Partnership Pack
danny@needtoknow.careers
@needtoknow.news
N2K gives 15-21
year olds what they need to know to start careers they care about.
What is N2K?
Teenagers and students are expected
to make big decisions about their future when they’re young. But we don’t think they’re given good enough information
to make those choices.
N2K is an early talent careers platform, with an Instagram-native news media brand as its entry point.
We meet 15-21 year olds through school recommendation and on social channels — helping them understand what’s happening in the world, what causes they’re motivated
by, and directing them to our careers platform to discover careers they can care about.
What can N2K do for you?
Find talent who will stick around
Find talent aligned with your values
Build your youth employer brand
Find engaged, diverse talent
N2K shows engaged 15-21 year olds that you’re their ideal future employer. By partnering with us, you can…
By having a presence on N2K, you can communicate your authentic employer brand in a space designed just for young people,
so they know you’re serious about appealing to them.
Get in front of your next generation of people by meeting them regardless of their background or education level, in a space they’ve chosen to come to.
By having space to get across who you are and what you stand for, you give young people the chance to get to know you and identify themselves as people who match your values.
By connecting with the right people at the right time,
you can generate quality applicants who are far more likely to be motivated to stay for the long run.
“We’re unable to tap into
a younger market because we don’t know where we should be going after them.”
“We’d struggle to know where to start to attract very young people. We’d also want some help with getting our mission statement across to them.”
“We want people to be invested
in coming to work for us based on what we stand for — our values.”
“We have huge drop off among apprentices in years 2 and 3, and it doesn’t feel like there’s much we can do about that.”
Lewis Lightbown: Talent Projects Manager at Danone
Finola Rance: People and Talent Manager at Charlie HR
Paulene Hamilton: Head of People and Talent at Blue Zoo
Gavin McQuillan: Head of Learning
and Development at Natwest
What will you actually get?
A place to
advertise entry-level opportunities
If you have a company page with us, you can also share your entry-level jobs, professional apprenticeships, graduate schemes, work experience positions and traineeships on our opportunities board.
Videos that speak �the right language
It’s not news that 15-21 year-olds
use vertical video to communicate. Our production partners can help
you create TikTok-style videos (for your profile) that give young people a deeper look at who you are, and can be shared on yours and our socials.
A company page
that speaks to 15-21 year olds
You can set up a profile on our companies hub — the place for young people to discover future employers.
How much does a
company page cost?
A company page
that speaks to 15-21 year olds
Your profile is designed to tell young people the information they’ve told us they need to know to
decide if an organisation is a place they’d want to work.
It gives young people a transparent look at your company to understand your bigger aims, as well as more functional things like average salaries and
the sector you’re in.
If you’re interested in having a page, the second half
of this document is where you can share information with us that we can turn into a page for you.
If you struggle to fill in the information, let us know
and we can put you in touch with our partner agency, Human After All. They help businesses define core components of employer brand — ideas like purpose, values and why an employee would want to work
at a business.
50-499 employees
£4,000 a year
1-49 employees
£2,000 a year
500+ employees
£8,000 a year
How much does advertising jobs cost?
A place to
advertise entry-level opportunities
If we really want to help young people start careers they can care about, it’s not enough just to share the information they need to know to make decisions. We also need to share real opportunities that they can apply for.
If you have a company page with us, you can post links to your entry-level jobs, professional apprenticeships, graduate schemes, work experience, traineeships and more there.
We’ll also make sure those job ads are linked to on other relevant pages of the site to drive more engaged young people towards them.
That’s covered in
the cost of having
a company page.
How much does a
video cost?
Videos that speak
the right language
There’s space for a one-minute vertical video about your company on your profile.
It could show a day in the life at your company,
an explanation of your values, a bit about your history… Anything to show young people who you are, and that you could be the company they want to work for.
We can also collaborate on other video content.
Another part of the site is more general information about understanding different job roles and careers. If there’s a job role you’d like to put some focus on or a skill you’d like to promote, we can partner to create a page educating young people about it, and create video content to accompany it.
