What You Should Know About Hiring Millennials

They’re intrinsically motivated. This means that millennials care less about rewards than you may think: they want purpose, they want positive feedback, and they want to grow in their careers. This means you’ll need to be aware of your management; criticism should be constructive, and praise should be offered any time you see great work. For hiring, this means you should stress the opportunities for growth that are available, and if possible, offer a mentorship program. Flexibility in hours is difficult in construction, but if you can offer any, make sure it’s known in the hiring process, as millennials place importance on this, too.

They’re idealistic. This means they may job hop until they find a situation that benefits them best for their goals. But it also means (and this is important) if they care about the job they have with you, they’ll want to make a difference in the workforce. You’ll want to show them how you’re contributing to the local area’s entire lifestyle–and as millennials can tend to be more in tune with technology, and less with labor, be sure to give them the time and flexibility to discover which role within your construction company may provide the best fit. You may even find that if you hire the right fit for your company, a truly motivated person, they’ll start finding ways to improve business you never thought of.

They can tend to be individualistic. (Meaning, not team players–which is not always great news for the construction industry.) How do you find the millennial you can mold and fit to the team? For one, hire for skills rather than personality. If the millennial you hire is suited more to your construction opening, then they’ll be more likely to want to stick around and to fit with the team. That being said, millennials are motivated by great work and great people. Surround them by an appropriate team and with good mentorship, and you’ll find a vast difference in their growth with you.

Hiring millennials will become increasingly important for you in the construction industry, so it’s very valuable to understand this generation’s needs and motivations. With the right approach, millennials with your construction company could make a wonderful difference and help your organization succeed.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com