New data on those mysterious millennials continues to roll in; much of it is based on fairly thin research.

But when somebody — as in LinkedIn — gathers data from more than 13,000 of them, maybe it’s worth paying attention to the results.

LinkedIn surveyed many of its millennial-age members to find out what they look for in an employer, and what their level of engagement is likely to depend upon. What came back was, in some cases, expected (they’re active in social media) and, in others, surprising (they don’t care much about finding meaning in work).

Let’s take a look at the responses.

When asked if they would follow up on jobs they heard about, 93 percent say they would. Just how ready to make a move they would be wasn’t clear. But that kind of interest level indicates this generation is ready to job hop. The survey says millennials check out employers and prospective jobs much more often through social media than do other generations, and that they use LinkedIn more than other generations to do job research.

If they apply for a job, they were asked, what would keep them from pursuing it? Here, the breakdown was pretty even:

36 percent say not knowing enough about the company.
30 percent say not getting a response to their application.
30 percent say not understanding the role.

And while they say a company’s values and culture really matters to them, millennials are more interested in the benefits package than other generations. Importance of benefits breaks down as such:

Millennials: 64 percent.
Gen X: 54 percent.
Boomers: 51 percent.

Does the job have to have a mission, a purpose, a meaningful impact on society? Again, the "yes" responses by generation:

Millennials: 30 percent.
Gen X: 38 percent.
Boomers: 48 percent.

In fact, this survey found that millennials are more about the work and the comp than changing the world — a clear shift from attitudes that prevailed when boomers hit the job market.

Millennials’ three top criteria for a great job are, in order of importance: good pay and benefits; opportunities for upward mobility; and challenging work. So, if it’s millennials you’re trolling for, says LinkedIn, be active on social media, and offer them challenging jobs that will compensate them well if they succeed.

Instant Insights /

Millennials want benefits, challenges and opportunities

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