A 60-second vertical video is £3,000.
As well as featuring your video on the site, you can share it on your socials — and we’ll share it on ours too.
If you’d like a company page or video, keep reading
From 2024, companies will be able to use our CMS to write copy for their pages.
But, because we’re approaching you as one of the first companies we’d love to feature, we’d like to offer you more of our help to get your page and video just right.
We’ll collaborate with you every step of the way, and you’ll give the final thumbs-up before your content goes live.
The next section of this document is a series of questions
to help us gather information to write your page. There’s also more detail on video there too.
Creating your content
@needtoknow.news
Creating your company page
@needtoknow.news
We researched to see what young people need to know
to decide if they want to work for a company. We looked at information online, interviewed some of our audience, and looked at company profiles on other platforms.
We found that young people want transparency.
And we found that what they want transparency on crosses over with how B Corp assess businesses.
So we’re using B Corp’s Impact Assessment structure to gather information to write your page. (That structure measures a company’s positive impact through the lenses of governance, workers and community.)
To help you fill in the content, we’ve included some bonus insights, resources and example answers along the way.
Creating your
company page
Gen Z don’t want to follow
in their parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps.
They don’t want to work ‘to exhaustion, little time for family and individual pursuits, pledging loyalty to one job or industry’,
so they’re happy to challenge tired, corporate policies. (Source)
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
Which accreditations do you have? B Corp, London Living Wage employer, Disability Confident, etc
What year was your company founded?
01 — The basics
Which town or city is your HQ in?
How many people do you employ?
Share a link to your most active social account
Share a link to your website
About your company
“80% of office workers globally care about “how” they work, as well as “what” they do” (Source)
“Your flexible working environment is your most powerful talent attraction tool” (Source)
“The top three priorities for UK Gen Z when choosing are flexible working hours (44%), a positive and friendly work culture (35%), and the ability to build skills (34%)”. (Source)
Spain’s Digital Nomad visa allows you to live and work remotely in Spain, with some conditions.
The distinction between remote-first and completely remote is sometimes unclear.
CIPD share hybrid and flexible working practices.
Select the option or options that best describe your working style
Select the sector or sectors that best describe your organisation
Highlight the box, right click and select tick.
✅
About your company
01 — The basics
“Authenticity is the most important value for Gen-z, beyond future plans and being rich.” (Source)
This a big question. It’s essential to have a company-wide agreed answer for it, but it’s something that lots of organisations struggle to pin down.
If you’re struggling to write yours, drop us a line and we can put you in touch with Human After all, our creative partner.
We’re a design agency that creates brands and communications for tech and purpose organisations. We're a team of designers, writers, strategists and project managers.
[Your answer in 15-30 words]
This is one of the first things a potential new employee will read about you. Use it to summarise who your company is and what you do.
Who are you and what do you do?
01 — The basics
Example
“88% value working for a company that is ‘dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet’." (Source)
“90% said it's important to pursue work that could make the world a better place, such as addressing hunger or environmental conservation.”( Source)
Gen Z "wants to feel connected to issues that they care about. They want a sense of purpose in their work." (Source)
Another big question with a deceptively short answer. If you don’t have an answer to this, please ask and we can help.
To keep this as succinct and focused as possible, complete this sentence: “We exist to…”
We exist to bring reason and empathy to the world.
[Your answer in 10–30 words]
Why does your company exist? Answer with a short, memorable statement that current and future employees can get behind and agree with.
What’s your purpose?
02 – Governance
Example
“Nearly half (49%) of the respondents said they have made choices on their career path and potential employers based on the organisation’s values and ethics.” (Source)
It can help to get an outside perspective on big questions like this.
It’s another one that Human After All can help you with if you need a hand.
Do things for a reason: We only do something if we respect the rationale behind it.
Put ourselves in other people’s shoes: We strive to understand how our actions can affect others.
Keep things simple: We don’t faff — we’re conscientious, logical and precise.
