posted on 08.21.14

As you read this, Millennials (Gen Y) are being actively recruited prior to, and upon, college graduation. Many are already busy navigating the waters of their first professional job since being hired a year or so ago. But why is this new generation the new darlings of the workforce? And how can you successfully attract and recruit this sought after group of young talent? Keep reading!

Let me start by saying that companies, of all sizes, are spending record-breaking amounts of money on recruiting the Millennials. Companies like Deloitte, Toyota, IBM, and other brands you know are taking this very seriously, so this isn’t just me saying they are a big deal to the future of our professional workforce; companies all over the U.S. and abroad are starting to see it, too.

But why has this new generation turned into such a hot commodity? One key factor is the looming reality of the Boomer Brain Drain that companies across the country are going to feel over the next 5-15 years. Here’s one simple statistic from the Office of Employment Projections that will quickly put this into perspective: The average large company in the U.S. will lose 30-40% of its workforce due to retirement over the next 5-10 years. Ouch.

Now that you have a general idea of why companies are clamoring to hire them, I thought it would be a good idea to share 5 key attraction and recruitment tips that your organization should consider.

Effective Attraction & Recruitment Tips:

Go Where They Are: Running ads on Craig’s List or Monster.com isn’t enough. This generation has grown-up experiencing life online and congregating on places like MySpace, FaceBook, YouTube, and Second Life. You should consider having a company presence in these communities to attract Millennials to your brand and make them aware of you.

Preach Work-Life Balance: This generation is showing up totally aware of work-life balance. They value time with family and friends, and they value their time doing things they enjoy. Boomers and Gen X employees typically didn’t ask for “balance” until they had been in the workforce for 15+ years. Millennials are requesting it from Day One. And, the smart companies are offering it.

Invite the Folks: As a whole, this generation considers their parents part of their social circle. They like their parents and they respect their opinion. Perhaps you’ve heard the new term “Helicopter Parents”. It means that even when their kids go off to college (or work!) they don’t stop hovering over them and guiding them (a lot!). Recruiters are now finding themselves taking a top candidate to lunch for a schmooze fest and he/she brings their parents. Recruiters realize that convincing the parents it’s the best job for their child is as important as convincing the kid. Well-known companies are even creating “Parent Days” where job candidates can bring their parents to tour the company’s work environment, meet their potential managers, etc.

Preach Mentoring: These young adults want to know you will provide them with plenty of guidance and mentoring! If you don’t have a mentor program in-place, create one and emphasize it during the interview process. I recently conducted a seminar with a well-known company about recruiting and retaining Millennials, and they had been suffering from a high turnover of Millennials. When I spoke to the Millennials who had left, all of them mentioned the company hadn’t provided enough mentoring and training programs.

Emphasize They Will Get Plenty of Face Time With Managers: A recent survey of Millennial professionals, conducted by Robert Half International and Yahoo! Hot Jobs, found that over 60% of Millennials want to hear from their managers at least once a day. You need to tell your front-line managers this!

So are the rumors you’ve heard about them being high maintenance true? Yes. But, they will also be high performing. We have just begun to feel their impact as they reach their mid-20s. And the smart companies will adjust their corporate cultures, and recruitment and retention strategies, to appeal to this new generation.

Article by Lisa Orrell from JobDig.com.  Lisa has been featured on MSNBC and other talk shows as an expert on recruiting the younger generation.

Video provided by the National Association of Manufacturers as an effort to educate the younger generation on manufacturing.