Millennial Recruitment: One Size Fits None

It’s easy to make assumptions about the applicant whose resume just landed in your inbox based solely on their date of birth. Easy—but not smart.

Millennials have replaced baby boomers as America’s largest generation. They already form 25% of the workforce in the U.S., and by 2020, they’ll make up 50% of the global workforce, according to the Pew Research Center.

Pew also reports that millennials are the most ethnically, racially and religiously diverse group in American history. Coupled with the sheer volume of this generation, these numbers suggest that the differences between individual members of this generation may be as great—or perhaps greater—than the similarities.

When it comes to their careers, three in four Americans believe that today’s youth are less industrious than their elders—a belief that, according to Pew’s data, is actually shared by many millennials. But the idea that millennials are less loyal and more likely to job hop than previous generations may be based in myth.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job tenure statistics for Americans in their 20s were almost exactly the same in the 1980s as they are today. And the 3 million Americans who quit their jobs in December 2015—the highest number since 2006—cut across all generational lines. It’s not just millennials exploring their options.

Consider, too, that recent research on what generations value in the workplace reports that the similarities outweigh the differences among baby boomers, Generation X and millennial employees who are currently in the workforce: All three groups value teamwork, flexible work arrangements, work/life balance and a challenging job.

According to the Council of Economic Advisors to the White House, “When it comes to work, millennials are mostly similar to previous generations: they want to be successful, and they want the type of prosperity that means that their children will be better off.”

Of course, there are some things that are statistically true of millennials: They tend to be more politically liberal and less religious, and they really do want more feedback in the workplace than other generations before them. But none of these generalizations can accurately predict how an individual millennial applicant will perform as part of your team.

Regardless of age, each of us has our own preferences, work style, worldview and values. Some of the characteristics that have been assigned to millennials may have more to do with where they are in their lifespans, rather than what generation they were born into.

Here are a few ways to develop a recruiting and retention process that recognizes the qualities and motivations of each individual millennial candidate.

Don’t treat millennials as clones.

Because millennials are so different from one another, one-size-fits-all workforce strategies will misfire. To truly discover how someone is hardwired, look to personality.

The universal language of personality acts as a gateway into an individual’s work style and problem-solving methods, and it goes beyond the superficial notion that an arbitrary construct like someone’s generation will always dictate how they behave. Understanding personality can help streamline the process you already have in place for assessing millennial candidates.

To make data-driven decisions about hiring and employee development, first analyze the skills, abilities, certifications and personality traits of your current talent. Then, combine that information with demographic, economic and industry statistics. By doing so, you ensure your agency’s team will be successful now and in the future.

Sure, some millennials respond better to coddling coaches, but others want a no-nonsense boss. Using a personality assessment enables a human resources professional to sharpen the focus on an individual employee’s workplace motivations in order to intentionally place them in situations that lead to success. If you’re armed with a personality assessment [see sidebar], you can see who’s an independent go-getter and who’s a deferential accommodator—information you can use to piece together a personalized plan that speaks to an individual, not a group of people.

People analytics plays a critical role by enabling managers to compare individuals to a wide range of future positions and predict the potential for success. The key is not looking at when candidates were born or what generation bucket they fall into, but rather their intrinsic motivations—then aligning those with the goals of your business, as well as their own career goals.

Remember freedom can be more valuable than money.

In a 2014 Universum and HEAD Foundation survey, “Millennials: Understanding a Misunderstood Generation,” North American millennials overwhelmingly chose spending time with family as their priority, followed by growing and learning new things. Being wealthy ranked dead last.

Overwhelmingly, freedom trumps money for millennials. It’s not that Generation Y lives in an idyllic post-commerce society, but the personal sovereignty to spend their time as they wish is a legitimate currency to the youngest generation currently in the workforce. And if goals like owning larger homes and having fatter wallets than their parents are not in the cards for millennials, aspirations shift from ownership to experience.

Older generations may view adhering to a strict 9-to-5 schedule as the key to unlocking productivity. That doesn’t work for Generation Y. For millennials, a job is a passport to a fulfilling life, and they want the freedom to explore. Feeling boxed in by fixed work hours is deflating. Anything that flips the script is welcome.

Not everyone functions identically, so study your worker’s individual tendencies. Maybe your employees can be more productive telecommuting. Others could benefit from a 90-minute coffee-shop pit stop to recharge and catch up on emails. Some need time to tend to a child, and others would appreciate the ability to hit the gym and laundromat at lunch.

Foster collaboration through an open floor plan.

Your workspace should be a place in which millennials want to gather, since in roughly five years they will become the best-represented group at your office. Ask yourself: Is my work environment a wellspring of creativity and collaboration? If not, it may be time for some reimagining.

Millennials are open to a flatter corporate hierarchy, which typically corresponds to a more open floor plan. A 21-year-old digital native can tweet the Pope or FaceTime with someone on the other side of the globe with the push of a button. Millennials grew up in a digital landscape with no boundaries, and your workspace should offer the same type of unfettered access.

The future is bright as millennials begin to take the reins of the workforce. Prior to making the offer to your next millennial recruit, consider the benefits associated with improved job fit, proactive career planning and a flexible work environment led by managers who are truly tuned into millennial needs.

Jennie Hollmann, Ph.D., is an industrial/organizational psychologist with more than 15 years of experience applying psychological principles to improve organizational effectiveness and development. She currently serves as director, organizational research at Caliper, a talent management company.