Ah, the millennials. They aren't going away anytime soon. In fact, we – or actually, you – will be going away before they do, most likely. We've written a good deal about them recently, but this is another good facet to add to the discussion: How to write job descriptions that will hook them.
This piggybacks off a piece from Software Advice, a site all about HR software and all that entails. And even though I kinda get rankled at the notion that millenials need to be coddled and given juice boxes every hour on the hour, I think there's some truth to the six pointers Software Advice that are pretty spot-on, especially since, as the author points out, "most job descriptions are awful."
So how do you make them less awful?
You need to highlight how the position they're applying for is important to the company, and not just an opening created by the last cog in the system suddenly departing: "Millenials want to know how their work will impact a company, how they'll be connected to decision-makers and where they fit in the grand scheme of things."
Millenials value feeling like an individual at work, so another thing to touch on, for sure, is what the job could do for them:
While it’s motivating for millennials to know about all the great things this position would allow them to do for the business, they also want to know what they’re going to get out of it. Aside from a salary and benefits, what skills will they gain, what professional connections are they going to make, what opportunities exist for growth within the company, and why would this position make them more desirable candidates when they start looking for their next jobs?
So, yeah, give it a read. And then get writin'.
David Wolinsky is a freelance writer and a lifelong Chicagoan. In addition to currently serving as an interviewer-writer for Adult Swim, he's also a comedy-writing instructor for Second City. He was the Chicago city editor for The Onion A.V. Club where he provided in-depth daily coverage of this city's bustling arts/entertainment scene for half a decade. When not playing video games for work he's thinking of dashing out to Chicago Diner, Pizano's, or Yummy Yummy. His first career aspirations were to be a game-show host.
