Interested in Hiring Millennials? Here is How...

Currently, more than 40 percent of recent college graduates are unemployed, and 16 percent are in part time jobs. This is not because all of these graduates are unqualified, but merely because the job market is saturated. Despite this saturation, many companies struggle to find the perfect job candidates and settle for less than the best. One of the reasons for this is the gap between employers and job seekers in advertising and securing jobs. Another reasons is companies’ inability to make efficient use of potential recruiting resources and websites like BuzzRecruiter.

Companies have been searching for ideal employees since the beginning of job recruiting and have followed the same proven practices for years. Recruiters are sent to schools and job fairs looking for potential employees, and when they find a potential candidate, they invest time and money into hiring and training that person. While this is effective at finding job seekers, it ignores, or at best undervalues, the Internet’s effect on the job market.

Millennials have been raised in a world where the internet and social media are facts of life; as such, they go to the internet first when looking for jobs. Most companies have built an online presence, and online resumes and job applications are common. However, the full capabilities of this technology are not understood or taken advantage of. There are a multitude of online resources (consulting services, web design, re-branding) offered by companies like BuzzRecruiter that could make a huge difference for companies in their recruiting efforts.

Recruiters have to deal with a massive influx of candidates and often resort to generalized categorizations to cut down on the number of potential employees. While this simplifies the recruiter’s job, it doesn’t take into account the candidates who don’t fit into large-scale generalizations based on technicalities.

If your company hopes to hire more millennials and you want to be sure to hire the very best, then you must understand the millennial mindset and habits. The following tips will assist recruiters in learning how to attract and hire millennials who are perfect for open job positions:

• Millennials want to make the world a better place. Whether rooted in guilt or in a desire to prove themselves, millennials want to feel like they are making a difference. This is why “hashtag charity” has become so popular: People can write about something on social media or pour a bucket of ice water on their head and feel like they are helping the world. If your company does charity work or helps the community, emphasize that in hiring interviews.
• Millennials want to express themselves. The popularity and success of social media sharing sites like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn is indicative of self-absorption. It is based in a desire to share details of their lives and to know and share the details of their friends’ lives. This is not a new phenomenon; simply new technology. Give your employees a chance to express themselves and you will make your company more attractive.
• Millennials are diverse.Millennials are the most diverse generation ever to exist. Modern technology and the simplicity of traveling from country to country has introduced a level of cultural and ethnic mixing never before seen in human history. Facebook and LinkedIn allow people from different backgrounds to connect with one another to find your company. Your recruiting and hiring practices should reflect this diversity.
• Millennials like flexibility.45 percent of millennials are taking jobs with higher flexibility over jobs with higher pay. They value their freedom and the ability to move anywhere in the world without worrying about losing their job. They also value their personal lives, and if they can get work done efficiently from home or by saving time in any way, they often will.
  Freelancing is becoming more and more common as a viable job possibility, and if you want to attract millennials to your company, you should be willing to make changes to how you view scheduling and traditional work hours.
• Millennials crave feedback.Regular evaluations are important to a millennial, and teaching them how to better themselves at each step of the way can win you the loyalty and respect of many a millennial employee. Let them know their progress and teach them how they can advance within the company.

If you are hoping to hire millennials, follow these tips and talk with millennial employees. Learn what motivates them for yourself, and learn to navigate their world of social media, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and more. By building connections, you will soon be hiring employees. Contact BuzzRecruiter for more information on online recruiting tools and practices that can help your company succeed.