This is a perennial question employers ask when hiring slows down. Should I go to campus, continue with college or local career fairs? Is there value in maintaining my brand and connection with potential recruits? Will candidates want to engage with us even though we’re not hiring at this moment?

The answer is a resounding YES! YES! YES!

In a recent survey of Gen Y, we found out a couple of things:

• 1 out of 5 of Gen Y respondents would be less likely to apply to jobs simply because the company ceased to have a presence with candidates. So invest in your brand.
• 67% of students want employers to come to campus for info sessions and speaking events, even when not hiring.
• Majority (78-81%) want employers to be upfront about whether they are hiring or not. Be transparent.
  
• 94% of students and grads said they would like to maintain relationships with employers through virtual means. Gen Y clearly wants to keep the dialogue going.

So go and be present, if you can. If your budget doesn’t allow for face-to-face this year, find other ways to engage opportunistically, leveraging your interns, online. For tips on how to build and maintain relationships virtually, download our Gen Y Insights report. Whatever you do, just don’t “go dark”!

I often hear employers struggle with how much time, effort, energy, budget etc. they should spend on building their brand. In the Gen Y space, we asked candidates what they thought.

91% of Gen Y told us they believe a company’s brand is important when applying for job and internship opportunities. They also believe recognizable brands convey growth, potential and stability. When asked why they want to work for an established brand, Gen Y responded:

• 76% said an established brand offers growth potential
• 74% said it will build my resume
• 73% said it will provide greater job security

Fortunately, only a small fraction (8%) of respondents said they wanted to work for an established brand simply because “my friends will think it’s cool.” Any higher and I would begin to worry about this generation.

We also heard 42% of Gen Y prefers to apply to companies which they / their friends / their families have heard of before, signifying that brand awareness is critical for employers. Take a quick pulse and if many Gen Y haven’t heard of you, which could be the case if your company is in business-to-business markets, then you have some work to do.

Taking brand loyalty even further, 39% said they would take a job with a well-known company solely to have the name of the employer on their resume. Now that says a lot about the power of brand.

So if you find yourself wondering about whether to invest in your employer brand, refer to these stats and remember that your brand drives the hiring results and the preference that you seek.