Gen Y Interview Question: Can I bring my iPhone, iPad or MacBook to work and use them?
What they’re really asking:  Does your organization have a BYOD policy or how do you incorporate the latest technology at work?

Gen Yers might be tech-dependent but they know how to increase productivity and maximize outputs by leveraging technology. By asking for your company’s take on this, they are trying to gauge the effectiveness of your technological infrastructure to make sure that joining your company won’t throw them back in the IT Stone Age.
Your response: Explain your organization’s technology standards and why BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is or isn’t the default for your business.

 
Gen Y Interview Question: Can I text my manager if I am sick rather than call in?
What they’re really asking: What communication preferences are predominant in your work environment and what communication channels are acceptable?

Gen Y wants to ensure that communication is easy, straightforward and painless in your organization, so they won’t have to waste their time by dealing with communication formalities and etiquette when they join.
Your response: Addressing your organization’s communication customs will help resolve their concerns.
 
Gen Y Interview Question: Do I have to show up every day?
What they’re really asking:  Does your organization have a policy on mobile work arrangements in order to engage employees by allowing flexibility?

Gen Y appreciates flexibility as one of their core values – inside the workplace and away from it. Notice that the question is about showing up, not about actually doing the work or producing results. In the mind of Gen Y, presence does not equal performance. 
Your response: Ask the candidate what work set-up would be ideal for them and then explain what kind of flexible arrangements you can and can not offer.
 
Gen Y Interview Question: How long will it take to reach the next management level?  
What they’re really asking: How does your organization ensure fast career progression for high potential Gen Y talent?

Gen Yers are impatient and self-absorbed. Of course, they think of themselves as the cream of the crop, after all that’s what their parents have been telling them forever. In this fast-paced world, slowness and non-progress means fallback or failure.
Your response: Clearly describe the requirements for moving up the career ladder, why such prerequisites make sense and how you identify people’s potential and track their performance. Be transparent about your talent management and provide realistic time frames. Then point out some intermediate development steps of how people get there, what skills they learn along the way and what short-term goals are attainable.
 
Gen Y Interview Question: What kind of training will I receive on the job?
What they’re really asking: How does your company handle learning and development?

Gen Y is ambitious and expects their employer to provide ample opportunities for professional development and personal growth. As a beginner in the world of work, for them this equals classic training programs which they consider self-evident and not as a form of reward in exchange for performance. Instead of seeing the arrogance in this attitude, reframe it and appreciate the fact that they want to learn and evolve. 
Your response: Truthfully describe the requirements for being selected for learning and development programs in your organization but also emphasize the 70/20/10 model of learning and explain the wealth of (informal) learning opportunities on the job.
 
Gen Y Interview Question: Does your company have frequent bonus and award programs?
What they’re really asking: What concepts of instant gratification do you offer?

Gen Yers are feedback junkies and if I say feedback, I really mean positive reinforcement.  They just can’t get enough of it; recognition has to be frequent and immediate. Annual bonus cycles and performance management appear antique and simply do not capture the Gen Y attention span long enough to incentivize desired behaviors and performance.
Your response: Unfortunately, most corporate reward programs do not (yet) cater to this Gen Y need for immediacy. If that’s the case, be transparent about it and ask what other forms of gratification or recognition might motivate the candidate along the way.
 
What “crazy” Gen Y questions have you heard in job interviews that you could possibly reframe and comprehend from a Gen Y perspective? 

Here are 3 Tips to turn your Sourcing Mission into a Gen Y Magnet:

#1: Define your ideal candidate profile

Every vacancy has a job description, carefully listing the requirements a candidate must fulfill in order to be considered for an opening. Surprisingly though, technical knowledge, education and experience seem to get all the attention during the sourcing and selection process. If we need mechanical know-how, we hire engineers. If we need IT expertise, we go after tech profiles. And if we need business credentials, we recruit MBAs. After all, the question every Hiring Manager wants to see answered is: CAN they do the job? But what about other important dimensions of suitability – what about Motivational Fit? Isn’t Technical Knowledge more like the ticket to the ball and Motivational Fit is what actually gets people up to dance?

