Employers are quickly recognizing that working with the millennial generation poses unique challenges. Over the past decade there has been a rapid, significant change in the way people in American society view work. Many of these changes can be attributed to the millennial generation entering the workforce.
So called ‘late millennials’ are demanding to be treated differently than their parents. Because of this, the culture of work in the United States is forever changed. Although adapting to the needs of the late millennial generation may prove to be a challenge, these tips for employers should make the process easier.
- Seek out passive candidates
Many recruiters have aimed to hire more passive candidates in recent years. Passive candidates are people who are currently working and not actively looking for a new job. These workers do not appear to have any particular interest in a new company and have not reached out for a job opportunity, but they may be persuaded if a new company’s job offer is appealing enough.
The appeal of passive candidates, from the perspective of a recruiter, is that they aren’t actively seeking a new job and therefore won’t receive other offers from competitors during the interview process. For this reason, companies can take their time and make careful, deliberate decisions during the hiring process.
By recruiting passive candidates, companies can carefully sort through prospective employees and choose the best fits for their workplace. Employers can take a more proactive approach and select the candidates themselves, instead of relying on the traditional method of allowing employees to send in a resume and cover letter. Using this method, companies can make careful, well-informed choices about exactly what type of candidate is right for their business.
By relying on the traditional method of recruiting, many employers are basically expecting strong candidates to just walk in. It’s often easier for companies to take matters into their own hands and seek out strong candidates proactively, especially if the employer has a particular set of traits in mind.
The primary problem with seeking out passive candidates is that they may truly be happy and have no interest in leaving their current job. This means that time may potentially be wasted by seeking out people who have no intention of switching companies. However the chance that you will find the perfect candidate through this recruiting technique makes it worth the extra effort.
- Use technology to stand out
The days of looking through newspaper classified ads or driving around town and searching for “help wanted” signs in the windows of businesses are long gone. Recruitment and hiring strategies have changed dramatically because of late millennials. Because the late millennial generation prefers a technology-driven approach to job searching, companies that don’t stay up to date with these modern techniques may be overlooked.
Job board sites have exploded in popularity in recent years and have become the preferred job seeking method of younger generations, and many late millennials are conducting their job searches entirely online. Because of this shift in hiring preferences, it’s important for companies to stay current with what job seekers are looking for. Many successful companies no longer use older methods of hiring such as putting ads in the newspaper entirely out of fear of appearing old-fashioned. A company’s image has become more important than ever, and employer branding is now the core of this digital age recruitment.
It’s important for companies to appeal to this new generation of job seekers. Job boards and job search apps continue to be the perfect ways to find candidates who are informed about the latest technology and trends. Having a website with frequent updates and using social media to appeal to late millennials are useful tools for modern companies to improve brand image.
- Focus on candidate experience
The way companies handle candidate care has completely changed due to the widespread use of the internet as a job searching tool. In the past, an employer could take a lighter approach to candidate care while concentrating on other parts of the hiring process. Many companies focused on whether or not the candidate fit their own specific needs and never concerned themselves with how they looked in the eyes of the candidate.
Modern human resources teams to be completely willing to answer questions. The internet has given the late millennial generation many more options for work than past generations. Many millennials have no qualms about relocating across the country for the right job, and if a company doesn’t interest them, it’s no loss on their part. They’ll simply seek a more accommodating company with a lot more communication going on.
Today’s companies focus more on candidate care in recruitment and providing an easier hiring process for candidates. There are many steps companies can take to make the process easier for potential new hires. Sometimes, a gesture as simple as inserting an “Applicant FAQ” on the company website can be very helpful and appealing. Many organizations are taking it a step further than just FAQ page and are putting a lot of effort into appealing to job candidates.
There are several essentials of candidate care which cannot be ignored, but the golden rule is to treat people how you would like to be treated. As quoted by Sir Richard Branson, “respect is how you treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.” For example, a simple “we will (only) get back to successful candidates” is not good practice and sends a poor message. You do not want to leave your candidates waiting.
Coming across as approachable and caring when hiring late millennials is important. Otherwise, they might turn their back on your company and go elsewhere to seek a more comfortable atmosphere. Making sure candidates know you’re perfectly happy to inform them of the interview results within a given time frame can make a big difference to your corporate image.
Final words
Taking a modern look at employee recruitment strategies and abandoning some of the older, less effective approaches will allow companies to find successful candidates. By using appropriate research and consideration for the late millennial generation, employers can successfully acclimate to the changing job market. Successful employers are taking on the challenge of evolving hiring processes and shaping the future of recruitment.
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