Recruiting Millennials
We often hear the term “Millennial” but we might fail to understand what it actually means. In general, a social generation is a group of people born in the same distinct period of time marked by the same cultural changes. “Millennials” are people born between 1981 and 1994/6. They are currently between 25 and 40 years old and represent around 1,3 mil of the Bulgarian population.
*Disclaimer: “Millennial” can differ as a term in different sources, if you don’t agree with the aforementioned description, I don’t know what to tell you.
But does it make a difference whether you’re talking to a millennial, gen X, gen Z, etc. Short answer, yes. Let’s discuss the biggest workforce in the world - Generation Y, or better known as Millennials. Let's take a look at what they value the most and how and why their preferences differ from other generations… and when I say they I include myself.
1.Millennials are tech-savvy individuals.
Unlike previous generations, Millennials grew up with technology - and ironically technology grew with them (and some are responsible for the growth of technology). All tech feels intuitive - computers, smartphones, smartwatches - making them also an essential part of their workplace. They are the first generation to look for a job on a digital device, and it is important to have that in mind when posting a job ad. Consequently, think about where they are, what are they reading, what do they care about?
2. Millennial = Freedom Seeker
Another notable distinction is their desire for freedom - remote work, flexibility, relax zones, work-life balance, etc. - which, from older generations’ perspective, is often perceived as “too much to ask for”.
Therefore, it is important to offer a liberal working schedule for younger people - it will definitely help nurture a positive working environment and improve your employer brand in general.
3. Job Hopping - the new normal
Looking at the average Millennial we can often observe relatively regular job changes. This is mainly due to the high competitiveness in the job market for which they are a major contributor. Generation Y can be characterized by a better and higher education than their predecessors which makes them also needier. To solve this ‘problem’, give purpose & opportunities for growth.
Show that they can make a contribution to the job and make a financial impact on the company. Add a few relevant training sessions, boot camps, and even courses covered by the company, and your chances of retention grow significantly.
4. Personal brand & work environment
There are probably a lot of things that you can focus on when recruiting a Millennial but a good start is to focus on how they can develop as a professional inside and outside of the organization. Make sure there are opportunities for each team member from the intern that just started to the manager.
Moreover, we also care about where we work. Is it a nice office? Is the location all right? Is there a place where I can chill or grab a coffee? You’ve probably noticed the sudden rise in coworking options in the past few years. Yes, companies want/ need flexibility but so do the Gen Ys.
How to get Millennials on board in the first place in 5 steps with no context (let’s take it to the comments):
- Get social
- Embrace mobile
- Offer millennial-friendly benefits
- Invest in your company’s employer reputation and brand
- Change the approach