Motivational Fit consists of at least two dimensions: Job Fit and Organization Fit. Both are key to identifying the right talent for your vacancies. Job Fit describes the extent to which activities and responsibilities, that are personally satisfying for a candidate, are available in the job; and Organization Fit describes the extent to which an organization’s mode of operation and type of environment provides personal satisfaction. Both should be considered in your sourcing strategy early on. You may find the best technically qualified candidate, but if they are not motivated to do the job, you might as well just double your recruiting budget right from the get-go because you will need to replace them the moment they decide to leave and go where they actually WANT to work.

#2: Use appropriate channels and creative methods to locate your candidates

The following are the top sourcing options and attraction techniques that work well with Generation Y.

WHERE TO FIND GEN Y TALENT:

–      Internship or entry level focused job boards (ask your Gen Y employees where they would be looking)

–      Your company’s career website (consider it your business card towards Gen Y)

–      Business schools and universities (both local and international!)

–      Peer networks and referral programs (“Fishing for Friends”)

–      Social media (yes, make sure to list your vacancies on Facebook and tweet about them)

–      Virtual career fairs (a cost effective sourcing tool and great for employer branding)

HOW TO ATTRACT GEN Y TALENT:

–      Leverage consumer loyalty and the strong brand appeal of your products (why not ask your customers to work for you?)

–      Use humor, images and storytelling when you advertise jobs (ever considered posting a job ad in form of a comic strip?)

–      Gamify your attraction campaigns (but make sure to avoid the pitfalls of poor gamification and work with an appropriate vendor)

–      Build your employer brand by sponsoring concerts, sports events, talent shows or reality TV productions (yes, you read that right)

–      Talk about your CSR programs (maybe offer volunteering opportunities for successful candidates?)

–      Get editorial space, blogs and articles into lifestyle magazines and on their websites (authentic coverage about “What life is like at XYZ” is worth much more than any glossy job ad)

Some of these ideas sound crazy to you? Well, that’s a good indication that they work with Gen Y.

#3: Make sure to integrate Motivational Fit in your Sourcing efforts

When you design your Sourcing Strategy, go beyond the standard approach of where to find the technical expertise, education and experience you need. Pay specific attention to your ideal candidate profile in terms of the traits you are looking for – how does Job Fit and Organization Fit look like? For example, who would be happier in the job, an introvert or an extrovert? Depending on the answer, you might want to consider targeting candidates in book clubs or social hang-outs. If the job requires strong interpersonal skills like building new relationships in unknown territory, target participants in overseas volunteer projects. The job requires lots of business trips? Go after people who enjoy traveling and find out where they are.

Depending on your company culture, you may want to source candidates in sports teams, start-up firms, or in debating associations. Whether you look for creative candidates in the world of the Arts, or for people with strong strategic thinking skills in chess clubs – there’s really no limit to your imagination where to find the right Motivational Fit!

Obviously, the above is true for candidates from any generation. However, Gen Y is inherently driven to find a job that matches their lifestyle and purpose. In fact, they are not looking for a job; they are looking for a mission! Thanks to their life stage, which typically entails a lot of freedom and few responsibilities, it is also relatively easy for Gen Y-ers to give up a job they hate, which makes their Motivational Fit weigh even more than other workplace generations.

So next time you hear complaints about sky-rocketing recruiting costs in spite of proper sourcing efforts to hire the right profile, you may want to analyze whether it was a motivational mismatch that drove your new hires to turn recruitment into a revolving door. Coach your Hiring Manager that both questions, whether a candidate CAN DO the job and WANTS TO DO the job, are key to successful hiring. In fact, even if a candidate does not fulfill all technical requirements, keep in mind that most skills and competencies can be taught and trained over time, whereas influencing someone’s motivation is much harder. That’s where your actual Mission Impossible starts…

Martina Mangelsdorf is the founder of GAIA Insights, a firm specialized in leadership development for Generation Y. She is also the creator of GOLD – Game Oriented Leadership Development – and has an extensive background in recruiting. 

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform with everything you need to source talent, manage candidates, and make the right hires.

Social connectivity is the currency of the future and Gen Y understands and applies connectional intelligence via social media better than any other generation in today’s workplace. Really, it is second nature to them and what’s best about it is that – contrary to popular belief – they don’t only use virtual environments as playgrounds. They are actually extremely skilled at leveraging social networks and the World Wide Web to locate business resources or to influence customers. In fact, Gen Y is your best bet to increase your social capital!

