As a generation of baby boomer officers and firefighters retire, public safety agencies are scrambling to fill the ranks with Millennials and Generation Z.
Often, Chiefs and command staff express frustration: “These young people don’t want to work,” or “They don’t have the attention span for the process.”
The truth is harder to swallow: the problem isn’t the generation; it’s the process. You cannot recruit a 22-year-old whose entire life is on a smartphone using a process designed in 1995. To attract the next generation of first responders, your agency must prioritize the “Candidate Experience.”
Speed is the New Currency
Gen Z is used to instant gratification—from ordering food to consuming media. A hiring process that starts with a six-week silence after an application submission is alien to them. They interpret slow responses as disinterest or incompetence on the part of the agency.
If you want to engage younger recruits, your initial response time needs to be measured in hours, not days.
Why Texting Rules Everything
If you are emailing a 23-year-old applicant to schedule their oral board interview, there is a high probability they won’t see it for days—if ever.
Email is seen as a formal, slow communication channel by younger generations. Text messaging (SMS) is their primary mode of communication. It’s immediate, personal, and sits right on their home screen.
Agencies that utilize recruiting software to send automated text updates regarding application status, test reminders, and academy info see significantly higher engagement rates than those relying solely on email and phone calls.
Transparency Builds Trust
The public safety hiring process is intimidating, invasive, and long. Gen Z values transparency highly. Don’t keep them in the dark.
Use your recruiting tools to provide a clear roadmap of the process. Send them automated updates like: “You are currently at Step 3 of 7: The Background Investigation. The average time for this step is 4 weeks. We will check in again next Tuesday.”
This level of proactive communication eases anxiety and builds trust in your agency before they even put on a uniform.
Is your hiring process stuck in the past? Safeguard Recruiting helps agencies build modern, mobile-first recruiting strategies that resonate with today’s applicants. Let us help you connect with the next generation of officers.
