Is your company struggling to attract top talent? Many are. Without question there’s currently a labour shortage, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Why is it presently a candidates’ market when not so long ago it was quite the opposite? And if your company is struggling to attract top talent, particularly from amongst millennial’s demographic (the generation poised to take leadership roles in the business world) what can you do about it?
Who are millennials?
According to Wikipedia, “Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the generation cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years, with the generation typically being defined as people born from 1981 to 1996. Most millennials are the children of baby boomers and early Gen Xers.”
How millennials have been perceived
Many labels have been attached to millennials—especially by boomers—with regards to their work ethic. They’ve been unflatteringly called lazy, unmotivated, hard to manage, entitled, spoiled—and unable to go without their phones for an hour. Ouch! Not surprisingly, millennials have a different take on who they are.
How millennials perceive themselves
When asked about what makes them tick, millennials are inclined to suggest that they most value doing things they find enjoyable or that enable them to contribute to society. And although most millennials like money, they expect much more from their job than a bi-weekly deposit into their account. To cut to the chase, millennials are looking to work for a company whose culture dovetails with their values.
With regards to corporate culture, millennials thrive on social interaction and teamwork and therefore want an upbeat work environment that allows them to express ideas in creative ways. Working in a cubicle is the antithesis of this . . . And they want opportunities to grow, to gain knowledge and to have unique experiences. Expanding their minds through education and getting involved in charitable activities are important to them. They care about social issues, participating in debates and taking on leadership roles. They are keen to climb the corporate ladder—but not in the ways of generations that preceded them. Does your company culture present as one where millennial values are respected—and appreciated? If not, if you want to attract talented millennials, perhaps a change is in order.
Where millennials job hunt
For millennials the internet is like oxygen—it sustains life and has always been there. They are the first generation born into a world where the internet already existed. And when it comes to looking for a job it’s their primary source of information.
Millennials hunt for jobs online much like they shop online for products and services. One of the first things they do is determine the online reputation of companies they are considering. Does the company look like a good corporate citizen? Do reports suggest the company treats its employees well and is a place where they can grow and become leaders? For millennials, a company’s online reputation is a big deal—almost on par with the job itself. And naturally, millennial job seekers also carefully review the websites of their potential employers to determine those that fit best. Does your company have a good online reputation? And what do you think your company’s website looks like—through the eyes of millennials?
In tandem with intensive personal online scouring for information, millennials also invariably use websites such as Glassdoor to get a perspective on companies. Glassdoor is the worldwide leader on insights about jobs and companies and they pride themselves on being open and honest. The fact that so many millennials use Glassdoor in their hunt for jobs does speak to their skepticism about believing everything that someone in the corporate world tells them. They know when you’re blowing smoke . . .
Other digital sources of job information that millennials dive headlong into include job boards such as Indeed, Monster, and CareerBuilder, not to mention social media via their cell phones.
One other key consideration: Search engines. It’s absolutely vital that you incorporate keywords into any job advertising that you do. Keywords should comprise about 15% of the word total of any online job advert. The best job search engines include Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, Google for Jobs, Indeed, Career Builder, Dice and .
MoreSALES can help with messaging and website
MoreSALES specializes in crafting your online presence and perception. We work with your team to get the right message out to both potential customers AND employees, so that your organization is best positioned for growth. Using tools like website design, social media marketing and content marketing MoreSALES can help deliver the right leads!