Key Drivers of Change

I have yet to meet an organization that doesn’t aim for change. Whether it is political leaders preaching about the need to transform societies or CEOs appealing to their associates to rethink the way their company engages with markets to produce financial results. Whether we look at corporations, economies or the planet’s ecosystem, we do not need to venture far to see that current schemes aren’t working. As The Father of Relativity said:

Gen Y brings fresh thinking to the table and is courageous enough to pioneer new paradigms. They undeniably embrace change and are key in driving the transformation that the world – and your business – so desperately needs.

Entrepreneurship

You want to hire candidates who take initiative, seize opportunities and take calculated risks in order to fuel your business growth strategy? Well, in case you haven’t notice, these are all classic traits of entrepreneurs – and of Generation Y! A lot has been said and written lately about this being the most entrepreneurial generation ever. Suffice it to say that Gen Yers are naturally curious, dynamic and flexible. Instead of patiently waiting for their turn or resigning to things being done to them, Gen Y takes action and matters in their own hands. They tend to feel supported by parental back-up and the safety of their social tribe, encouraging them to voice their opinion and drive outcomes.

Passion

Blame it on their age and yes, I know, you’ve all been there when you were young. So what? Do you remember how it felt to be enthusiastic about the world’s opportunities, full of energy for the causes you believed in and to feel pretty invincible? You probably busted your butt off to realize your dreams and went the extra mile with a gigantic smile. Gen Y is no different. Life experience and wisdom will screw this attitude soon enough, till then you might as well use this Gen Y energy and passion to drive your business forward. As the great American writer said:

Technology

Your company probably has a set of business objectives or strategic pillars to maximize productivity. Unfortunately, a typical stereotype about Gen Y is the idea that they are unproductive because they lack concentration and focus. Well, actually, Gen Y is much more productive than you might think, due to their ability to multitask, their efficient use of modern technology and extensive networking. Technology really serves Gen Y as an enabler to obtain results faster and there is great value in cross-fertilization between different generations, such as reverse mentoring for example. Hire Gen Y and boost your business productivity!

Innovation

Similar to productivity, I bet another one of your business imperatives is linked to innovation. A recent study revealed 12 behaviors, attitudes and skills that foster innovation – many of which are inherent characteristics of Gen Y. If innovation is about the implementation of new ideas, you might certainly argue that process-orientation, perseverance and resilience – all required attributes for successful implementation – are not exactly perceived as strengths of Millennials. On the other hand, ideas they have in abundance! While organizations tend to focus on a structured approach to innovation, they neglect a wonderful asset Gen Y brings to the workplace, which is equally crucial and that is creativity! So much untapped potential there…

Collaboration

Be it face-to-face or digitally, Gen Y is a generation of natural human connectors. They value diversity and have a strong sense of affiliation, resulting in powerful bonds with their friends and chosen tribe. While many senior managers look for guidance on how to manage virtual teams, they could learn a lot from their younger Gen Y colleagues who are masters in the art of nurturing virtual relationships that foster collaboration. This particular skill becomes more and more valuable in an increasingly interconnected world in which businesses need to champion customer relations and employee engagement beyond geographic and other boundaries.

If you are SKEPTIC about hiring Gen Y talent into your organization, I hope you will allow yourself to venture beyond the negative stereotypes to discover the potential of Millennials.

Last but not least, what remains in addition to all the arguments above, is some sort of a moral obligation to hire Gen Y in order to help reduce youth unemployment. This is the generation that will shape the future of our societies, economies and ultimately the world we live in. As recruiters and “gatekeepers” of your organization, make sure that you understand the tremendous value that Gen Y can add to your  business and bring them onboard!

Martina Mangelsdorf is the founder of GAIA Insights, a firm specialized in leadership development for Generation Y. She is also the creator of GOLD – Game Oriented Leadership Development – and has an extensive background in recruiting. Photo Credits IZQuotes & IZQuotes.

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform with everything you need to source talent, manage candidates, and make the right hires.

“There is no one perfect employer, we’ve never visited a company that has done it all right. They get some of it right, but not all of it.“  Jason Dorsey explained the key is being willing to meet in the middle and accept what every generation has to offer.

In part 2 of our sit down with Jason Dorsey, a best selling author, keynote speaker, television guest, and Chief Strategy Officer, told us he travels the world evaluating workplaces to create more productive offices that respect each generation and are able to capitalize on all of their talents.

