supervisors about the new requirements and make sure employee policies and handbooks are up to date. Employers should continue to allow COVID-19 sick leave when it applies and keep in mind that other leave requirements, such as paid sick leave, may allow employees to take time off from work for illness, including COVID-19.
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