Top 3 reasons no one applies to your job

With fall recruitment well under way, our team at Hofstra University receives calls from a wide range of local, regional, and national companies to discuss campus recruitment. All companies, regardless of size, location, or industry, express the same goal: successful campus recruitment. During these calls, our team will share general campus recruitment opportunities, including online postings, career fairs, and on-campus interviews. However, in our experience, here are the top three reasons you might experience low applicant numbers.

1. Your target audience is not your audience. In other words, your target audience may not know or understand who you are as a company. If you are a national company who leads your respective industry, chances are your clients know you well. However, your clients and prospective recruits live in two separate worlds. How might you educate prospective applicants on who you are as a company? Hint: the answer may not be an information session, as information sessions typically work best for those with already established brands for recruitment.

2. You focus too much on line of business recruitment. For example, if you recruit for sales positions, depending on your approach, this may be all your target audience knows about you. You may be perceived as a company that only offers sales positions. However, would your target audience benefit from knowing what you do (see #1)? Would your target audience benefit from understanding that you are a great place to work? Consider the fine line and explore the perfect blend of both big picture company brand and specific line of business recruitment.

3. You forget how your target audience receives information. College students today serve as the most diverse (by all means) group yet. However, understand that student demographics at each college or university vary. For example, Hofstra University enrolls a high number of “traditional” college students (18-25 year olds). Therefore, consider how this group receives and processes information. Is your company brand on mobile communications? Is your company name and logo seen multiple times before a prospective recruit applies to a position?

Do know, however, that not every company can achieve or answer every question every time. Many recruiters often find themselves looking to fill positions as soon as possible. In these cases, these approaches do not seem feasible. However, if you find yourself engaging in long-term campus recruitment planning and you have the time and staffing to draw out some of these questions, highly consider it. Whether your company name and logo rise above others on campus, or if your target audience develops a better understanding of who you are as a company, chances are you will experience higher quality applicants to fill your recruitment needs.

Send your questions about campus recruitment and campus branding to our team at careercenter@hofstra.edu or call 516-463-6060. Until then, happy recruitment season! We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

Stefano Verdesoto, Assistant Director of External Relations