Communication with Gen-Y graduates, born between 1980 and 2000, has had to change and understanding and relating to them has become critical to recruitment in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace. Gen-Y remain in education longer, travel further and have access to more information than any other generation. They are more aware of technology and use it regularly, constantly looking for something new and ‘different’. Graduates want to learn new skills, be challenged intellectually and excel professionally.
Gen-Y is the first age group to have grown up with the internet and it is an integral part of life. Consumer aspects of the internet have provided increasingly intuitive and intelligent sites, thus expectations from Gen-Y have increased. The internet is not only a communication tool but also something that companies will be judged on. Companies need to ensure that they maximise user experience of their website and offer personalised functionality and engaging interaction.
Gen-Y wants to see that an employer is a global citizen and cares about CSR and they will go online to find out exactly what a business stands for. Many organisations state ‘we are diverse’ but focus groups tell us audiences see them as ‘fake’. A reoccurring problem is things haven’t changed enough. For example, organisations are still using traditional milk rounds, with long corporate presentations. Gen-Y want interaction, such as presentations where voting software like Touchpoint can be used to give real time feedback. Graduates expect to gain from everything they do and are constantly thinking, "Does it add to my CV/experience?" Companies need to use interactive tactics or they will lose out to organisations that are.
To attract and engage Gen-Y, advertising campaigns have to be more interactive than ever. Take the humble ‘brochure’ for example, there’s an ongoing debate over whether employers should produce one or not. The key here is that if you decide to invest in a brochure, make sure it’s memorable and useful. The branding should be about authenticity: it needs to be honest and does not have to be cool. Gen-Y does not respond well to you simply trying to be ‘like them’.
Prosumers have influenced all generations and opinions and have driven the increase in use of social networks. While many companies are viewing this as a new arena, the reality is that for prosumers it is established, normal behaviour. Organisations need to ensure they communicate the right message to the right audience or they will receive little sympathy from an audience that has high expectations.
How do you make each interaction with Gen-Y worthwhile? You must get an integrated message across the right channels. It needs to be defined to a clear target audience, delivered through a communication strategy founded on research and brought to life through engaging, interactive and relevant channels.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
