According to the most recent studies, Millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce, with about 53.5 million of them entering the job market in the first quarter of 2015. While an exciting prospect, younger workers do bring some challenges for employers, especially insurance agents. Many may worry if Millennial workers will fit into their company culture or even if they can get the job done. However, before worrying about how they’ll do on the job, perhaps employers should first think about whether or not they can even attract the best talent out there. Recruiting millennials can be a challenge. But, if you follow these 7 tips, you too can find the best Millennial employees out there.
1. Optimize your website and social media accounts
If you want to catch the attention of Millennials, then you better be where they hang out, and that place is the Internet. Most Millennials grew up with the Internet and have never known what it’s like to live without it. They are “digital natives” and are very comfortable in using the Internet and technology. They spend a lot of time online and also on their social media sites. That’s why you need to make sure that, at the very least, the information on your website and social media accounts is up-to-date.
But more than that, there are other things you can do. Use SEO techniques to make sure your site is ranking for the right keywords on search engines. You should also ensure all your social media accounts have profile and cover photos, plus all the information about your business is correct. Why do you need to do this? Well, for one thing, a potential Millennial recruit will do research about your company online before they even think about sending you a resume. They want to know who you are and by showing them you have a web presence, then they know that your company embraces the Internet and digital technology.
2. Show a human side to your business
Millennials want to know they are working for more than just a corporation or a faceless entity. They want to know who their workmates will be and that there are real people behind the company that will care about them if they sign-on. The best way to show the human side of your business is through social media. You should post pictures of your employees, along with some information about their position, their work, and how they feel about working for your agency. With their permission, you can also ask clients if you can feature them on your Facebook page. That way, potential recruits will see that your insurance agency really does impact people’s lives, both employees and clients.
3. Engage them before they enter the job market
One of the best techniques for recruiting Millennials is to engage with them even before they enter the job market. Many young people today are worried about job stability when they graduate. Most of them will be graduating with some debt and no idea if they can find a job to support themselves, so they don’t have to move in with mom and dad.
That said, you might want to reach out to them in their junior or senior year of college. Lots of student organizations look for speakers, resource persons and even sponsorhips for activities. This may be a great way to invest your time and resources if you really want to recruit the best talent before they’re even in the market.
4. Encourage your staff to recruit their peers
Your best ambassadors for recruiting Millennial talent are their peers. So, if you already have Millennials on your team, you can take advantage of this resource. First, you can interview your current employees, and ask them what they like about working for your agency and what they don’t like. Do they talk about their job or the office to their friends and if so, do they seem interested in working at a place like your agency? Also, what do they think needs to be improved in order to attract more Millennials?
Next, you can also ask them to help you recruit directly, either by asking their friends or even using their own social media account to spread the word about openings in your company. It’s a great way to organically spread awareness about your company too.
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5. Demonstrate work-life balance
Work-life balance is perhaps one of the top things Millennials look for when searching for a career. They want flexibility in terms of where and how they work, and many would likely take a pay cut if they could manage their work and life balance better.
That said, you should consider compromising on a few things if you really want to attract the best talent out there. While insurance agencies still need face-to-face time with their clients, you might want to consider allowing employees to telecommute on certain days or when they are doing certain tasks that don’t really require them to be in the office. Or you can offer perks, like gym memberships, weekly dinners, or other extra-curricular activities that don’t necessarily have anything to do with working at an insurance company.
6. Show, don’t tell, what it’s like to work for you
One of the things that Millennials look at when they are evaluating job offers is the company culture. They want to know what it’s like at your agency, and if they will be able to fit in and adjust. Now, you can tell them what it’s like, or better yet, you can show them. Again, social media is a great way to do this, and you should encourage your employees to post, Tweet, and Instagram about your company (without revealing sensitive information of course) and your events (especially the fun ones). Have your own agency hashtags and encourage employees to use them.
Aside from social media, you can take a more direct approach and invite potential hires (especially those you really want to come on board) to spend an hour or more in your office so they can observe what’s going on. Another fun idea might be to create a “day in the life” video to show potential recruits what a typical day in your office is like.
7. Respect all potential recruits
Most companies get overwhelming responses to job offers, often getting hundreds of responses in a matter of hours especially if they post on popular job sites. Now, you can choose to ignore the ones that are really not qualified. However, you might respond to some of them, and decide later that they aren’t a good fit. If so, let them know right away that you’re not interested. That way you don’t waste their time and show them that you do respect them. In this age of social media sharing and websites like Glass Door, you want to make sure you make a good impression. Glassdoor is the fastest growing jobs and recruiting site.
Millennials have already taken over the workforce, and soon, they will not only occupy entry-level jobs, but also mid-level management and top-level positions as well. While many discount this generation, Millennials are also some of the most creative, innovative and motivated individuals. And by attracting the best Millennial talent to your team, you can grow your insurance book of business at a faster pace and also effectively target Millennial consumers. Think of the lifetime value of both sides of that equation.
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