Can you find Gen Y? December 11, 2008

I often complain of the communication disconnect between job seekers and recruiters, but it’s even more challenging to target a specific demographic. However, if  it’s Gen Y’s that you’re trying to find, it’s actually pretty darn easy.  It’s not going be using a job board or an ad in the paper. It’s going to be on the sites that they frequent and are just down right addicted to using. The time is now to get on these sites, get comfortable using them and start branding with Gen Y’s.

 

Yes, the current unemployment rate of 6.7% indicates plenty of unemployed people to choose from but as the years pass and more Gen Y’s enter the workforce or change jobs will you know where to reach them and spark their interest?

 

Anderson Analytics’ GenX2Z recently released partial findings from its 2009 US College Student Report. The longitudinal study  looks at college students attitudes and behaviors over the past four years. This year’s special focus is social media including blogs, and Social Network Services (SNS) including Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn.

 “We were surprised to see how blogging has gained in popularity among college students” said Tom H. C. Anderson, founder and managing partner of Anderson Analytics, “From our other research we know that among online adults, only about 13% read blogs and 3% have their own blog.  Students are four times more likely to blog, which means blogging will continue to be a relevant and popular new media”.

 

Notice that among the top websites college students visit, Facebook has reached number one for the second year in a row. That’s two years in a row that you could have been leveraging your brand on Facebook.  Start a group on Facebook named after your company. Post press releases, pictures, videos, etc. on there to give people an inside view into your organization. Have your CEO post something. Invite your contacts and encourage them to invite friends or refer people to join the group. This is true viral marketing.

 

The study goes beyond identifying the most popular websites and uncovers what activity is taking place on these sites, Blogging.

 

 

  “We were surprised to see how blogging has gained in popularity among college students” said Tom H. C. Anderson, founder and managing partner of Anderson Analytics, “From our other research we know that among online adults, only about 13% read blogs and 3% have their own blog.  Students are four times more likely to blog, which means blogging will continue to be a relevant and popular new media”.

 

Blogging is scary to most people but that’s no excuse to not do it at all, so get over it. Your company must incorporate it into your Social Recruiting plan. People look for blogs. They welcome blogs. They expect blogs. They want to be able to investigate your company before they send their resume and cover letter.

 

Sun Microsystems started their corporate blogging site in 2004 and encouraged their employees to write about whatever they want as long as it doesn’t disclose any Intellectual Property. Almost 5 years later, it is still a success. The results speak for themselves.

 

Blogging gives your organization the chance to be transparent and open. To show the public that you aren’t hiding anything. This is what Gen Y’s want. As other generations catch on and increase in usage of social networking and blogs, the common practice of expecting transparency will become infectious. So, if you work for a company who is shady, get out, you’ll never recruit and retain successfully.