10 Secrets to Hiring Millennials

By Eliot Burdett, CEO of Peak Sales Recruiting

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, broke the traditional workplace mold when he made a billion dollars wearing a hoodie. This led to a new era in the workplace and while Silicon Valley quickly mimicked this approach, established companies and seasoned CEO’s had some reservations about changing their company culture.

The problem facing the leaders of Corporate America, who are reluctant to embrace this change, is that Generation Y now makes up the largest sector of the U.S. population with 83 million members, and by 2025 they will make up 75% of the workforce. The bottom line is simple; companies that do not invest in Millennials will become uncompetitive in today’s global and innovative economy.

Given this generation lived through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, one might think they would take whatever job they could get.  However, Millennials have proven to be a fickle bunch with unique career goals and workplace demands.  Business leaders who understand how to position their companies in an appealing way to Millennials will surpass their competition.  

As the CEO of Peak Sales Recruiting, here are 10 secrets I have seen world-class companies use to attract Millennials to ensure continued growth and innovation.

1) Highlight commitment to innovation: By now, most companies have embraced technological innovation on some level of the spectrum between having a website and launching a mobile app.  Top employers highlight the company’s commitment to innovation and discuss how the candidate will be integral as the company continues to look for new and fresh ideas.

2) Pledge loyalty and stability: The aftermath of the recession has eroded Millennials’ feelings of loyalty towards their employer. In fact, a recent study conducted by PwC found that more and more Millennials expect their total number of lifetime employers to increase – with over 25% of respondents anticipating to work for six or more employers, in comparison to just 10% in 2008. The ability to offer a long-term, stable workplace environment attracts Millennials likes bees to honey.

3) Offer a good work/life balance: The ability to have a good work/life balance is what’s most important for Millennials considering a new opportunity. They are highly attracted to employers that offer flexible hours and remote working environment options. Demonstrating flexibility and genuine concern for meeting Millennial work/life balance standards is an effective tactic to attract the generation’s best candidates.

4) Suggest possibilities for international assignments: Millennials have a strong passion and desire for gaining experience in an international setting. In fact, 71% of Millennials have expressed their eagerness to complete an assignment overseas at some point during their career. The good news is globalization and technological innovations have introduced new markets for companies to build a presence in.
 
​5) ​Specify opportunities for mentoring: Millennials are known as the ‘Trophy Generation’ because they received positive recognition even when they didn’t win. I am not suggesting you treat them with kid gloves, but this generation responds better to mentors than they do disciplinarians. As a result, they are attracted to careers with the opportunity to learn from a mentor who acts more like an experienced co-worker and less like a disciplining-boss.

​6) ​Communicate with them on social media during the recruiting process: Millennials live in a world that is increasingly virtual. They text, Snapchat, and Tweet. Instead of going out for coffee for a one-on-one meeting, they often prefer meeting online via Skype or on a Google Hangout. This virtual instinct is part of the reason companies, for example, are having a hard time filling a growing number of open sales positions, a profession that requires a great deal of personal, face-to-face connections.

​7) ​Rethink compensation packages: Young people want a financial safety net. They favor a higher base pay with a lower proportion of riskier commission pay. The Wall Street Journal cited that the base pay in sales, for example, has increased 11.7% from 2010 through 2014 while the variable amount has remained steady. While this demonstrates that employers are trying to evolve to appeal to Millennials, it is critical for businesses to double down on this and create compensation packages that suit Millennials’ preferences.

​8) ​Offer tuition incentives: Millennials are the most educated group in American history. Graduate degrees and a thirst for learning is important to them.  By offering some form of tuition incentives, your company will become an extremely attractive destination. Additionally, you will encourage your employees to become better educated and equipped to drive your company into the future

9)Embrace diversity: They are also the largest and most diverse generation in the U.S. – made up of 42 percent minorities, with more women working than any other generation.  Diversity in the work place is of great importance to millennials. That’s why hiring more women and people from different backgrounds, then promoting this in your recruiting, is an effective recruitment tool when targeting millennials. This will also help eliminate challenges stemming from the gender and diversity gap many companies face, and introduce fresh ideas and valuable contrasting perspectives into the organization.

​10) ​Offer a career, not a Job: Millennials do not want to simply punch the clock. More than any previous generation, they thirst for a sense of purpose and to know they can achieve their own personal goals while working for an employer that cares about doing good things and making the lives of others better.

About Eliot Burdett:

Eliot Burdett is an author, sales recruiting expert and the Co-Founder and CEO of Peak Sales Recruiting, a leading B2B sales recruiting company launched in 2006. Under his direction, the company leads the industry with a success rate 50% higher than the industry average, working with a wide-range of clients including boutique, mid-size and world-class companies including P&G, Gartner, Deloitte, Merck, Western Union and others.