Make sure we’re good humans: We act with care and responsibility.
[Your answer in 15–30 words per value]
Potential young employees will likely look up your values before they apply for a role to see if your values compliment theirs.
What are your values?
02 – Governance
Example
“More than 40% of the young adults surveyed said companies don’t do a good job of showing salaries, 38% said job descriptions were vague and almost a third said hiring timelines were unclear.” (Source)
“85% reported they are "less likely to apply for a job if the company does not disclose the salary range in the job posting." (Source)
“54% of Gen-z would quit their job because of unsatisfactory pay.” (Source)
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
Young people have told us how important salary transparency is to them, so it’s good to share as much information as possible. If there’s anything you can’t fill in, we can leave
it blank on your page.
What are your average salaries?
03 – Workers
What’s the average salary for entry level jobs?
What’s the average salary across the business?
What’s the average salary for your leadership/C-Suite team?
Is there anything else you’d like to share about salary?
“Flexibility is the most important factor for Gen Z when considering a job. 75% of Gen Z respondents said they would prioritise a job with flexibility over one with a higher salary.” (Source)
“42% of Gen-z would quit their job because of burnout and lack of work-life balance.” (Source)
“The 40-hour, 9-to-5 workweek doesn’t appeal to most Gen Z workers, who prefer the space to develop as people and as workers on their own terms.” (Source)”
Our business hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am-5.30pm. We also have a flexitime schedule from 9:30am to 7:30pm — if you want, you can start and finish work later. It also allows you to extend your lunch if you make up the time.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
What are your main working hours?
Do you offer flexitime? Do you offer a four-day week, or are open to part time? Do people often need to work late? Are there expectations around that?
What are your general working hours?
03 – Workers
Example
“Gen Z want work that matters to them, a thriving company culture, and a employer that cares about how they develop.” (Source)
‘CIPD research last year found 74% of Gen Z-ers
value training and skills development that allows them to progress
and climb the pay scale’ (Source)
We have a detailed onboarding programme for new starters. If you want, you can have a “buddy” for your first few months to answer any questions you have. When you’ve passed probation, you’ll get a training budget to help you gain skills, and you’ll have the chance to be promoted at performance reviews twice a year.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
Young people want to know where a job could take them. How do you onboard them? And what do you do to help them turn their first job with you into a career?
How do you help people develop their careers?
03 – Workers
Example
“Most Gen Z-ers in work prefer a hybrid work model.” (Source)
“Gen Z-ers say they work to live, not the reverse. (According to research based on surveys and interviews, including one study of 10,000 people in the United States and the United Kingdom.) They want jobs that either help them develop as people, or give them time to develop outside of work.” (Source)
We want you to have a healthy work-life balance, so we have a hybrid working policy. You can work remotely and from our London-based studio. We encourage everyone to come into the studio at least once a week, but it’s not compulsory.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
We think these hybrid and flexible working practices
from the CIPD are helpful.
Are you remote, on site or hybrid? If you’re hybrid, what’s the split of days in and out of the office?
What’s compulsory? Can people work from anywhere?
Are you pet friendly?
What’s your working policy?
03 – Workers
Example
“Gen Z male and female employees expect employers to offer maternal health and childcare services (53% and 48% respectively).” (Source)
“They also want employee benefits that support holistic wellness and inclusivity. If those benefits aren’t there, Gen Z aren’t likely to stick around: 62% of Gen Z workers surveyed said they’re actively or passively looking for new jobs.” (Source)
Get extra parental leave
We offer enhanced maternity and paternity packages that are full pay for their set periods.
Work from home or the studio
Our Humans can split their working time between home and our studio. You can also take flexitime around our core working hours.
Take care of yourself
Every Human has £250 a year to spend on wellbeing services and products to support their mental health.
Get 28 days’ holiday
This includes three days for when we close over Christmas — and you get public holidays on top.
Prioritise your health
Everyone has comprehensive, fully-subsidised private health insurance, including access to a rewards programme.
