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In recent years, the hiring world has placed an emphasis on attracting millennial talent, and for good reason: millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. labor force, according to Pew Research Center. This generation, however, is a bit different from those that came before them. They’re looking for more than a paycheck. They want transparency, feedback, experiences and the chance to explore their passions.
Your challenge is attracting this millennial talent for your business. Here are seven ways to make that happen, from bringing a more authentic voice to the experience to engaging with the millennials that already work for you.
What Millennials Want in the Workplace
1. Use Social Media Authentically
This generation is social media savvy, and can spot advertisements and inauthenticy right away. They’re likely also checking your social media profiles before applying or accepting an offer, so your language needs to be authentic with everything you post, from new articles to testimonials. This is especially important if you plan to use social media as a recruiting tool. If so, keep these post ideas in mind:
Impact on Customers: Millennials want to work at companies that have a real impact because they want to be part of something bigger than just a job. Sharing your customer’s successes is a great way to show the impact their work could have on customers.
Employee Successes: Millennials want to be more than just a number. Show them you care about your employees by highlighting their successes on social media. Praising employees for a job well done on a public platform like social media shows what kind of culture your company prioritizes.
Social Good: Millennials want to work for businesses who are focused on the greater good, yet only 48 percent believe that the majority of companies behave ethically. Use social media to show that your business puts time and energy into supporting important causes.
2. Create a Transparent Recruiting Process
Your recruiting process sets the tone for what potential new employees can expect from your business. While it’s been relatively standardized for many years, millennials are changing the game. Sarah Landrum, Forbes and Under30CEO contributor explains that the hiring process changes stemming from the demands of this generation include shorter hiring timeline and greater focus on company culture.
Ultimately, however, we see authenticity being important throughout the recruiting process as well. Landrum explains, “Millennials might have alternate expectations and might conduct themselves differently when they’re looking to start or build on their career, but the one thing they all expect is authenticity. They want to be spoken to like rational adults, and they want work that does some kind of demonstrable good in the world.”
Does your recruiting and interview processes need to be shortened? If so, how can you be effective with less time?
3. Be Transparent About Trajectory
As you bring new potential hires through your interview process, remind them of growth they can expect within the position. In a recent Gallup poll, 87 percent of millennials say development in a job is important.
Use the recruiting process as a way to show them that their future is solid with your company. If they see themselves as managing a team, becoming CTO, or starting a new area of the business, discuss how they could work toward that within the company, and how their current role can help them learn the necessary skills.
4. Emphasize Company Culture
It’s been said time and time again that culture is important to millennials. When looking to recruit this generation of talent, make culture front and center in your job ads and during the interview process itself.
But first, consider if your culture provides value, or if there’s more work to be done before featuring it as a benefit of working for your company. Does this sound like your company culture?
“Healthy cultures are ones where people feel valued, which in turn fosters engagement and productivity. Similarly, the best cultures foster innovation, through collaboration and non-judgement,” suggests Peer Insight’s guide, Company Culture Explained.
If the answer is yes, feature it whenever possible. For example, invite final round interviewees to attend a brief company event, like a group lunch or in-office happy hour. This shows that you’re not just saying culture is important to your company, but you’re actively making it happen.
5. Start With Current Millennial Employees
Oliver Hurcum makes a good point in his recent article for The Undercover Recruiter: “Millennials, like most people, are looking for a workplace where they feel they belong and they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging if they are around people like them. You can bet that a millennial invited to apply for a job by another millennial is more likely to start the application process.”
This is why it can be valuable to work with your current millennial employees to attract new ones. Here are a few creative ideas to use this secret weapon to your advantage.
- Survey or interview all millennial employees. What drew them to your company? What made them accept the position? Use their verbiage, wording and insights in job ads and social media posts.
- Create employee videos, interviewing your millennial talent. Again, remember, authenticity in everything. Don’t tell them what to say, just encourage them to talk about why they love working for your company.
- Introduce potential new hires to other millennials on their team; you may even consider setting up an in-house lunch so they can ask questions and get answers from the people who understand their mindset.
Attract Top Millennial Talent
Millennials may make up the majority of the workforce, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to recruit. This generation doesn’t want the typical 9 to 5 job, and they have higher expectations—which means a good salary and nice office won’t always cut it. Use these ideas to attract this unique group of valuable employees to your business.
Are you looking for new ways to incentivize millennials? Access Achievers’ e-book on “How to Incentivize the Modern Workforce.”
