Seeking the Y Workforce

Table of Contents 
 
About Monster 3
Introduction 4
Executive Summary 6
Discussion of Research Analysis 8
Conclusions and Recommendations 21
Methodology 24

 
About Monster
Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a dec-
ade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in
key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone
by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing
personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites
and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers.

To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit

www.monster.com.

3
 Introduction
For the past 20 years the Baby Boomer generation largely defined the workplace.
This highly educated cohort imposed its values and strong work ethic, establishing
a highly productive workforce. Moreover, this generation introduced the first
mass of female workers, creating a diverse and dynamic work environment.

While the 78 million Baby Boomers dominated the workforce, they shared similar
values, work ethic and workplace attitudes. This enabled employers to tune their
recruiting strategies, retention efforts and other workplace practices and policies
to a single dominant working generation.

However, the next 20 years will redefine the workplace as the Baby Boomer gen-
eration faces retirement. The Boomer’s succeeding generations X and Y are be-
coming a greater proportion and influential part of the workforce. For the first
time, these three distinct generations will work together. As workers they share
some common characteristics, yet as generations they each have different values,
work style, ethics and attitudes. And each will want to assert themselves in the
workplace.

The result is a more diverse and complex work environment than the U.S. econ-
omy has managed in the recent past. Such a diverse workforce will challenge or-
ganizations to manage across different generational work styles and attitudes. Al-
ready generational Y workers are having firms rethink body art in the workplace
and deal with parents who want to continue to assert their will on their children’s
careers.

Moreover, new technology is emerging into the workplace, promising to change

how organizations promote their openings, select job candidates and recruit new
workers. Online video and social networks are two examples of new technologies
redefining the search tactics of job seekers. Yet, this raises the question as to how
the different generations may use these new job search tools.

Monster, in partnership with MRI, has conducted extensive research to discover

the work attitudes of the different generations that comprise the transforming
workforce. Monster/MRI surveyed more than 2,800 workers across the various
generational segments to better understand how each segment works and, more
important, how organizations can best manage the complexity of a generationally
diverse workforce.

4
In addition, Monster and MRI surveyed more than 500 Monster client organizations to
understand how they are managing recruiting their talent as a multi-generational work-
force emerges. We ask how effective their current recruitment practices are as well as
if, and how effective, new recruiting techniques are for acquiring talent.

The result is a comprehensive study for HR and executive managers to learn how to
be more effective in the transforming workplace where successful human capital man-
agement will define the winners in the global economy.

5
 Executive Summary
Monster has conducted a study of more than 300 U.S. Generation Y-aged workers
between the ages of 17 and 28 in various stages of searching for a job. By assessing
their work attitudes and gaining a better understanding about how these Y Seekers
approach their job search, conclusions can be drawn about how organizations can best
develop recruitment strategies to attract and hire workers from this generation, which
represents the future of the workforce.

Monster research indicates that Gen Y’s bring many characteristics to the workplace
that can help employers better understand and more readily attract them. Like most
workers, Gen Y workers feel under-appreciated, under-compensated and believe
other employers offer better compensation and job opportunities. They are looking
for greener pastures, and companies must ensure they are that greener pasture as de-
fined by workers broadly. Assuming that broad definition, companies can attract Y
Seekers by offering a flexible work environment and providing a workplace full of ad-
vancement opportunities.

Other key research findings and recommendations include:

 While Y Seekers are comfortable with new technology and Internet-based ser-
vices, their preferred job search resources are more traditional, such as family
and friends. Newspaper want ads also remain a staple for Y Seekers, but are
not delivering a high value experience

 Company websites are a popular job search resource for Y Seekers; however,
20% have never posted a resume to a company website, which is much less
than post to general purpose online job boards.

 Y Seekers are not as influenced by where the job is posted—the message is

the message.

 Open jobs delivered by company recruiters are given strong consideration by

Y Seekers; however, jobs that are sourced by family or friends are given the
greatest consideration.

 Y Seekers are using social networks as a job search resource and finding good
value in doing so.

 Y Seekers do use professional recruiters as a job search resource; however,

they give them relatively low “high” satisfaction and low likelihood to recom-
mend rates.

6
“When I submit a resume to a job, I never hear back and I feel like my re-
sume is being sent right to the trash can.”
Gen Y Job Seeker
On what is frustrating about their current job search

Based on these findings, professional recruiters should consider the following recom-
mendations when developing strategies around attracting and hiring Y Seekers:

 Leverage your referral systems to capture the Y Seeker, while also considering
emerging channels, such as online job boards, company websites and niche-
oriented job boards.

 Be sure to maximize the value of company websites to attract Y Seekers and

also ensure that your sites accept electronic resumes as easily as online job
boards do.

