Sandra Patel-Stewart
25th October 2016
Millennials have become the holy grail of IT recruitment. Attracting digital natives into this ever-evolving field is essential in order for IT firms to create and maintain their niche. However, as talent disseminates into other sectors, it’s now increasingly difficult for businesses to source and retain millennials who can bring innovation to the table.
So how can you overcome these challenges and make your business one that millennials actively seek to work for? We explore some of the ways in which your company can stand out as an employer:
An inspiring environment
Working in a grey cubicle from 9 to 5 no longer satisfies professionals; they want vibrant, dynamic spaces that promote their success and wellbeing. As such, it’s vital you create an environment that inspires if you want to attract – and retain – emerging talent in the IT sector.
You only need to look towards successful tech companies to see how this is done: Google has slides, sofas and even sleeping pods; UKFast has a Japanese waterfall and in-house bar; Adobe has its own rock-climbing wall.
Of course, not all firms have the budget to rival these innovations. That said, a little creativity can go a long way in making your business a place where people can picture building a career.
Employee perks
With so many employers competing to attract top talent into their organisation, you have to be a little bit different to stand out. Most millennials expect basic benefits like flexible working hours – other perks, like an early finish and beers on a Friday, are becoming commonplace too.
Generosity pays dividends in this regard. Offering a gym membership to employees, for example, or signing them up to a reward scheme such as Perk Box, can help to attract millennials. It also boosts retention, by fostering loyalty to you as an employer.
Speak their language
Where many IT firms fall short in recruitment is failing to keep pace with the demographic they’re trying to attract. Using stuffy corporate language in the job specification, for example, can turn young professionals off. Don’t assume that candidates will be clamouring for the role – many will have multiple options at their feet.
Meanwhile, unless your website is optimised and appropriate for a millennial audience, you might not land on their radar in the first place. YouTube videos are one way in which you can engage young professionals as they research your company and the opportunity you have to offer.
Knowing where millennials hang out, what makes them tick, and ensuring that your IT recruitment drive taps into this knowledge is the key to attracting young talent. With a forward-thinking recruitment agency, like ours, you can do just that.
Attracting and retaining millennials isn’t rocket science, but it does take an understanding of who you want to work with. Keeping pace with your competitors’ work environments and employee perks can significantly boost the appeal of your workplace, as can speaking in a language that digital natives understand.
Looking to get your recruitment campaign off to a flying start?
Discover how Transition Partners can help. Call 0113 457 1085 or email sandra.patelstewart@transition-partners.co.uk to kickstart your search for talent.