Are local applicants (Singapore) picky when it comes to jobs? - A case study

Millennials & Gen Z love to NEGOTIATE

A post by Delane Lim (See pic) lamenting about hiring the young generation has gone viral with over 7k+ shares

The post has divided the readers into 2 camps

Pro Employer VS Pro Employee

Here are some insights we can glean from this post

There is a clear mismatch in expectations from what employers expect to offer Vs what young gen employees expect to receive

Based on the 7 interviews he did, we learn that the young generation

* Knows how to negotiate. They know where they stand and know what they want. They are not Entitled. They are Empowered. Some may seem them as entitled for asking for what they want, but they’re empowered to find the job that matches their expectations. All 7 interviewees have felt that the Employer’s offer is lacking in value based on what’s available in the market. All 7 interviewees have also mentioned clearly to the employer about what they feel will add more value to them. If the Employer was accepting of their terms, some of these applicants would have taken up the negotiated offer.?It’s all about finding the best fit.

* Knows that an interview is a 2-way street. It’s not about taking what you get on the table, but negotiating what you can offer as an employee with what the employer can provide.?

* Don’t work purely for money, we work to have a certain lifestyle. We want work life boundaries in place. Working from home has become a norm today but the danger in that is you might keep working even on weekends. Where do we draw the line? When can we really get a break? Applicant A is clear that he doesn’t want to work on weekends. Good for him

* Value Convenience. Convenience matters to the generation.?This can happen in the form of company benefits. Applicant B is happy to take up the offer if transport allowances are provided. Applicant E wants 21 days annual leave instead of 14.?If not possible, we will reconsider the offer. We know that we can get other opportunities elsewhere. This is not the one and only job offer even in today’s market. More than salary, what benefits are organisations providing their employees? Are they competitive in this aspect??

* Know their worth. Applicant C had a last drawn salary of $6K. She is probably overqualified for this role, but is willing to take a pay cut, and not more than 10%. She knows she can get an offer elsewhere and is not willing to negotiate down to a lower salary. Applicant G wants guaranteed AWS + 1 month minimum VB on contract.?

* Are vocal. They only want this job until they can get a better one. Applicant F is direct and straight to the point. They know that they can get better offers when the economy picks up.

Here’s what we can learn about the ‘typical employer mindset’

* Thinks that they are doing every employee a huge service by offering a job. Back in those days, when jobs were hard to find, this applies well. Not so in today’s age.?

* Do not see the interview as a 2-way process. Unwilling to negotiate. Negotiating terms with candidates seems to offend such employers just because they are the employer. This might be a common experience for older generation who would not have dared to do the negotiate when they were young. Those days the mindset was different. Employers can’t complain that young generation today are not humble and not hungry for a job because they are not willing to accept the counter-offers in today’s market. Just Google what startups are offering these days.?

* Quick to label candidates who don’t fit into their mould. Strawberry Generation, Lazy, Entitled, Narcissistic…are stereotypes used to paint an entire generation. They spend more time lamenting on the issue and labelling the young generation, where it would be more worthwhile to spend your time studying what appeals to the younger generation. (Actually they already told him, but he didn’t want to accept). You will find that you can get the best talents for lower salary and better benefits. Even better if you give them a role that highlights their impact on the community at large. Communication is key.?

* Are not aware of the stiff competition to hire top talents. COVID19 is here, but top talents still move to top companies. Maybe this employer doesn’t realise that his offer is unattractive to the young generation (locals) that he is looking to hire.?

* Do not know how to attract the young talents. Some employers do not know how to motivate the young generation to join their organisation. Such employers are not aware of the importance of building their Employer Brand. The young generation believe in working in a company with a great vision, doing work with a mission that aligns with theirs and has impact. They want to follow good leadership and want to know about growth opportunities. Having an employer brand that shares these online or otherwise will attract the right fit. The young generation want a better lifestyle. In this case, all applicants just want a job, not a career in this organisation. Other than as an exchange of services, these 7 are not intrinsically inspired to join this company if they can’t get what they want in terms of salary and benefits

At the end of the day, it is a mistake to judge this generation based on their own experience when they entered the job market.

When you bait sharks with worms, you can’t complain when none are biting.

Guess there are a lot of Business leaders / Business owners who will need a copy of my next book, Engaging Millennials ;) (coming soon)

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