 Maximized your message for Y Seekers by ensuring the job qualifications and
description are well formed, clear and accurate. If the job is in a desirable loca-
tion, emphasize it in the posting.

 Be sure to actively manage your employer brand and reputations so that even
informal messages are delivered accurately and with some standard. Periodi-
cally perform an employer brand audit to determine the state and health of the
employer brand.

 Learn how to integrate and leverage popular online social networks to attract
and recruit Y Seekers. Develop network pages that promote the employer
brand and Gen Y-oriented jobs. Emphasize your “greener pasture” and why
you are the “better” company for Gen Y’s.

 Consider nurturing today with Gen Y’s as an investment in the future, brand
and reputation. While Gen Y’s are not paying the bills for recruiters, they do
represent a recruiter’s natural resource.

To acquire and secure Y Seeker workers, a company must demonstrate that it is will-
ing to provide a competitive compensation and be ready to prove that its grass is as
green as others. In addition, a company must demonstrate the ability to nurture Gen Y
careers through training and a defined path up the corporate ladder. Demonstrating
these things will create congruency with what Y Seekers also want: The idea of a bet-
ter company than the company they work for today.

Companies that disregard this generation may find themselves on the wrong side of a
bad reputation and struggle to maintain a workforce in a workplace that is likely to
become more competitive.

7
 Discussion of Research Analysis
A Need for Green
Early research about Gen Y’s is that they have very defined expectations of their work
experience. If such expectations are not met, this generation will quickly change jobs
to one that better meets their expectations. Are Y Seekers job hoppers?

The vast majority of Y Seekers (77%) have only held their current job for less than
three years. And less than 5% have held their job for more than 10 years.

How much time has passed since your last 
job change.
10 years or more 0%
Six to nine years 4%
Three to five years 18%
One to two years 35%
Less than one year 42%

Moreover, many of these Gen Y workers are actively seeking a new job. More than
two-thirds of Y Seekers indicate they are looking for a new job. Another 25% of Y
Seekers are poised to take a new job saying that if the “right” opportunity were to
come along in a passive sense they would go. Just 6% of Y Seekers believe they are
staying with their current employer.

Are you currently seeking a new job opportunity?
No, but would consider a new job if it were … 25%
No, staying in my current job for a while 6%
Yes, actively seeking 69%

Such job switching and new job searching activities would suggest that Y Seekers are
not finding their work expectations met by current employers. However, such an atti-
tude and behavior appears to be universal among workers. As we have seen, job loy-
alty or lack of loyalty appears across all generations.

8
Are you currently seeking a new Gen Y Gen X Boomers Seniors All
job opportunity? 17 - 28 29 - 41 42 - 60 61+ Workers

Yes, actively seeking 69% 69% 72% 77% 71%

No, staying in my current job for a
5% 5% 5% 4% 5%
while

No, but would consider a new job if it

25% 25% 23% 19% 24%
were the right opportunity

Y Seekers have a love/hate relationship with their employer. While most Y Seekers
believe their company provides a valuable product/service and is honest, they also feel
underappreciated for their work effort.

With a “grass is greener” attitude, almost two-thirds of Y Seekers indicate that other
employers provide better salary and benefits. And only about one-quarter of Y Seekers
believe their company provides a competitive salary.

Consider each statement relative to the company you work for and rate (one Y Seeker
being not at all strong while ten is very strong) how strongly you agree or dis- Top Box
agree with it. Response

My company provides a valuable product or service 63%

I think other companies provide better salary and benefits 59%

My company is honest 43%
My company is a good place to work 41%
I feel proud to work at my company 35%
My company offers good benefits 34%
I would recommend my company to a friend or relative 33%
My company provides a competitive salary 24%

One negative result of this attitude is that only one-third of Y Seekers would recom-
mend their employer to a friend or relative. Such negative sentiment can make it chal-
lenging for employers to use their workforce to recruit other workers through em-
ployee referrals.

To find that greener pasture, many Y Seekers are investing their time in job search ac-
tivities. Over 50% of Y Seekers are spending more than eight hours per week search-
ing for a new job opportunity.

9
 What is the average number of hours per week that 
you spend on job search activities?
More than 40 4%
31‐40 2%
21‐30 1%
16‐20 4%
9‐15 12%
5‐8 30%
2‐4 37%
less than 2 hours/week 10%

Y Seekers are using this job search time to access a diversified list of new job re-
sources and search activities. Which job resources are popular with Y Seekers and
how valuable do they find them to be?

Y Traditionalists
Generation Y grew up with the Internet and other connected technologies. Also
known as the Internet generation, Gen Y’s feel comfortable with the use of technology.
Yet, it may be surprising to learn that the most popular job search resources Y Seek-
ers use are traditional.

