By 2030 Gen Z will equate to 30% of the working population. As employers recognise the radical differences between Gen Z and Millennials, talent leaders are being faced with the challenge of adapting recruitment practices to meet the expectations of this new generation of employees.
At our recent In-house Recruitment Early Careers Conference, we were fortunate enough to have Jess Heap, Latham & Watkins & Nicky Garcea, Cappfinity discussing how they are innovating the way they engage with Gen Z talent and the impact they’re seeing. Most importantly, they covered the steps they’re taking to provide an authentic insight into company culture and a demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion. Unfortunately, the time we had was not quite enough, so we sat down post-event with Jess Heap, Senior Manager of Attorney Recruitment at Latham & Watkins to respond to some of those unanswered questions!
Q. How do you make the assessment and interview process accessible?
We considered the need for reasonable adjustments at each stage and ensured we were able to make these. We have not automated any part of the process, no one is automatically rejected from the process without a member of the team reviewing the outcome of a particular stage. We communicate openly with candidates throughout the process, checking on their needs and creating a channel for them to raise any issues. We provide tech support and cover expenses.
Q. Can you easily implement reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates completing online assessments?
Yes, very easily. None of the process is automated and we have clear communication at each stage that adjustments can be made.
Q. How do you plan to tackle socioeconomic diversity if you plan to return the assessment centre to face-to-face? Will you provide financial compensation to students?
We have always covered travel costs for any student attending an in-person assessment day and would continue to do so.
Q. Do the Partners have the final say on each hire?
Absolutely not! Every stage of the process is equally weighted and no one Partner can influence the outcome. All candidate’s applications, test scores and presentation and interview feedback are shared with the Recruiting Committee (made up of partners and lawyers) who have the final call on who is offered, or rejected.
Q. Do you ask for CVs?
No, we ask students to include all the relevant information in their application form. This allows for easier comparison of content and more consistent decision making.
Q. What data points do you capture from the outset? And how do you tailor the assessments for neurodiverse candidates?
We capture a variety of data points including educational background, diversity, and social mobility. The assessment can be adapted for any candidate, neurodiverse or otherwise.
Q. Were your diversity targets more towards hiring outcomes by demographic or widening participation at the top funnel and support throughout?
Our diversity objective was to implement an inclusive process, ensuring that no talent was negatively impacted by the selection process, and it was accessible to all. We did not have specific demographic targets.
Q. Do you assess the competencies that came out of FutureMark in the face-to-face interview?
We assess the core competencies throughout the selection process, including the face-to-face interview. Interviewers are trained and provided with question banks and assessor mark sheets to ensure consistency across the competency interview.e role.
If you would like to view Jess’ presentation “A Fresh Perspective –Rethinking Recruitment Practices To Attract Gen Z Talent” in full, you can view the video replay here.
Partner
Cappfinity are the world leaders in strengths-based assessment, providing award-winning recruitment and development solutions for organisations across the globe. Founded in 2005, our unique strengths methodology sits at the heart of our solutions. We bring together strengths expertise, data, innovation and human experience to assess and develop capability, fit and potential.
