Issue 9, vol. 1 - September 2005

Much has been written about the “no loyalty” generation including the fact that today and tomorrow’s young workers will have at least seven careers in their lifetime, many in positions and fields that don’t yet exist. Add transience and ambition into this mix and you have a lot of headaches for employers trying to attract and retain young workers. Just ask those in the fast food industry.

Our research on youth and careers, revealed that 69% of 16-29-year-olds who are currently working in their field of interest plan to leave within two years. Ouch!

So what can you do to attract and hold on to this bright, tech savvy and confident young career set?

Here are four key factors young people identified as deal breakers for signing on with a company.

Interesting Work
Young people value skills over stability and want to feel they are continuously learning. Can they learn and develop new skills in this position? Are there training opportunities available to them? The nature of the work plays a huge role in retention whether the job is part-time or full-time.

Compensation
Pay them competitively. Money is not the number one deciding factor but establishing clear pay scales with expectations will motivate youth by giving them something to work towards. Who doesn’t like the dangling carrot?

Job Flexibility
Young people are willing to work hard but work/life balance is more important to them than any generation before. An organization that respects this motto by offering flex hours, work from home possibilities and a reasonable work schedule will shine in their eyes.

The Work Environment
An organization that respects the opinions of its staff, mentors others and has a professional but fun atmosphere can overcome constant turnover. Oh yeah, and don’t micro-manage.

Popular Industries with Youth

Healthcare and education were noted as the top two industries of choice amongst the young people we surveyed in both 2003 and 2005. No doubt the job prospects, job security and summers off boost the popularity of the Education field.

One field that has significantly risen in popularity in the last two years is environmental research. While it barely registered as a desired industry in 2003, 2.5% of youth recently polled plan to pursue a career in this field.

And in Other News...

Youthography was interested in how young people feel about the disaster in New Orleans and what they've done to help people in the affected region. Youthography donated $1 to the Canadian Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund for every completed survey. Stay tuned for the results...

For more information on Youthography's marketing, advertising, events and promotions expertise, please contact Jeff Roach at 416 204 1256 x231 or email jeff@youthography.com