Inside Millennials’ Minds: 5 Key Traits for Recruiting

It is estimated that the labor force will be made up 75% millennials by 2025 (loosely defined as born between 1980 and 2000), talent recruiting professionals naturally want to know what makes this generation tick. During the recent Dice webinar, “How To Engage Millennia
ls Through Social Recruiting,” Ashley Cheretes, Recruitment Marketing Manager at ADP (@ashleycheretes), identified five key characteristic traits of millennials. 1. Creativity Some 78 percent of millennials are strongly influenced by how innovative the company is when deciding if they wanted to work there. They want to work in an environment that fosters innovation and encourages creative problem solving. “It’s important for you to think of ways to show your company is creative and innovative through the content you share on your social media channels,” Ashley said. 2. Technology Virtually every millennial owns a smart phone. No surprise there. The eyebrow raiser is how important that device is to this generation. In fact, 65 percent of millennials say losing their phone or computer would have a greater negative impact on their daily routine than losing their car. For millennials, digital devices are also an important means of communicating and connecting with employers. Ashley suggested informing millennials of the ways “your organization uses technology or cutting edge communication tools to enhance their experience. I’m not talking about company intranet here. I’m talking about cool apps that you use that you can talk about. Or you can talk about how your company gives them smartphones as well.” 3. Expressiveness Social media is a major avenue of expression for millennials. Seventy-one percent of the generation engages in social media daily, averaging more than three hours a day on social sites. About 56 percent of millennials won’t work at a company if they ban social media access. “Technology is the vehicle of how millennials communicate; their expressive nature is really the fuel,” Ashley said. “That’s who they are and what they want to do.” A good strategy is to communicate to millennials how your company embraces the two-way dialog and uses that feedback to improve your organization and make it a better way to work. 4. Altruism 84 percent of millennials say that helping to make a positive difference in the world is more important than professional recognition. The generation wants to know that their employer cares about the greater good and takes action to contribute to it. Use social media outlets to communicate all you do to make the world better, especially efforts that connect your company with great community and national causes. 5. Ambition Two out of three millennials see themselves in a mid-level or senior management role in the next 10 years. Nearly 70 percent feel regular office attendance is unnecessary. “If you have any millennials in the workplace, you know they want feedback constantly,” Ashley said. “They also want to take the next step in their career very quickly. It’s important to diversify their projects, get them excited about doing different things, but then in addition, they know that they need your mentorship and your help.” Ashley said add in flexible work arrangements and “you’ve got the magic for a millennial.” Watch the Webinar You may watch the full on-demand webinar, “How To Engage Millennials through Social Recruiting,” on YouTube to get more ideas on connecting with Gen Y. View the Slide Deck