“There’s this perception that other generations either thought they had to cater to Gen Y or they thought Gen Y had to cater to them,” said Dorsey.

This is a stereotype I am all too familiar with; my generation (millenials) is always being accused of having a sense of entitlement.  Dorsey explained this isn’t the case, when it comes to multiple generations working together, there needs to be understanding and respect. The misunderstanding between generations has unfortunately led to a hesitance to hire, and power struggles within the workplace.

“One group was saying, ‘Hey I’m the employer I’ve been doing it this way for 20 years – you have to listen to me – why aren’t you doing it my way?’ And the other was saying, ‘I’ve got all these cool skills – I’m energetic – why aren’t you listening to me?!’ The truth is there is room for all of it.”

Isn’t this a battle we are all dealing with, who has it right? Dorsey provides solutions for the workplace that allows all generations to see eye to eye. During our sit-down Dorsey explained how employers can attract top Gen Y Talent.

Top 3 Secrets for Employers to get the Most out of Gen Y

First: “Show authentic pictures of where you actually work. Everybody shows the fake pictures. It’s a total turn off.”

Second: “Interview your ACTUAL employees of different ages talking about what it’s like to work there and what they really like.”

Third: “In your job descriptions talk about the challenges candidates will face in the first year. Everybody talks about responsibilities or they talk about pay or all this stuff. Gen Y is very challenge driven so they want to know when they show up these are the kind of challenges they’ll have to face in the first year.”

Dorsey’s advice is a lesson in employer branding, and creating awesome job ads. Some might say that Gen Y’s “need to know” comes from a sense of entitlement, or nerve. I argue that’s not the case. We’ve grown up in a generation of accessibility, because of that information is available with the click of a button. When we’re applying to jobs we expect the same thing, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just like employers don’t want to waste their time hiring a bad candidate, we don’t want to waste our time applying to a job that would be a poor culture fit.

 “Every generation brings something different but how they want to give that ‘something different’ requires you to engage them differently than you have in the past, and that growth is good for all of us.”

By showing pictures of where you work, candidates get a feel for the office.  Videos give candidates an opportunity to take a look at their potential coworkers. We want to see diversity of the minds, and that means knowing all sorts of people are going to be in the office. Providing a creative job description lets us know what we are in for. As far as skills go, we get it. Everyone can learn skills, most people have them (we are the most educated generation), but challenges? Dorsey’s right, we crave them. Gen Y likes to know what’s ahead of them, and Dorsey’s advice is how you show them:

“If we look at the competition, because it is global and because it is mobile, the companies that respond now are going to have the advantage and the ones that don’t are going to fall behind.”

Like Dorsey said, nobody has it 100% right. But everyone can – and needs to – take a step in the right direction. Understanding Gen Y will open the doors to a dynamic and challenge driven workforce, don’t miss out on millenial talent.

Jason Dorsey, the Gen Y Guy, connects generations to build businesses.

Also Read Lexie Forman Ortiz’s interview with Dorsey about Millennnial Job Search Advice. And if you are in the SF bay area and want to learn the best college recruiting tips, attend SmartUp: The Secrets of College Recruiting.

Millennials are not enamored with corporate America; we saw family friends and our own parents laid off, lose pensions and sometimes their homes. The modern workplace needs renovating, and the changes desired by the Millennials will help everybody.

Understanding what interests and retains Millennials will help you secure top talent, keep them satisfied, make them productive and ensure they are not snatched up by a competitor.

Instant Gratification

Learn this fast, Gen Y won’t put up with hearing no replies in the job search process. We’ve rarely faced delays in acquiring information. We can look up the weather, see our March Madness bracket standings and download dubstep remixes almost instantly. Why do we have to drive across the country to meet with you when we could do a video interview? Why do we have to email you for months to hear how we did in our interview? Don’t treat us right in the hiring process and we’ll be gone quicker than you can say “skinny jeans.”

Employer Branding

You won’t get our undivided attention. Our attention spans are constantly assaulted. If you don’t have some flashy, snappy job description or neat digital interviewing going on, then forget it. Hook Millennials by having something outrageously different about your employer branding. We Millennials were told we’re uniquely special, so we want to work for a company that is too.

