How to attract Millennials - by Chuck Sink

Chuck Sink, Chuck Sink Link

Knowing how to attract Millennials serves two functions. One is recruitment and the other is selling to them. Recruitment and selling to Millennials is crucial for most businesses right now! The Millennials represent a population boom and their buying power will only grow year after year.

Here’s what Millennials are looking for in an employer: •Stable, reliable employment; • Collaborative work environment; • Coaching and performance feedback; • Latest technology and tools; • Education on the job – paid skills training & advanced degrees; • Flexible work schedules; •High starting salary or fast track to promotion; and • Social responsibility and environmental sustainability policies.

Sounds nice to anyone! The Harvard Business Review reported in April of this year that Millennials are not much different than any other generation when it comes to seeking employment. “They want the same things the rest of us do.” But there’s a twist. Millennials want a safety net. They had it growing up and realize it isn’t necessarily going to be there for them. They probably sense that the economy isn’t producing the growth rates and corresponding opportunities it did for the Boomers and Gen-X.

Let younger professionals know that your organization can provide a stable and nurturing work environment where there’s room for them to grow professionally. Instill a sense of belonging and team spirit in your company culture, and let them have some fun at work.

Ignoring sales pitches but loving their brands!

Millennials have been bombarded by big brand messages since toddlerhood, starting with the “electronic baby sitter.” The brands keep following them on every new device up to today’s smartphones. Often preferring to use technology to communicate, Millennials will often screen or block incoming messages. They don’t like being sold to and will avoid direct sales pitches whenever possible. They do, however love their favorite brands and will consume them loyally when courted on their terms.

Just as Harvard Business Review points out, Millennials “want the same things the rest of us do.” The major difference is they gravitate towards predictability, safety and security. The CRE firms that recruit top young talent and cater to their unique generational interests will be leading the CRE Industry forward and shaping what the workplaces of the future will look like.

Chuck Sink is president of Chuck Sink Link in Contoocook, N.H.