Working with Millennials

I recently came to the realization that in less than a month I will be moving out of the prized demographic, of 18-34 year olds, so often cited by marketers, advertisers and media moguls as the cornerstone of their campaigns.  This age group also represents the “sweet-spot” of most development positions we are looking to fill for our clients.   A majority of this group falls into the category of “Millennials” or those born after 1982.  The way this “digital generation” communicates and what they value in a new role is markedly different than even people my age or older.  This requires some creative ways to engage and motivate them to look at a new position or new company. 

The most important lesson I have learned is that no one communicates via the phone (at least by talking on it).   Our marketing manager, who is 25, doesn’t talk to her friends or dates on the phone, so why would she answer a call from a strange number?  You have to engage via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, even old-fashioned email or other digital avenues.  The ultimate goal is still to build a relationship and that requires many phone conversations and some face time, but you need to use other means to drive the person to want to spend that time with you.  I’ve found that once I have a young candidate in the interview process, the best way to talk during the work-day is via text message, which is both discrete and direct.

Equally essential is the quality of the company and position you are pitching someone at this age.  Most Millennial developers are not interested in being one cog on a team of 30 developers maintaining an aging mainframe environment.  They want to work with the most up to date technologies, tools and do so in their own way.  This means they expect flexible schedules, meaningful work, and creative freedom to voice their opinion and make choices on their own.  Now I know not every company can provide this Facebook-like work scenario, so it’s my job to temper some expectations about the real world.  It’s also part of my role to educate our clients on how to motivate and attract this talent they want.  Finding a middle ground is usually the best scenario. 

There are many nuances to engaging and recruiting the best and the brightest of this emerging generation, and companies are working to adapt to how young people work best.  What techniques or tactics have you been successful with in finding and building relationships with those under 35?  Are you open to changing some of your policies to better attract talented young developers?

Additional Matieral:
Gen Y and Millennials Entitlement on CBS Early Show w/ Jason Dorsey
Jason Dorsey: Gen Y Keynote Speaker 2010 Preview Video (very funny)
Job Searching the Generation Y Way