In general, millennials get a bad rap as employees, with many research reports touting them as unengaged, unmotivated job-hoppers. But with millennials set to make up almost 75% of Australia’s workforce by 2025, there is no doubt that this generation will have a significant influence on the future of the workplace. For those of us in HR and recruitment, it is important that we understand what motivates this generation, embrace their differences and adapt the recruitment process to ensure we are helping millennials succeed in the workplace.
While a lot of the focus for this generation has traditionally been on their negative traits, there are a lot of positive characteristics that are often overlooked in millennials and can be used as insights into how we can better attract millennial candidates to job vacancies that are right for them.
It’s important to remember that this generation was brought up using technology and, as a result, typically have higher adoption and usage rates than older generations. Research has also shown millennials to be adaptable, resourceful, educated and confident, which are much needed qualities in today’s workforce. So, how do we take these positive qualities and adapt the recruitment process to suit this generation.
Tech-savvy generation
The millennial generation are constantly accessing technology. This means that they are able to seek out roles and information on jobs better than any generation before them. As they aren’t afraid to ‘job-hop’, they are constantly checking out new opportunities. As a recruiter, it is important to provide the technology to make job applications as fast and simple, like one-click applications, to get better responses from millennials.
A great example is one of our clients who has set up an online portal for Locums. The portal enables doctors and medical staff to pick up short-term, temporary shift work at short notice across Australia. The doctor simply logs in, checks to see if there is any work available, and in one click can pick up shifts whenever and wherever they need it. It’s that simple, and because all their credentials and information are stored in our ATS that powers the portal, they don’t need to worry about uploading their documentation every time they want to pick up work at a different location. This system is quite appealing to medical staff who are travelling and want to pick up the odd shift here and there. It is also great for hospitals and medical clinics in remote locations that are always in need of more medical staff.
Give millennials the control
This tech-savvy generation don’t want to wait around for a job ad to appear for them to send you their resume. Millennials often know the companies they want to work for and will proactively approach them to see if there are any opportunities. So rather than reactively applying for job vacancies, they would prefer for you to have all their information already in your database ready to go. The best way for recruiters to take advantage of this, and not waste time inputting data, is to set up a self-service portal for candidates. This enables a millennial to directly update their CV, contact details, skills, experience, photos and references, directly into your ATS. This assists to keep your ATS up to date, you have their current information and they know they can apply for any roles that catch their eye instantly.
Give millennials access to your resources
Not only can recruiters take advantage of self-service portals for millennials, they can be used as knowledge hubs for their candidates. Millennials like to search and find information on their own, so providing candidates with access to your guides, training materials and tips for the job application process within your candidate portal is a good way of supporting this generation. You can include anything from tips and techniques for mastering interviews, to resume writing services. The best thing is that it helps support your candidates in their search for a new role without using too much of your time.
Keep millennials constantly informed
Millennials are used to constant communication, whether it’s via text, instant messaging, video calls, email or phone calls, they expect to be kept up to date at all times. This is no different during the recruitment process, with millennial candidates expecting constant updates and feedback on their progress.
Being a part of the recruitment industry, we know that communication is key to providing a positive experience for all candidates, not just millennials. This can be challenging at the best of times, but when there is an overwhelming number of candidates it becomes even harder to keep everyone updated on their progress. This is where your ATS can help. Keeping applicants updated doesn’t always have to be a phone call or personal email from you, you can utilise your ATS to send automated emails at each stage of the process to keep applicants informed.
By implementing these small changes to your recruitment process now, it will help you cater for the needs of the millennials who will soon make up the vast majority of the Australian workforce.