As millennials continue to make up a larger share of today's work force, employers should incorporate this diverse demographic into their organizations, but identifying the right millennial job candidates takes a different approach from traditional recruiting, says Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer of iCIMS, a provider of talent acquisition software solutions that has had success recruiting and retaining millennial employees.
When it comes to recruiting millennials – or any specific demographic for that matter – human resources professionals should look at the process from a marketing angle, Vitale says. Successful marketing highly depends on the right medium of communication, and this varies based on the audience. What may be effective for one demographic isn't always the best method for others.
"More organizations are recognizing that recruitment in HR needs to wear a bit of a marketing hat," Vitale says. "Just like if your organization is marketing a product or a service, you need to ensure you're reaching your different audiences in a way they prefer to communicate. The same thing goes with targeting millennials. It's not a complete upheaval of the existing recruitment advertising strategies; it's making sure you're not leaving them out of the loop or completely ignoring them. Recruiting is not a one-size-fits-all strategy."
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Millennials are especially responsive to social media platforms, and these should be incorporated into an organization's recruitment plan if they intend to go after these job prospects, Vitale says. While social media pages are certainly popular for personal uses, millennials also expect to connect with their future employers via mediums that go beyond the traditional methods.
"We're seeing more and more of millennials fitting into a bit of a stereotype that they're obsessed with social media, and this doesn't only apply to how they communicate with their friends and families," Vitale says. "Sending them pamphlets or handing out hardcopy brochures at job fairs is not well-received by millennials. They like to communicate by seeing information and flagging it for later."
Along with open positions, employers should use their social media pages to promote their corporate brands, work environments and growth opportunities. Today's employers provide unique benefits with flexible work environments, and many millennials have come to expect and desire these offerings from their companies. With social media, an organization can show prospective employees what makes it stand out from others and allow millennials to determine if that company would be a good fit.
Once those millennial job prospects are turned into employees, companies can continue relying on social media platforms during the onboarding process, Vitale says. While the onboarding process does not have to be the same for millennials as older employees, it generally creates a smoother transition.
"More companies are starting to include ways to network through internal portals or welcome-hire portals," Vitale says. "This allows those employees to start getting to know their co-workers. It's like an internal Facebook of some sort. From there, the millennial can even be paired with a mentor. We are hearing a lot about that."
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