How BMO Financial Group Is Using a Campus Influencer Program To Win Over Gen Z Talent
Today’s college students grew up with an endless supply of information at their fingertips. From social media to search engines, Generation Z has been wading through a stream of information since they could access the internet. As a result, they have developed intuitive filters to screen for what they do and don’t want to consume. With this selective focus, how can companies break through the noise and stand out to this generation?
That’s the question marketers have been asking for years – and it’s now the question on the minds of recruitment professionals tasked with marketing their employer brand and job opportunities to Gen Z candidates. This question is especially prevalent in a strong job market where many college graduates have several options when deciding where to start their careers. With the high demand for entry-level talent, university recruiting teams have to think outside the box to gain an edge when recruiting top talent.
From video marketing to special events to early engagement, there are countless directions talent teams can take their strategies to engage with Gen Z candidates in a unique way. One recent initiative stands out for its fresh approach to a campus representative program.
BMO Financial Group’s Campus Influencer program, launched in fall 2019, has updated the campus ambassador program for the Gen Z crowd. Student ambassadors are still tasked with promoting BMO Financial Group on campus, but rather than leveraging flashy swag and contests, the focus is on education, availability, and authenticity. The result is a notable case study on how to create a recruitment marketing strategy that resonates with Gen Z.
To get the inside scoop on this program, we spoke with Lisa Kramer, BMO Financial Group’s Director of Enterprise Campus Recruitment & Early Talent Programs. Through our conversation, we identified the top factors that make this initiative a standout one.
Rethinking the campus marketing model
Lisa has been in the campus recruitment space for over 20 years – as a result, she’s witnessed the shift in how entry-level candidates consume information and engage with companies. Instead of sticking to the status quo, she’s using that knowledge to enhance the communication between companies and prospective candidates at the early-career level.
When she joined BMO Financial Group’s campus team a year ago, she began working on a program that could enhance BMO Financial Group’s existing presence on campus and better tell the company’s story to students. This, she felt, was essential in a time when banking isn’t necessarily the first industry that comes to students’ minds when searching for the place to launch their career.
“We’re competing with all of these other industries and companies,” said Lisa. “That means telling our story in an authentic way is important. The days of just putting a blurb on your website are gone.”
To Lisa, that required more than just a messaging revamp – it meant paying attention to what entry-level candidates wanted and how they prefer to communicate. Her team led the initiative to launch an Instagram for BMO Financial Group’s campus recruitment – the first Canadian bank to do so – and received positive feedback from prospective candidates on their direct communication with students, Instagram takeovers, and career advice. Using this positive momentum, the push to create a campus influencer program that spoke to today’s college students soon followed.
Enabling authentic peer-to-peer promotion
When it comes to marketing to Gen Z, traditional advertising falls flat. Authenticity is key for this generation, which is why peer-to-peer promotion and influencer marketing resonates.
Lisa kept this top-of-mind when forming BMO Financial Group’s student-led campus program. It has the elements of a traditional program – company swag and promotional events – but students are empowered to have their own voice, rather than just act a megaphone for BMO Financial Group.
“We wanted to do a more modern take on the ambassador program,” Lisa said. “We heard from our interns and co-op students that their peers wanted to hear what it’s like to work at BMO from their friends. Our campus recruiters do an excellent job of articulating our organization’s value props, but having that additional intel brings the BMO experience to life.”
All of the campus influencers have interned at the company previously, allowing them to shape their messaging through their own experiences rather than sharing a pre-packaged marketing pitch. This peer-to-peer communication gives BMO Financial Group an additional channel to share information about their culture and career opportunities in an authentic way, enhancing their existing presence on campus.
Availability and access
In a time when instant gratification is the norm, having student influencers on campus brings another advantage for BMO Financial Group. Engagement is no longer limited to the company’s in-house campus team, making inside information much more readily available.
“We view our influencers as an extension of our campus recruitment team,” Lisa said. “We can’t be on campus all the time, so this allows us to amplify our message, answer questions, and give interested students more of a personal contact.”
This approach works great for Gen Z – studies show that this generation has a preference for face-to-face communication, as well as individualized attention. It also sets the expectation for a positive candidate experience. Instead of having to reach out to a recruiter via LinkedIn or email – which can be intimidating in itself – interested candidates can reach out to another student to have their questions answered, or at least be routed in the right direction.
Measuring impact
As the program is relatively new, there aren’t any concrete stats to share just yet – but Lisa believes the impact lies in the quality of candidate referrals brought in, as well as the positive brand perception generated through authentic messaging. The program also works in tandem with BMO Financial Group’s larger campus strategy, allowing its influence to augment the other efforts the team is undertaking on campus.
“The more we are able to tell our story, the more we will ultimately get potential candidates excited about working with us,” said Lisa. “Once they apply, we can continue the conversation and share all of the great work we do and why it’s a great career.”
What can talent professionals learn from the creation of this program? Here are some key takeaways to keep in mind:
Authenticity is a powerful recruitment tool. Between BMO Financial Group’s campus recruitment Instagram and the Campus Influencer Program, prospective candidates get an authentic and dynamic look into the company. While traditional information channels – like career pages – still hold an important place, recruitment teams hoping to stand out to Gen Z candidates should enhance their top-of-the-funnel recruitment materials with a personal approach appropriate to the company.
Accessible communication creates a standout candidate experience.
For most job-seekers, submitting application materials and rarely hearing back is a common occurrence, despite the frustration it generates. Establishing accessible points-of-contact on campus contributes to a positive candidate experience before students even apply, improving brand perception and bringing more engaged candidates into the pipeline.
Pay attention to what resonates with your target demographic.
A campus influencer program isn’t right for every company – but by listening to what this generation had to say, Lisa and her team were able to determine it was the right strategy for BMO Financial Group. Taking a step back and tapping into what your candidate base wants when it comes to communication, candidate experience, professional development, and even culture can set you up for a more effective recruitment strategy and better employee retention over time.
In today’s talent landscape, companies should embrace fresh takes on old strategies and pursue new, innovative initiatives. When it comes to winning over Gen Z talent, it can make all the difference.
