Jessica is the Founder and President on U.S start-up Enchanted Careers and she agreed to talk to us about her view of candidates today and tomorrow.
Q. Jessica, what new trends are you seeing around Job Seeker behaviour?
These days, with the economy not nearly as bad as it once was, job seekers—at least the top tier candidates—are becoming more confident in themselves and more selective when it comes to their job search. They no longer feel stuck, or feel the need to settle for a position, just to cash a paycheck. They have a very good idea of what they’re worth and they are seeking positions that can offer them all the things they desire and deserve. And that extends beyond the salary and benefits they can score; job seekers are interested in finding companies they can work with, not for, companies that offer a good life, not just a good job. Also, as the generations change hands, so to speak, job seekers are looking for tech savvy companies, such as those with a mobile and social media presence, who can offer flexibility and accommodate a good work/life balance.
Q. I’m part of the Baby Boomer Generation; do you see real differences between Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and the new Generation Z?
There is definitely a difference between the generations. As I previously mentioned, those who’ve recently joined the workforce (Generation Y), such as myself, or those who are about to enter it (Generation Z), are definitely looking for things that prior generations did not seek. Younger generations take more risks with their employment; we actively seek out greater opportunities, or juggle multiple positions while contracting, as opposed to the generations before us, who have notoriously stayed in their same positions for the long haul—an average of a decade or longer. We’re also less motivated by money than Baby Boomers and Generation X, and we’re much more interested in building a good life, as opposed to a strong investment portfolio. There’s no right or wrong, or better or worse, it’s just that, as a man who was a predecessor of the Baby Boomers once sang, “The times they are a changin’.”
One final observation from your author; Generation Z are the next generation entering the work place and they are defined as those born after 1995 and they have some interesting attributes;
• They want flexibility and variety from a job
• They would prefer to work for themselves
• They want to ‘give something back’, charity or volunteer work interests them
• They do ‘green and healthy’
• They have a low opinion of ‘large companies’
• They experience first-hand the impact the worst recession since 1929.
It’s going to be fun!
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