We’d like to say up front, we’re not fans of the word ‘millennial’ here at Sitka. It’s not just that millennials have had a bad rap of late, but the term has become somewhat of a synonym with entitlement, laziness and technology addiction – and we really don’t like generalisations. Also, we’d agree with Bill Murphy Jr who recently wrote in his article ‘Here’s the brutal truth about why everybody else resents millennials’ that it isn’t that people are different because of when they were born, but that the world is different.
From experience, we know that many of the things that drive millennials are the same that drive other ambitious job seekers; autonomy, stability, recognition and good compensation to name a few. Don’t get us wrong; we know there are plenty of complacent candidates out there, but they’re not limited to the generation of people born between 1980 and 2000 – which is just as well since millennials are expected to comprise half the workforce by 2020. But we’ve been privileged to meet many conscientious millennial candidates, as well as many conscientious candidates from other generations, and birth year aside they all have much in common.
At Sitka, we’re not easily impressed, but these are six traits that never fail to impress us:
They’re curious
The candidates we love to work with are less concerned with talking solely about their own achievements and more focused on asking about the role and business. They take the time to find out what the company’s goals are, what the culture is like, and the balance of skills the employer is looking for. This means they get a much more detailed picture of the job, can put together a more focused application, and are more likely to find a role that is compatible and worth staying in.
They’re transparent
We pride ourselves on being trustworthy and transparent, so we expect our candidates to be honest and open with us too. For example, exaggerating achievements on your CV will damage your credibility and will always come back to haunt you. On the other hand, if you’re honest about your limitations we can guide you on the steps you can take to minimise them and advise you on how to talk about them in a positive light. Likewise, don’t be afraid to admit you’re terrified of interviews; a good recruiter will help ease the stress around the process and prepare you so that you’re ready to perform to the best of your ability.
They make an effort
The candidates who impress us the most spend time preparing for interviews; they do their research, they practice answering questions, and they get organised well ahead of the day. Because professional candidates gain background knowledge on the company, they are better able to highlight relevant experience and prepare more insightful questions, which means the employers are impressed, both with them and us: everyone’s a winner! There’s more information on putting your best foot forward in interviews in one of our previous blog articles.
They’re reliable
The best candidates turn up to their interviews! You’d think this a given after the effort that goes into arranging it, but we have experienced incidents where candidates have done a no-show. Our clients rely on us to deliver the strongest, most employable candidates, so if a top candidate doesn’t show up, it’s not just embarrassing; it’s damaging to our reputation and theirs. Likewise, instructing an agency to search for roles on their behalf and then not returning calls or emails is a waste of our time and can hurt their job prospects down the line. Successful job seekers are more responsive and believe in the benefit of partnership working. They follow the golden rule: ‘treat others as you’d like to be treated.’
They have a good reason for moving on
The candidates that are easiest to place know they’re ready to leave their current job and they know why. Among other things, they’re focused, have already explored options for promotion in their current role, and aren’t driven solely by the prospect of a pay increase. Those who are unsure of whether now is the right time for the next step in their career or just want another job offer to leverage a higher salary from their existing employer are better off reassessing their options before approaching a recruitment agency. Our article on questions to ask before moving jobs can help with this.
They’re professional
The candidates who compel us to seek out exciting opportunities are consistently professional; they dress appropriately, they’ve laid out and spell-checked their CV properly, they communicate well and they’ve assessed their digital footprint. Neglecting to lock down privacy settings on personal social media accounts, or frequently using inappropriate language on public ones, can be detrimental when it comes to putting candidates forward for a job. An estimated 80% of employers will google prospects before interviewing them, so if job seekers want recruiters to go the extra mile for them, they need to convey a professional image.
Ok, so our title was a little misleading; the six traits we’ve outlined that impress recruiters are not exclusively ‘millennial’ traits; they’re traits of candidates from all generations and walks of life.
At Sitka, we help aspiring leaders, managers and experienced professionals achieve their career goals and believe the greatest placements are made when there is a reciprocal relationship based on trust, commitment and transparency. To find out more about how we can help, please see our candidate experience infographic.
To find out how we can work with you, please drop us a line
The process was thorough and very individual – time was spent finding out about the culture and style of the organisation and the exec team. Sitka worked with the candidates well to find the best fit for both employer and candidate. There was a sense of strong relationship building to ensure that this happened.
The whole recruitment process, led by Karen, was a really engaging and positive experience. I can honestly say it was the best interview I have ever had!
My experience with Sitka Recruitment was really positive. The team made me feel really valued and took the time to get to know me and career aspirations. I never once felt pressured, just well supported, listened to and understood. I would definitely recommend Sitka to my friends and colleagues.
Once again thank you for your time and ongoing support. Fantastic service and you made the experience so positive. You’re all clearly passionate about what you do and care about you candidates.
I have always dealt with Karen and have found the recruitment process generally excellent. The calibre of candidates has always been strong and the candidates also show enthusiasm towards the job and company they are interviewing for. I am very happy with the service we receive from Sitka and we have always appointed from the first round of interviews.
This was the most professional recruitment processes I have experienced as a candidate. I felt really well prepared for the hiring process. Ita took the time to understand my experience and align my skills and values with those of role that I was applying for. This meant that I felt really prepared for the interview process and confident that I understood the role, culture and values of the organisation.
I would recommend Sitka and I would also consider using them as a client in the future. Having experienced their service as a candidate I have seen the effort that is made to ensure there is a good fit between candidate and client. Thank you Ita!
The recruitment process was very straight forward and communication and updates were very regular. Sitka staff are very professional and have an excellent customer focus. They were extremely focussed on what WCR needed and gave us a great calibre of candidates. Sitka will be my first point of call when I’m next recruiting.