Does it come as a surprise at all that the 18-29 demographic doesn’t want to work for a big company?
That notion plays into the takeaway from a recent New York Magazine story, “The End of Wall Street as They Knew It” which shows that more people in general aren’t looking to be employed at big corporations but would rather join the ranks in Silicon Valley. The vehicle that gets them there? The latest and greatest start-up business.
In a column by Deloitte CEO, Barry Salzberg, he says that millennials treat finance, consulting and corporate jobs as a “a tragedy of wasted minds” and would rather have a career that matters to them.
Focus on recruitment strategies
So if your company is looking to get young talent into the office and keep them around for a while, it’s time to leave any stuffy corporate recruiting strategies at the door.
Here are some key factors from the Harvard Business Review to keep in mind when trying to recruit and develop millennials:
- Recruiting materials should focus on the company’s vision and goals. Part of the appeal of start-ups is just how wide-eyed they are, so if your company is passionate about its mission, vision and goals, young workers will take notice.
- Involve candidates and young employees in strategic talks about bettering the company with those same goals in mind. For candidates, ask them during the job interview how they feel about the company’s vision. For young employees, have a regular talk with them about this and include veteran employees in the conversation, too. It shows the company as a whole takes it seriously.
- Offer room to advance, not just in the company, but in their personal lives, too. It helps if you have unique benefits that allow for self-exploration, like volunteer opportunities.
- Work on identifying young talent right away. An early promotion for consistently great work is a surefire way to keep them around.
- In addition to self-exploration benefits, think about low-cost perks that start-ups usually employ. Here’s a good place to start.
Do you have a strategy for finding and developing young talent? Let us know your ideas in the comments below.
