By the year 2020, forty percent of Generation C or the YouTube Generation will make up the U.S. and European workforce.  Are you prepared to tap into this valuable source of talent and offer them what they want to get them to accept your job offer?

Before you are ready to make them an offer, it is important to understand who they are and what they want in an employer.  Sixty-five percent are under age 35, but they are not primarily defined by their age. The “C” in the term stands for connected.  Gen C are digital natives–they click, they care about content, they are consumer driven and they are connected 24/7.

The values and priorities of each emerging generation of workers changes, so the way you recruit them needs to change too. Because Gen C comes fully immersed in technology and their social networks, it is important to leverage those same things to attract and retain this new generation of worker.  

FLEXIBILITY

Using technology to create flexibility and freedom of choice as to when and where they work is a really important benefit to the Gen C employee.  The expectations of a traditional 9-5 job won’t work for them. A good way to attract someone from Gen C is to offer flexible hours coupled with a remote working environment. They want to know that your company’s technology will allow for remote collaboration, using video conferencing and other applications that will support their desire for choice and comfort.

Gen C is connected and they expect to be 24/7, so it is important for your company’s systems to be friendly through mobile applications. For example, having HR needs available through a mobile device is really appealing to this generation of worker. By assuring top talent that your technology will adapt quickly to accommodate mobility and flexibility is meaningful to the Gen C employee.

CULTURE

As much as they want to be connected in terms of technology, they also want to feel a deep connection to the work that they are doing. By being highly engaged in whatever they do, it is important to express a positive brand and message when recruiting them. Making sure that you can offer new employees paths and mentorship that will support their ongoing growth in the company will not only satisfy their need for meaningfulness, but it may help to retain them as well.

Generation C will make up a large part of the emerging workforce, it is important to focus on  having a strong acquisition plan in place. By offering them flexibility through technology and a company culture that embraces their willingness to learn and feel deeply connected to the work that they do, your company will easily stand out above the rest and not only land the top Gen C employees but retain them as well.

Want to learn how to attract top talent? Read how here!