Build team bonds
There’s always social events in our calendar, from our summer countryside get-together to movie nights.
Share up to 6 benefits with 2–4 words per
heading and 10–30 words for each description
Benefit 1 heading
Benefit 1 description
Benefit 2 heading
Benefit 2 description
Benefit 3 heading
Benefit 3 description
Benefit 4 heading
Benefit 4 description
Benefit 5 heading
Benefit 5 description
Benefit 6 heading
Benefit 6 description
People don’t just expect a salary from a good employer. What else do you offer?
What do you offer as well as pay?
03 – Workers
Example
“Gen Z don’t want to code-switch between work and home. They want to bring more of themselves to work.” (Source)
“92% of Gen Z respondents said that being authentic and true to yourself is extremely or very important. The number who responded with “extremely important” had grown 16% since from before the pandemic.” (Source)
We’re a reasonably small agency, one where everyone knows everyone else, and we encourage a close-knit collaborative culture. We want our team to be able to rely on each other for support, ideas, inspiration, and feedback.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
What should potential employee know about your culture before they work with you? Does everyone has similar hobbies? Do they tend to work independently? Is feedback regular and important to you? Whatever matters most, share it.
What type of culture do you encourage?
03 – Workers
Example
“In-person socialisation with colleagues is important to 7 in 10 Gen Z-ers.” (Source)
“51% prefer speaking to friends, family and co-workers face-to-face rather than text.” (Source)
Whether it’s impromptu drinks, cinema trips, or organised sports and parties, we like a get-together. Our studio manager has done a great job encouraging everyone to organise their own social. In the past we’ve had wine tasting, pilates, and painting.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
Do you socialise as a company? Are there regular, planned events or more impromptu outings? Or do people tend not
to socialise with their colleagues?
What social events do you run?
03 – Workers
Example
“GenZ aren’t keen on drinking as much alcohol with their colleagues as older generations, so it’s important to have social events that don’t focus on drinking.” (Source)
Every year, we hold Ronfest — our summer, team-wide get-together on the North Yorkshire farm of one of our creative directors. From Friday to Sunday, we camp, swim, play games, and — of course — party. And all food and drink is on the house.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
What’s the thing your company does or offers that you’d like to highlight most? It could be anything from a commitment to a four-day week, to a menopause leave scheme, to a unique social event.
What are you proudest of?
03 – Workers
Example
“Transparency is key in the workplace. It creates an open, honest culture and solidifies trust.” (Source)
We’re in close partnership with Meta, working on Meta teams and projects designed to make a positive impact — but we know that the company has behaved in controversial ways. Any of our new starters would need to be comfortable working on Meta projects.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
Is there anything unique or unusual about your company that you’d want people to be aware of, and on board with, before they came to work with you?
What else should people know?
03 – Workers
Example
“A diverse workforce improves bottom lines. Being open gets you in touch with the best, and sometimes overlooked, talent. And being inclusive makes those talented people want to work with you.” (Source)
In the words of diversity advocate Verna Myers: “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
We’re working to create a sense of belonging. Check out our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy here — we update the strategy constantly. We’re also creating a gender expression and transitioning at work policy.
[Your answer in 20–40 words]
What’s your diversity, equity and inclusion strategy?
What DEI initiatives are you running? What are your DEI goals? Do you take part in networking or working groups?
04 – Community
Example
“88% of Gen Z feels that it’s the right time to change the workforce with DEI in all companies with the right law. And the situation of change is already in progress.” (Source)
“77% find it important to work for a company that cares about diversity, equity and inclusion.” (Source)
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
[Your answer]
Sharing DEI stats shows young people that you’re transparent and value having a diverse team, even if your stats aren’t exactly where you’d like them yet. They also show underrepresented young people that they’re welcome in your workplace.
04 – Community
What percentage of your people don’t identify as white?
Of the percentage of people who don’t identify as white, what’s the breakdown of other races and nationalities?
