There are currently 946,000 (13.2%) NEET young people, up from July to September 2023, and up in the latest quarter.
Meanwhile, young people are increasingly using social media to plan their careers, separate research findings published jointly by St James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy and hiring platform Indeed, on 20 November, suggest.
Seven in 10 (68%) of Gen Z workers have used social media to plan their careers, the research published on 20 November, revealed. This compared with 26% of Gen X workers who did the same.
We asked whether HR should use social media to recruit younger generations.
“We’re seeing a generational shift in the way that people look for job roles, so employers that overlook social media to attract talent do so at their own risk,” Gee Foottit, partnerships manager at St James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy, told HR magazine.
“We’re seeing this first hand in the increasing number of approaches we receive from young people via our Academy’s LinkedIn channel.”
Read more: Employers trying and failing to hire Gen Z
However, employers should use a wide range of social media channels to attract young people NEET, Foottit added.
She continued: “Leveraging social media for talent attraction doesn’t start and end with LinkedIn, especially where young people NEET are concerned.
“TikTok and Instagram have a vital role to play in the mix, because it’s where they spend so much of their digital time.
“It’s why we’ve been exploring creating content about careers in financial advice.”
Nearly all (96%) employers were struggling to engage workers with less than 10 years of experience, a survey by recruitment firm ManpowerGroup, published 11 June, found.
Employers should try to create content that could appeal to younger workers, Rhia Murray, early careers consultant at leadership and culture consultancy Holos Change, suggested.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: "To use social media effectively, meet your audience where they are by creating content that resonates with them; it needs to speak to their interests, challenges, and aspirations.
Read more: How HR can retain Gen Z employees
"A great way to do this is to engage your own young employees as brand ambassadors to co-create recruitment campaigns. Peer-to-peer content is particularly impactful; when young people see relatable individuals thriving in your organisation and understand how they got there, it inspires confidence and action."
Short explainers about the recruitment process could be helpful for young people NEET, Murray advised.
She continued: "Focus on short, visually engaging content that highlights your workplace culture, career pathways, and success stories in a relatable way. Demystify the application process with guides, FAQs, and videos explaining the range of entry points. Many young people NEET may not even know where to start.
“'Day in the life' videos and Q&As can help people visualise themselves in a role and make opportunities feel more attainable. Combine this with longer-form content on YouTube for deeper connection. Co-create with your young employees and learn from brands using TikTok well like Ryanair and M&S to truly connect with this audience."
St James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy commissioned Opinium to survey 4,000 UK workers and students between 7 February and 18 March. Indeed analysed job postings with a minimum median advertised salary of £40,000 with at least 50% of postings mentioning remote or hybrid flexibility.