Flexibility

Many of us grew up in houses where both of our parents worked, so we know the importance of work-life balance. We don’t want to be at work any longer than necessary. Why spend 40 minutes getting ready and drive in rush-hour traffic when all that is needed to complete the work is an internet connection? Telecommuting can help employers cost-wise. Perhaps evaluate candidates on their productivity, not the hours they keep. If telecommuting isn’t an option, a nice gesture would be allowing us to work in a neat looking office and/or allow us to wear jeans.

Pretentious, Sniveling Brats

Did I really receive a ribbon for coming in 22^nd out of 23 runners at my sixth grade cross country meet? You bet your pension check I did. A 22^nd place ribbon is burnt orange in case you were curious. We were raised with the self-esteem movement…and it shows. Our parents and teachers wanted to be our friends instead of authority figures. In the workplace, paying dues doesn’t work the same way as before. We think our voice matters; when we want something, we make sure everyone knows. Companies can benefit from this. Hearing input from outsiders or new hires can make a company even better. Instead of looking at years on the clock, look at our idea.

Yes, we Millennials are high-maintenance. Our parents told us we can do anything, and if we get strong mentors and excellent support, then maybe we can. We are the most educated generation after all. Our wanting more means companies have to be more. Candidates should know where they are each step of the hiring process, company culture should matter, job descriptions should be attractive, suggestions should be heard, good work should be recognized, management style should be reevaluated occasionally and companies should take advantage of new recruitment technology. Cupcakes should be given to the entire class…
Rajpreet Heir (Millanial) is Social Media Strategist and Community Manager at RIVS.com, a Chicago based digital interview software. Image drawn by Ely Tran.

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform. Learn more about recruiting young professionals by attending “SmartUp: The Secrets to College Recruiting” on May 13.

The Generation Y workforce is now the largest talent ocean; Gen Y is the majority of the workforce.  As a member of Generation Y who is 33 and hopefully older, wiser, and experienced, I can relate to the frustration of Generational X and Baby Boomer bosses have when it comes to their younger counterparts.

But these generalities are wrong. 
And frankly your predispositions, frustrations, and generalizations don’t matter. Because it’s not about you when you’re in the workforce as a hiring manager, senior executive, and middle manager. It’s not about you at all. It’s about majority wins. And that majority now is the Gen Y workforce.

Generation Y is tired of being called lazy, entitled, and unappreciative. Generation Y is 89 million strong, and they are tired of waiting silently and waiting quietly.

When building your recruitment strategy to reach this large and verbal audience of Generation Y members as potential members of your workforce, it’s important to do the following:

• Go Where the People Are. If your target audience is spending 16 hours a month on Facebook talking with their friends and family, your should have a recruitment brand on Facebook as well. Taking time to ask questions, develop relationships, and most importantly listen because the Gen Y workforce is ready to listen and be heard. I mean, really be heard.

• Be Authentic. It’s one thing to develop a recruitment strategy targeting a specific audience that includes a series of tools like job board ads, career page landing pages, and social media profiles but it is another animal to effective develop relationships by humanizing the brand as part of the recruitment and hiring process.

• Be Vulnerable. As human beings we are imperfect beings and most individuals realize and respect the fact that no brand or person is without flaws or learning moments. This means taking calculated risks and letting your candidates and customers see into the hearts and minds of the organization and their leaders.  Sharing personal moments with your communities using social networking platforms like YouTube as well as Flickr.
  

• Provide Value. Generation Y are multi-taskers by nature. They’re surfing their smart phones while watching TV, working on a spreadsheet, and listening to music. Your company’s employment brand and hiring opportunities are competing against a laundry list of distractions. Providing value to your appropriate audience goes along way in establishing a meaningful and lasting candidate and company relationship.

The flippant attitude or laziness that is described by Boomers when it comes to Gen Y has nothing to do with Generation Y’s work habits at all.   They really, simply, doesn’t care what the Baby Boomers think; Gen Y is its own (majority) generation. The average young professional is 40% less empathetic than they were in 1979. The question is how are you as a hiring manager prepared to engaged, develop, recruit, and retain the new workforce?  Only time will tell.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a HR consultant, new media strategist, and author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. Jessica is the host of Job Search Secrets, an internet television show for job seekers.

Photo Credit XActlyCorp.com

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