The philosophy of recruiting is changing today. Yes, this sphere is not what it used to be several years ago, because today recruiters have to deal with totally different kinds of candidates – Millennials.

Hiring Millennials differs a bit from the one we all used to. Cover letters and formal resumes are what modern graduates do not like though they have to learn and follow all those tips and tricks on resume writing to catch a recruiter's attention and get a job of their dreams as a result. Anyway, recruiters start using some innovative ways to attract young and talented candidates and make them interested in job positions they offer.

As far as we all understand, young specialists have specific requirements for their future work, and they use slightly different methods of job search for students than their predecessors used a few years ago. That is why recruiters try some modern methods to bring a new talent in. What are they?

1. Social media

Students are very socially active today, and it would be a sin for a recruiter to ignore LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other great online places: big chances are that your potential candidate is there, waiting for you to hire him.

Recruiters develop relationship with recruits in social media, share job postings there, encourage other employees to recommend people from their networks, check profiles of potential candidates... This is one of the quickest and really effective ways to hire young talents, and professional recruiters often practice it today.

2. Networking online

Time is priceless in our modern world, and both recruiters and candidates know that perfectly. All these networking events and job fairs cost a lot (literally and figuratively), and a new trend comes at once: online networking events.

Different candidates have different job search strategies, and networking online can help some students with specific majors and attitudes to job search find a job they have been looking for a long time.

3. Video interviews

Both recruiters and candidates are happy to live in digital age, where technologies let us forget about wasting time and money. The days of having dozens of candidates in your office for an interview are gone: Google Hangouts, Skype and many other video technologies let you save some time and choose some good (and ignore some bad) candidates before they come to your office for final interviews.

Potential candidates love this technology too, as it lets them understand whether they need to waste their time on this particular job position.

4. Various digital tools.

Millennials are big fans of technologies, and they always welcome new tools in different spheres of their life, including job search and career building. Good recruiters know that, so they are not afraid of trying various digital tools to attract and hire talented young candidates.

• Google Hangouts is used to engage with candidates;

• Different online writing tests are used to understand whether a candidate fits this particular job position, and whether they really want this job;

• Survey Monkey is used to interview candidates on specific subjects.

Some tips for recruiters who want to hire a talented graduate student:

1. Do not be afraid of trying new techniques for recruiting (targeted advertising for example).

2. Millennials value social responsibility and mentorship; make sure your company can give it to them.

3. Do not focus on candidates from “elite” schools only: a real talent can be hidden in any degree program.

4. Young professionals know many tricks to write a resume that can impress every recruiter, but it does not mean that the best candidate is a one with the best resume. Look for an employee who is committed to your company and ready to stay with their employer.

5. Though we live in a digital world today, do not let technologies swallow you up completely: face-to-face work is also very important when it comes to hiring good specialists for good employers.

By Lesley J. Vos, an educator and a career specialist for college students. Lesley is a writer for Bid4Papers blog, and she works on her e-book at the moment.