What percentage of your people identify as women?
What percentage of your people identify as LGBTQIA+?
What percentage of your people identify as disabled or have a long term health condition?
What percentage of your people identify as, or have been diagnosed as, neurodivergent?
What are your diversity, equity and inclusion statistics?
“To attract Gen Z workers, employers must change with the times — and now. That means developing robust training and leadership programs, with a real, practical focus on diversity.” (Source)
04 – Community
We conduct regular surveys to better understand what our team needs. We’re a Disability Confident Committed employer and revisit this every year. We give company training and access to resources around a variety of topics, including neurodiversity and how we help people with different needs.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
This badge like this can show you’re serious about supporting employees with disabilities: Disability Confident Committed employer
What kind of physical support do you offer? How accommodating
is your workplace to people who have a disability or identify as neurodivergent? What kind of training do you offer your people
on these topics?
04 – Community
What accessibility support do you give?
Example
“88% value working for a company that is "dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet." (Source)
According to a report by Pilotlight on the business benefits of supporting employees to use their skills to support charities and causes, 77% of respondents believed that employers should be supportive of staff taking time to volunteer.
We engage with the design community. We host talks and workshops to budding creatives and visit universities and colleges. We partner with Creative Lives in Progress, an inclusive creative careers resource. And some of our team have volunteered their time to mentor a young creative through Creative Mentor Network.
[Your answer in 30–60 words]
Corporate volunteering
as a group
Employer Supported Volunteering for individuals. A set number of days per year to use.
Do you do anything like volunteering, community service or pro-bono hours? Do you make donations in the local community?
04 – Community
How do you give back to your community?
Example
Upload your photos to this Dropbox folder, and we’ll get them prepped for your company page.
Please share 3–6 images that capture life at your company — whether that’s your team working on a project, the space you work in, or something totally unique to you.
05 – Imagery
Imagery that shows who you are
Please share:
Your logo (in either AI, EPS, SVG or PDF)
1 hero image at [then what's there as is]
3-6 other images at [then what's there as is]
Creating your video content
@needtoknow.news
Creating your video content
Want to make a video to show young people what your company’s all about? There are two categories to choose from: company videos and job videos.
To make these, we collaborate with our creative partner, Human After All, and our production partner, Sunday Treat.
They’ll work with you to create a plan for your video and guide you on what you need to film on a phone. Once you’ve filmed the content, you’ll send it back to Sunday Treat to edit.
Every video, no matter what category, will be under
60 seconds and ready for social media.
There’s a bit more information coming up on each type of video. If you’re interested in either, drop Danny a message.
Company videos
This video will sit side-by-side with what’s written on your company page, as well as being shared on our socials (as well as yours if you’d like to).
There’s no set formula for what you can include here. It’s an extra opportunity to introduce yourselves to potential young employees.
You could do that by in lots of ways, like:
Whatever your idea, we can help you shape it into a video that tells young people what they need to know, while giving you shareable content that positions you as a good future employer.
Imagery that shows where a video sits on a company page and possibly imagery of a company video on our IG (or TikTok?)
Add the Cool Earth video when we have it.
Job videos
Part of the n2k site is content to help young people better understand what jobs exist in the world, so that they’re aware of more options to build a career they can care about.
If there’s a job role — or an aspect of understanding the world of work — that you’d like to educate young people about, we can collaborate to build content for it: a page, as well as a video.
Here are a few ideas for the sorts of videos that could work.
Top tips
In this loose TikTok-style format, one of your team speaks to camera and gives 3-5 top tips about finding their feet in their role.
I wish I knew
In this more polished format, one of your team speaks to camera about things they wish they knew before working in their role, mixed with captured video content.
What to expect
One of your team narrates over captured video content (they can also feature in some or all of that content), showing things to expect working in their role.
Day in the life
One of your team captures video content during their work day. This is cut together, and includes a voiceover, to give a taste of a day in their role.
Thanks
danny@needtoknow.world
@needtoknow.news