Effective recruitment tips for attracting Apprentices Sian Cattell Managing Director PreciseHR

1. Effective recruitment tips for attracting Apprentices Sian Cattell Managing Director PreciseHR

2. Tips gleaned from professional and operational experience of recruiting the best Apprentice for the job - within budget and time parameters

3. Have a Strategy • What skills you are looking for? • Who is your ideal candidate? • How will you target them? • What makes you an attractive Employer? • Have you identified a training provider?

4. Current trends • The candidate pool may not be attracted by traditional roles • Basic Admin could be more attractive as Business Services with Marketing • School leavers hop between jobs – longevity may not appeal but some skills are transferable and may be more attractive • Still identify pathways to build on skill sets to broaden appeal

5. What and Who? • Avoid jargon – use attractive language to provoke interest • Define the key skills required • Phrase it imaginatively • Appeal to the non traditionalists e.g Stand out from the crowd!

6. Identify your target market Does Age Matter?! • Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964 (54-72 years old) • Generation X: Born 1965-1980 (38-53 years old) • Millennials: Born 1981-1996 (22-37 years old) • Post-Millennials: Born 1997-Present (0-21 years old)

7. Hunt effectively and be quick!

8. Utilise multiple platforms • Age specific where relevant • Under 21s - Target appropriately e.g Schools; colleges; • YouTube would hit a far wider and targeted audience • Over 50’s – traditional media such as newspapers • PR campaigns increase reach and response and improve brand awareness e.g. local business press ( online and hard copy) • These stay longer on the internet via searches than live adverts

9. Utilise multiple platforms

10. The most valued work benefits per age group Example: What Millennials (22-37 year olds ) value ( Mindspace March 2018) : • Training and Development – they want to learn • Flexible Hours – less keen on 9 to 5 - do you run flexitime schemes? • 31% find office environments uninspiring and boring • What other employee benefits can you identify – gym membership? • Guaranteed Pension – a substantial perk for many. State the %.

11. Why should they choose your organisation?

12. Sell the vacancy Work fast and differently Learn new methods to avoid becoming stale

13. Don’t miss the best candidates • Remember – act fast – 12 wks + will lose them to your competitors • Help your organisation stand out • Why should the potential candidates respond to you? • What can you entice them to with?

14. Widen the net to include minority groups Increase and build your relationships with: • community leaders • disability partners e.g regional office for British Autism Society • Link with key disability workers within the local DWP

15. The disability confident scheme • This scheme supports employers to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to your workplace. • Work with Disability groups e.g British Autistic Society • Identify any relevant traits which match your required skills • E.g within the Autistic spectrum you may find a higher tendency towards concentration, attention to detail - perfect for some roles • This is not age specific – adult diagnosis has increased

16. Save time and money Within your organisations’ recruitment protocols, utilise any specialist recruiters to improve the return on investment. Your average vacancy can cost up to £16k in managers time/ backfill and overtime. Used wisely, recruiters can save you tax payers money and prove value for money (CIPD).

17. Thank you and Good Luck!