A+ Talent: How Qualtrics is Mastering Virtual University Recruiting [VIDEO]
Recruiters are facing a new challenge this fall: Connecting with students and recent grads via virtual events. In the midst of a pandemic that’s forced many colleges to take all classes online, traditional career fairs are not an option. On Talent Experience Live, Tatiana Messersmith, University Recruiter at Qualtrics, shared what’s working for her in this very different year, including best practices for attracting, engaging and nurturing 2020 graduates and college students. She expects many spring career fairs will be virtual as well. In addition to participating in virtual career fairs, Qualtrics will host a series of webinars tailored to university students. Virtual attendance also allows her team to invest extra hours into planning the webinars that will supplement virtual career fair attendance. (It’s definitely a time to look for silver linings!) For each month — September, October and November — her team is presenting a different theme. For example, September’s theme has been “Building Your Brand.” Webinars focused on leadership skills and transferable skills (e.g., how to find a position in the technology field even if you don’t have a tech background) seemed to resonate with students, driving organic RSVPs to the broadcast. Qualtrics will also present monthly webinars that feature a member of the executive team, and these have really struck a chord with students, according to Messersmith. “They [students] are in front of the leaders much earlier in the process than usual, giving them the opportunity to see firsthand what leaders say about company culture, before they even apply," she said. Qualtrics is involving alumni this year by: Messersmith said making sure students show up for their allotted time slot is a major concern in a new, uncertain environment. Her team addresses this with campaigning and frequent outreach. Qualtrics is running email campaigns through Handshake, a platform many universities are using to host virtual career fairs. (Free access is available to recruiters.) They also market through LinkedIn and student organizations. While these methods have proven helpful, she said attendance is higher when students are already familiar with Qualtrics. “It’s taken a lot of the manual work out of the process that I’d typically have to do,” Messersmith says. They are also hosting enter-to-win swag giveaways in return for participating in feedback surveys. Once a month, Qualtrics uses Handshake to reach a large group of students with the message that they’re hiring, and inviting them to join a webinar for great career tips. They follow up two weeks later. When students register, they immediately receive a message with Zoom link information. A reminder email is sent one week prior to the event, and a reminder text goes out one day prior. One week after the event, all registrants receive a link with a recording in case they missed it live. A follow-up campaign strategy is in development to increase applicants and higher-level involvement among virtual event attendees. It’s a top priority, Messersmith says, noting how crucial follow-up is right now in recruiting. Overall, Messermeth says that the students love when they are asked by name to answer questions. Plus, this feedback comes in handy for future webinar planning. RELATED: Creating Personal Connections with Candidates in a Virtual World Learn more about virtual university recruiting with Phenom—request a demo today! Sign up to get notified about future episodes of The Talent Experience Show! Catch us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook every Thursday at noon ET to get the latest in recruiting, talent acquisition, talent management, and HR tech.
How have you changed your university recruiting approach this season?
The majority of schools Qualtrics typically targets for recruitment are set to host virtual career fairs over various platforms. Messersmith has narrowed attendance to core schools, from the usual dozen career fairs to just five.
How has scheduling and attendance shifted this season?
Scheduling has gotten easier for Messersmith this year. For instance, eliminating the need for travel prevents career fair scheduling conflicts.
What else will change to get students excited for the virtual opportunity?
According to Messersmith, it’s all about experimenting this fall.
Will you get alumni involved in this year's virtual event?
Having alumni interact with students at career fairs is a valuable piece of the strategy. Like so many other aspects of recruitment in 2020, alumni involvement has changed, too.
How will you encourage students to sign up and attend?
What technology is essential to running a successful virtual event?
Having the right technology in place is vital for virtual university recruiting. Messersmith’s top three platforms include:
How are you using the career site to connect with students?
Each month, campaign messaging drives students to the Qaultrics career webpage, which includes a university designation. Students are encouraged to sign up for the talent community, through which Qualtrics collects information that will help personalize information on best-fit jobs. Follow-up campaigns have generated excitement among students, according to Messersmith.
How are you handling freebies and swag this year?
The all-important career fair swag – great for attracting students and promoting brand interaction – also needs modification this fall. Qualtrics’ approach this year is to send freebies to student organizations.
What are the most effective ways to convey your company culture during virtual campus recruiting events?
With access to the office still unavailable, Messersmith and her team are using alternative measures to show students what it’s like at Qualtrics:
What is your strategy for email and SMS messaging?
This is a multi-tiered effort, Messersmith said.
What can you do to drive engagement and participation during virtual events?
Virtual career fair presentations and webinars are designed for as much interaction as possible:
What metrics guide planning for future events?
Messersmith said she and her team are taking an agile approach and making adjustments according to several analytics and metrics:
How can recruiters facing budget restraints still make an impact?
Messersmith provided several low-cost and even free ways recruiters can reach university students:
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