School may be out for the summer, but waiting until back to school season to do all your outreach means missing out on top talent.
Early career talent is serious about the job search year round. In fact, summer is a peak season for student activity on Handshake. According to Handshake platform data from summer break last year, students were busy researching employers and applying to internships and jobs:
- 13M+ applications
- 56M+ job views
- 8M+ Brand Page views
Get ahead of fall with your summer strategy
You can capture students’ attention over the summer by introducing them to your brand. One way to build your brand over the summer is with a brand campaign that introduces students to your company’s mission and values, exposes them to your employer brand, and invites them check out your social channels and Handshake Brand Page.
When the time comes to directly engage students this back to school season, they’ll know what you stand for—which matters to Gen Z job seekers.
Ready to build your summer strategy?
How to engage students with a brand messaging campaign
Follow these 4 steps when you write your message:
- Test your subject line. The default subject line on Handshake mentions your company name, which is effective for catching students’ attention. But take this time to experiment with other subject lines!
- Personalize the message. Include your real name instead of a generic recruiting email address when you sign off.
- Include what makes your company special. Not only does it help you tell your brand story, it also intrigues students to learn more.
- Don’t forget a CTA! Make your Call To Action clear. A good one for brand campaigns is “Follow us on Handshake” with a link to your Brand Page.
Your Brand Page followers will receive automatic updates to your announcements—which means you'll be able to organically attract students to your events and roles.
Your summer brand campaign message template
Try this brand campaign message template to build awareness about your company—and get ahead of fall.
Hi {{first_name}},
I hope you’re having a great summer! My name is [Your Name] and I’m part of [Company]’s recruiting team. I found your profile on Handshake and was impressed with your background in {{major_name}} at {{institution_name}} and I wanted to reach out.
What is [Company]? [One-line company description]
Interested in learning more? Give our us a follow on Handshake [link to your Brand Page]! It’s the best way to learn more about [Company], reach out to our team, and see when we’re hosting events or posting jobs.
You can also check out [identify and link your choice of Handshake feed content/other social or video content].
Thanks, {{first_name}}. Hope to see you on campus this fall!
[Your Name]
[Company]
Don’t forget to update your Brand Page
If you need to update your Handshake Brand Page before sending your brand campaign, ask your summer interns for feedback and suggestions! It’s a learning opportunity for them, as well as a chance for you to create Brand Page that engages your target audience.