Tips to Position Millennial Employees for Career Success

Tips to Position Millennial Employees for Career Success by Claude Toland | Diversity Executive   As business leaders strategize to fill the void left by baby boomers starting to retire, they're also adapting to a new generation of young professionals in the workforce. Millennials, who represent 35 percent of the U.S. workforce, are the largest segment of potential employees, and their influence in the workplace continues to grow based on their technology savvy and skill set.   Companies in the post-recession are transitioning to leaner, more technology-focused models of employment, leaning on millennials to help power growth in a digital age. This generation is widely thought to be headstrong and impatient - not to mention focused primarily on salary. But new research issued by the Career Advisory Board and presented by DeVry University illustrates that their priorities have changed.   The 2011 study, titled "How the Recession Shaped Millennial and Hiring Manager Attitudes about Millennials' Future Careers," was conducted online by Harris Interactive from December 2010 to January 2011. Of the 1,023 participants in the survey, 500 were millennials either employed or seeking employment, while the remaining 523 were hiring managers with experience managing millennials.   The study showed that while 71 percent of millennials listed meaningful work as one of the most important factors defining their career success, hiring managers' perceptions of millennial motivation was different - and the discrepancy is significant.   In fact, 89 percent of hiring managers indicated that salary was the No. 1 motivating factor of millennials. Similarly, 69 percent of managers over age 50 ranked starting salary as a top priority of millennials, while fewer than half of millennials ranked it as one of their top three priorities.   That's why it's important for business leaders who expect to recruit and retain quality millennial employees to study and address these new attitudes, providing millennials with opportunities for growth and development.   Mentoring millennials. The research also indicates that many millennials now seek stable employment opportunities to help them develop professionally over those that strictly boost their salaries. Companies can create mentoring programs for individual employees to help them identify and establish the relationships they need to grow.   Establishing professional connections gives new hires a sense of belonging and can provide avenues for communication, education and development. In fact, 47 percent of millennials list mentoring as the most helpful way for them to overcome their workplace weaknesses. It can also help them identify and overcome weaknesses they often don't recognize in themselves, such as impatience with established processes.   Training Pays Dividends. With a heightened appreciation for employment, millennials are looking for opportunities to strengthen their transferable skills - such as project management, marketing and finance - and prove their worth to employers. Company-sponsored training opportunities are an attractive benefit for many young professionals and send the message that employers are committed to developing the next generation of leaders.   In addition to teaching transferable skills, training can help millennials overcome workplace challenges, such as an inability to communicate effectively or receive criticism. The research shows that an educational session on intergenerational dynamics can help millennials understand their new work environment, collaborate with veteran team members, seek advice and support, and set career goals.   While millennials bring unique challenges to the workplace, they are integral to company success and represent the next generation of the business world. By giving timely and constructive feedback, teaching by example to set expectations and keeping an open mind by learning from young professionals, business leaders can set the stage for future success.     [About the Author: Claude Toland is vice president of student and career services at DeVry University and chairman of the Career Advisory Board.]