Believe it or not, Millennials and Gen-Z currently make up nearly 51% of the population in the United States. This means that inevitably, in the coming years, these generations will be leading the workforce across all industries.  Bringing people of these generations onto your team is an excellent business decision in a multitude of ways, beginning with that they are young and up-to-date on all of the trends that are constantly emerging in the modern world. However, enticing this age group to want to work for your company is entirely different than it was for job seekers 10 years ago, and it all starts with the job ad. As a group that has a smaller attention span than populations of the past, it is important to capture their attention right away.

Here is a list of 10 ways you can design your job ad to make them as Millennial and Gen-Z friendly as possible.

1. Emphasize Transferrable Skills, Not Work Experience

Although they are up-to-date on technology and very well-versed in their area of expertise, millennials have been in the workforce for under 10 years and Gen-Z is just beginning their professional life.  Experience is not the only thing that makes someone valuable. They will come with a number of soft skills as well as fresh perspectives to offer about the industry; don’t miss out before even meeting them by making them feel like they are too underqualified to apply. Also, just because they don’t yet have experience in a certain position, does not mean they won’t be as proficient as someone who does. Let them show you what they can offer by asking about their transferrable skills.

2. Pique their interest quickly

A great way to do this is by talking about several of the non-tangibles your company offers.  Flexible schedules, PTO, company happy hours, etc. These generations look for so much more than just a steady paycheck and benefits. They want personal growth, friendships, and a place that fits their personality. This is what will incentivize them to go above and beyond as well as help them thrive. When you’re writing the ad, be sure to put this portion towards the top or middle. If you don’t capture their attention quickly, they will likely lose interest and not bother reading the entire ad.

3. Highlight the Impact They’ll Have

One appreciable thing about this age group is that they have the deep desire to have impact and be part of the greater good. Known as the philanthropic generations, they want everything they do to be meaningful.  If they know that their job will contribute to a worthy cause, they will be highly invested from the get-go. Whether it’s making a difference within the company or outside of the company; if they feel like their job can make a difference, they will be all in.

4. Discuss Growth Opportunities

Employee tenure in these times is a much shorter duration than it has been in the past. A large part of this is because as soon as someone feels like they can’t move up within their current company, they begin their search for new opportunities. Let them know what options will be available to them once they have been with the company for a certain amount of time. It also helps to be a company that promotes strictly from within. Additionally, they want to grow on a personal level, therefore desire to be part of a company that can help them do that. Be sure to emphasize that you are not just their employer, but also a place that will help them expand on both a personal and professional level.

 5. Specify the Perks

This goes beyond just above average pay and an all-inclusive benefits package. Regardless of what a job will provide them, it’s important to Millennials and Gen-Z ers that they enjoy their day-to-day and can genuinely say that they are happy in their careers. If your company offers a lenient dress code or “Flex Fridays”, tell them all about it. These generations want their job to be part of their lifestyle, not just what they do for a living.

 6. Talk about the Team and Culture

Did you know that for this group of people, team and culture are often the top factors in determining whether or not they want to work somewhere? This can literally be a deal breaker. If you are working a 40+ hour week, you will spend more time with your co-workers than you do with your friends and family. Millennials and Gen-Z are well aware of this. It is important that whatever company they choose aligns with their personal values and that they feel like they can fit in and get along with the rest of the team. When creating an ad, discuss the personality of the company and some common traits that the people who work there have in common.

7. Be Brief and to the Point

If you make the ad too long, you will lose their attention. Period. Cut the fluff and only talk about the things that will actually matter in the eyes of your ideal candidates. Everything else can be talked about in the job interview.

8. Avoid Trendy Terminology

Remember, this age bracket grew up in the social media and technology era, especially Gen-Z. They have the ability to spot when a company is being inauthentic and saying certain things just to get their attention. This doesn’t mean you have to be too formal or use dry language, but avoid using terms like “marketing unicorn” or “sales rock star”; this can come off as condescending. The best thing you can do is make a job ad searchable and descriptive. By doing this, more people will find it and they will have a good idea of what they can expect if they get the position. These generations want clarity, so make the job title self-explanatory.

9. Be Transparent about what the Job Entails

Not only does this generation not like surprises, but they are also the type to need as many details as possible in order to make a decision. In all fairness to them, most job postings aren’t very clear or specific; they list requirements, have a summary of the company, and talk about pay and benefits. When looking at a job post, they want to be able to evaluate whether or not they will be able to do the job well and if they would enjoy the position. In the ad, make sure to list out several of the things they would be doing on a regular basis and what a typical day would look like.

10. Offer Instant Gratification

It is no secret that Millennials and Gen-Z ers want instant gratification; even they themselves don’t try to deny it. Especially in this post-pandemic market, candidates have plenty of options, so what’s going to reel them in is the ability to have answers at their fingertips. State in the job post when you plan to get back to people about setting up an interview; the shorter amount of time, the better. This also goes for being quick to respond to emails and phone calls if they have questions. You can also mention some of the things they can expect when they walk into the office every morning (coffee) or some of the trendy team building things you do weekly (trivia, team weekly wins, etc. ). Whatever you do, just be sure to get back to them before they have the chance to accept a position elsewhere.

If your company is looking for new employees, we at Award Staffing are here to help you. Contact us with your staffing needs here.