We live in a time when three very distinctive generations are active in our workforce -- the Baby Boom Generation, Generation X and Generation Y. Because of the pace of change in our society, each of these groups is quite distinct, with different values and needs vis-a-vis the workplace. In the recruiting and hiring process, each group has different response triggers that are the keys to attracting them to your company. Here are some tips on how to approach the members of each generational group.
The Baby Boomers -- born 1946 - 1964.
Boomers were born after World War II, and were brought up by parents who instilled in them the importance of hard work. They came into the North American workplace 77 million strong, having experiencing unprecedented prosperity combined with a high level of social unrest.
Believing in the primacy of "doing work that makes a difference," they tend to be very hard workers once they understand why a task is important. Knowing this is central to Boomers, as they tend to build their identities around their jobs.
To enhance your recruiting efforts with Boomers, invest some of the interview conversation exploring these three dimensions:
- Describe your company's overall mission, the role your division or department plays within it, and the rational behind the job.
- Stress teamwork, but position a defined role for the Boomer working within the team.
- Emphasize how critical the task is, and the importance of the Boomer's potential contribution.
Generation X -- born 1964 - 1980.
The Gen-X'ers came into the world in significantly smaller numbers than their parents -- some 25 Million less. They grew up at a time of U.S. political and economic retrenchment; thus many have a "survival mentality."
Having experienced the downside of their parents' almost fanatical commitment to the world of work as children, they are committed to achieving "work-life" balance, and to creating self-reliant and technically literate work- and life-styles.
Here's how to attract Gen-X'ers during your recruiting and hiring conversations:
- In a relaxed and informal interview atmosphere, be the one who initiates the "work-life balance" conversation. Describe your programs and practices that support "balance."
- Stress the importance of technological innovation to your company and your quest to achieve "state-of-the-art."
- To the extent that they are congruent with your corporate culture, emphasize merit over tenure, hands-off supervision, self-reliance, self-selected teams and multi-tasking.
Generation Y -- born 1980 - 2000.
While a few more years will have to pass by before the values and contributions of Generation Y will be fully understood, it is already clear that its members are AT LEAST as different from Gen-X as Gen-X is from the Boomers.
Gen-Y grew up being lavished with money and attention by their parents. As a result, they are confident, socially responsible, diverse, conservative, driven, and very sure of their unique position at the center of things. At the same time, their lives have been highly structured, and they need that sense of structure in order to succeed in the workplace.
Focus on the following with Gen-Y'ers during your recruiting and hiring process:
- Show them that they will get the structure, detail and direction they crave by briefing them in detail on what to expect (and how to succeed) during the hiring process.
- Stress the opportunities for job variety, interesting work and trying out different roles that your company provides.
- Emphasize benefits, company stability, promotion potential, Mentoring, creative teams and groups, flex-hours and the chance to work on independent projects.
Each of the three generational groups -- Boomers, Gen-X and Gen-Y -- has a unique and critical part to play in making your company successful. While you will certainly find individuals in each group who will differ from the summaries provided above, it is our hope that this information will serve to enhance your approach to recruiting across the generations.
Jon Harvill, CPC, Career Center Director for APICS
Atlanta & NAPM West Georgia, <%=encodeEmail("careercenter@apicsatlanta.org")%>
c/o Professional Search of Atlanta,
Phone: (770) 952-0009,
E-mail:
jharvill@psa-recruit.com, Website:
professionalsearchatlanta.com