Y Seekers favor using a network of family and friends to search for new jobs. And over
four out of five that have use family or friends to source a new job opportunity indi-
cate that such a resource is very valuable.

Another popular traditional source of jobs, the newspaper want ads, is used by over
50% of Y Seekers. However, only 28% those Y Seekers that have used newspaper want
ads find them very valuable compared to family and friends.

While traditional sources of jobs such as newspaper want ads and family and friends
are the most popular source of jobs, many Y Seekers also use online job boards and
company websites. Almost half of Y Seekers have indicated they have used a general
purpose job board to search for a new job and over one-third of those who have used
a job board find it very valuable in their job search.

10
 % of Y
Which of the following job search resources have you used during
Seekers Y Seeker
the last twelve months? Also, if you have used the resource, indicate
Who Top Box
how valuable a resource it has been to your search. (Marking a value
Have Response
of one indicates no value while a rating of ten is very valuable.)
Used
Family and friends 66% 45%
Newspaper ads 52% 28%
Job boards (large, all-purpose) 49% 36%
Company website 46% 42%
Job boards (niche/specialty) 29% 29%
Recruiting/placement firms 28% 23%
Past manager or colleague 22% 42%
Unsolicited resumes to companies 22% 18%
Job fairs (other than college) 19% 17%
Temporary agencies 18% 27%
Walk-ins/cold calls to employers 16% 24%
Networks (other than college) 15% 25%
College recruiting & job fairs 13% 22%

Social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) 13% 19%

Informational interviews 10% 35%

Professional associations 9% 29%
Career coaches or counselors 8% 24%
Networks (college alumni) 8% 19%
Professional resume writers 5% 28%
Blogs and similar online sites 4% 22%
Message boards and chat rooms 2% 10%
Outplacement firms 1% 22%

Going directly to the source of jobs, a company’s website, is also a popular job search
tactic among Y Seekers. More than four out of 10 Y Seekers use a company’s website
to search for new job opportunities. And more than 40% of those who use this job
search tactic indicate it is a very valuable in their job search effort.

Niche job boards and recruiting agencies round out the top five preferred job search
resources for Y Seekers. Yet, there is a large gap in use between the top four re-
sources and these lagging job search resources.

Less than one third of Y Seekers use niche job boards or recruiting agencies for their
job search. This lower relative usage may have more to do with the market these job
search resources serve (middle to senior level jobs) rather than a lack of preference
for such services.

11
 While not used by many Y Seekers (22%), seeking the support of a former manager or
colleague is one of the highest valued job resources rated by those who use such a
tactic. Again, this underscores the value of traditional job search resources as indicated
by Y Seekers, the Internet generation.

Embracing Online Job Boards

How active are Internet generation job seekers in using online job boards and com-
pany websites to post their resumes? According to Y Seekers, over 80% posted their
resumes on a general purpose job board in the last three months. And 70% of Y Seek-
ers posted their resume directly at a company website.

When was the last time you posted your resume on

an company web site board?

I have never posted my resume 20%
5%
More than 12 months  ago 2%
2%
7‐12 months ago 3%
4%
4‐6 months ago 5%
6%
Between 1 and 3 months  ago 19%
21%
During the past month 51%
61%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Company Web Site Job Boards

While Y Seekers are strong users of company websites to post their resume, 20% of Y
Seekers have never posted directly at a company’s website. This suggests that compa-
nies have an opportunity to better promote this channel and opportunity to this gen-
eration of job seekers.

As Gen Y grew up with technology and the Internet, we have learned they favor more
traditional job search resources. However, new Internet services are emerging, par-
ticularly social networks. How are Y Seekers using some of these emerging job re-
sources?

Y Post Just Like X

What are the primary influencers that determine whether Y Seekers post their resume
for a job opening? Well, the same job posting elements that influence the X Seekers
and Boomers to apply for a posted job.

12
Y Seekers indicate that a posting’s job qualifications and description are most impor-
tant in driving their decision to apply for a job. These elements are followed by the
job’s location and the posted compensation.

Y Seeker
Consider the last job posting that you applied to. Rate how important each of
Top Box
the following elements were in your decision to pursue that job.
Response
Job qualifications 79%
Job description 78%
Job location 70%
Compensation posted 60%
Date of job posting 46%
Company description 43%
Where the job was posted (newspaper, online, etc.) 33%
Company logo 16%

While Y Seekers are influenced in much the same way as their older working peers,
they differ somewhat in the importance they place on the source of the job posting.
Where the job was posted Gen Y Gen X Boomers Seniors All
(newspaper, online, etc.) 17 - 28 29 - 41 42 - 60 61+ Workers

Top Box (3) 33% 42% 43% 36% 41%

Y Seekers place significantly less importance on the channel through which the job
posting is delivered than the X Seekers or Boomer Seekers. Therefore, employers
must focus more of their efforts on the message as opposed to the medium in recruit-
ing Y Seekers.

