Networks in the Dutch-German Border Region

My name is Hannah Krouß, and I am currently studying International Business at Fontys University of Applied Science in Venlo in my last semester. During my graduation internship in the CBBD lectorate, I am helping the team with different tasks, that can include for example translation, helping at workshops, write newspaper articles or create presentations.

Alongside the tasks within the team, I focus on my graduation assignment which focuses on the early stages of the employer-candidate relationship. As partner SMEs of the CBBD team have reported difficulties to attract the younger Generation and early career candidates, and students often do not know about the companies in the region of Noord-Limburg, my thesis focus will be on what these companies can improve, with a focus on employer branding and communications. My research aims to understand how well the employer-branding communication of SMEs in Noord-Limburg reflects what Gen-Z and early-career candidates expect from employers, and how this understanding can be translated into practical communication guidelines. The project combines desk research, a survey among students and early-career candidates, and a content analysis of SME communication to identify concrete improvement opportunities.

This research is summarized in the following main research question:

Main Research Question How do employer-branding communications of SMEs in Noord-Limburg align with Gen-Z and early-career candidates’ expectations in terms of visibility, understanding and perceived attractiveness, and what communication improvements can help these SMEs become more attractive to this target group?

By answering this question, I aim to contribute to a better understanding of how regional SMEs can make their employer value proposition more visible, concrete and credible for Gen-Z and early-career candidates. The results will be translated into clear, low-budget communication guidelines and example message elements that CBBD can use in its advisory role and that SMEs can directly apply in their vacancies, career pages and online channels.

Contact: Hannah Krouß, h.krouss@fontys.nl.