I was a motivational keynote speaker for a staffing recruitment agency last month. One of the topics that came up after the motivational speech was innovative ways to use technology to attract Gen Y .
This young technology-savvy generation will gravitate toward technology, reach and personal connections to find employment. We need to go where Generation Y workers hang out to find them. One of the easiest ways to do this is to join their social networks and connect through their peers - referrals from your Gen Y employees.
Recruitment strategies utilizing Facebook, Linked in, Myspace and Twitter can really pay off. Participate in online forums, answer industry questions and stay active in an online space where your ideal candidates participate. When it comes time to recruit, the relationships you build will offer you the best platform and pool of candidates.
Use industry associations. To recruit skilled professions in your industry, stay in front of this audience by attending conferences, exhibiting and speaking at industry events. Use face to face events to solidify relationships and to stay in contact via online sources.
Post resumes with industry vendors to help you find good candidates.
Streamline recruiting processes. Nothing drives a young professional crazy like slow, seemingly non essential policies and procedures associated with getting a job. The more streamlined your recruitment process is the better chance you have of capturing great talent before they secure employment elsewhere . . . where it's simpler to be seen, heard, and interviewed.
Long, elaborate, multiple interviewing processes and resulting paperwork may be enough to give the impression that an organization is caught up in red tape and bureaucracy rather than being progressive and moving forward.
Publish an engaging, interesting job description that keeps in mind the contribution an employee makes to the community, customers and coworkers.
Be a flexible employer. I am a motivational keynote speaker for a number of staffing recruitment events every year where over and over I see recruiters suggesting employers offer more flexible employment opportunities. Today's workers are much more active with family, community, and volunteering than ever before. They know that they need job flexibility to keep a job and still have a life. The key to flexible employment is to understand that productivity is the important factor in a job. Clearly defined job responsibilites, a means of tracking progress, and regular job feedback allow for more flexible arrangements to be accomodated.
I enjoyed being a motivational keynote speaker for the staffing recruitment agency; they were a very warm audience and loved the interaction throughout the motivational speech.
