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Connecting with Gen Y’s passion and purpose in your employer branding

Gen Y workers have vastly different values compared to the generations that have preceded them.

They are a generation that has been told from a tender age that they are capable of anything, that they can change the world and, most importantly, that they should follow their passions.

While previous generations may have been more concerned with pension plans and job stability, many 20-somethings place a great deal of importance on finding a job that fits with their ethos of serving the greater good and making a real contribution to society.

If your business is looking to hire the best and brightest young talent, you can tap into Gen Y’s urge to make an impact on the world and leverage this desire in your recruitment efforts.

Put the spotlight on:

How entry level employees impact your business

Let’s face it, most entry level employees aren’t involved in making the big decisions, let alone completing world-changing work, but Gen Ys have gained a reputation for expecting make an impact from day one – in one way or another.

When you are trying to communicate why your company is attractive for entry level workers, there’s a lot of value in showing your talent pool how every employee makes a contribution to your organization, no matter their seniority. For example, how is an HR assistant contributing to the bigger picture of what you’re accomplishing as a company?

Illustrating how an entry level role is important to the success of your organization is great selling point for young workers. They want to know that they are making a difference, which can make the years spent toughing it out in the trenches worthwhile.

To do: Take a step back and look at how the entry level jobs that you recruit for tie into the overall purpose of your organization; weaving this into your recruitment strategy will certainly set you apart from other employers.

Put the spotlight on:

Career growth within your organization

As a generation that wants to make an impact from day one, the promise of professional and personal growth is also key for new graduates. There are undoubtedly very successful people in your organization who worked their way up through the ranks.

Everyone loves a good mail-room-guy-to-CEO parable, and this can be a powerful example of how someone can come in on the ground floor and work their way up the ladder to be the one who’s calling the shots.

Why not share real life examples of how young people can come in and truly shape the organization? Highlight how your company is committed to developing internal talent, share opportunities for continued learning via training programs, and illustrate what a bright future young people can have if they join your company.

Put the spotlight on:

Why being a part of your organization will help them make a difference in the world

Another way to get Gen Ys interested in your employer brand is to share your corporate values.  This may be easy if your company works on green technology innovation but may require more reflection in other industries.

  • How do you make the lives of your customers better?
  • Do you encourage your employees to volunteer?
  • Does  your company donate money to causes that may be near and dear to the hearts of young people?
  • What impact do your employees have in their community and around the world?

If your talent pool feels that your corporate values or philanthropy align with their own ethics, you can win over potential hires and offer real insight into your corporate culture. To appeal to this cohort of fresh faced grads with aspirations of tackling some of the world’s biggest issues, you have to show that your company is part of the solution.


So, how will you show potential hires that working for your company will fuel their passion and purpose? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

1 Comment

  1. Everything is true what you have said. Unfortunately, it will take a decade or more for this to happen as two generations are in work force simultaneously at this moment. That will change in a decade or two. Right now, I feel that generation Y constitutes @ 30% of work force and hence difficult to change the wave.

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