That said, how Y Seekers learn about a new job opportunity does figure strongly with
their consideration of that new job.

We have seen where Y Seekers use family and friends as a prime source for jobs. So it
should be no surprise that Y Seekers place greater consideration for job opportunities
sourced in this way.

Y’s Consider the Source

Y Seekers also place stronger consideration for job opportunities delivered direct from
the company. Two thirds and over half of Y Seekers strongly consider jobs directly
from a company recruiter or from the company website, respectively.

13
 On a scale of one to ten (one being not at all strong while ten is very strong) Y Seeker
rate how strongly would you consider an opportunity for a new job if you Top Box
learned about it. Response

From a friend or relative 73%

Directly from a company recruiter 68%
From a company website 56%

From a professional recruiter (recruits as an agent for multiple companies) 53%

Through an online job board 49%

Through a social network 45%
At a company sponsored social event 43%

From an industry (online or physical) publication that lists new jobs 42%

From a local newspaper 41%

At a trade show or industry conference 37%
From an email offering a job description 34%

Professional recruiters have an opportunity to recruit Y Seekers more aggressively.

While fewer Y Seekers have used professional recruiter services, they enjoy strong
credibility from over half of Y Seekers.

Interestingly, with the exception of a company website, Y Seekers place less considera-
tion for jobs learned through technology than through traditional sources. For exam-
ple, an e-mail offering a job description holds relatively less consideration compared to
other channels.
From an e-mail offering a job Gen Y Gen X Boomers Seniors All Seek-
description 17 - 28 29 - 41 42 - 60 61+ ers
Top Box Response 34% 41% 44% 49% 42%

Such an observation is significantly different than how X and Boomer Seekers consider
these channels. Employers wishing to court Y Seekers using e-mail may want to recon-
sider such a tactic.

Y’s Embracing New Job Search Tactics

The low cost of digital video cameras and the popularity of YouTube have spawned an
emerging use of video resumes. Yet, only 1% of Y Seekers have used a video resume to
record and promote their job qualifications. And 70% of Y Seekers indicate it is
unlikely that it is a job resource they would use.

14
 Likelihood to Use a Video Resume 

Unlikely 70%

Undecided 18%

Likely 10%

Still 10% of Y Seekers are suggesting that it is likely that they will use a video resume,
while another 18% are ambiguous about the use of video resumes. Such a small seg-
ment may represent the early adopters of this job search tool and offer it a future.

If Y Seekers (37%) were to produce a video resume they would most likely turn to an
online job board for such support or produce it themselves (29%). Another 20% said
they would look to the services of a recruiting firm, possibly signaling an opportunity
for recruiting firms to expand their offerings, assuming this job search resource finds
adoption.
Who do you see as the best resource to help you produce a video resume? If
Y Seeker
you are or have been using a video resume indicate who helped you to pro-
Response
duce it.
Online job board (Monster, CareerBuilder, Craig's List, etc.) 37%
Self-produce 29%
The video resume service of a recruiting firm 20%

Professional videographer 10%

Other resource 4%

If Y Seekers posted a video resume, they would most likely post it on a general pur-
pose online job board, while posting it to a personal web page would be a secondary
consideration.
If you were to use a video resume, where would you post it for viewing?
Y Seeker
(mark all that apply) If you are or have been using a video resume indicate
where you have posted it to. Response

Post it on an online job board (Monster, CareerBuilder, Craig's List, etc.) 72%

Personal web page 29%

Distribute it on a DVD 22%
The personal web page of a social networking site (MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) 18%
Other posting location 5%

Gen Y’s were early adopters of social networking sites and are largely responsible for
their success and popularity. Yet, are Y Seekers using these social networks to conduct
job searches? Not yet, to a large extent, but there appears to be some support for so-
cial networks as a job search tool.

15
 % of Y
Please indicate which of any of the following online social networks Y Seeker
Seekers
you have used as a job search resource. Also, if you have used the Top Box
Who
social network as a job search resource, indicate how valuable a re- Re-
Have
source it has been to your search. sponse
Used

MySpace.com 21% 35%

Yahoo! Groups 13% 32%
Facebook.com 11% 20%
LinkedIn 7% 16%
Blogger 5% 22%
MSN Groups 5% 12%
MSN Spaces 4% 19%
Classmates Online 3% 13%
AOL Hometown 2% 21%
One in five Y Seekers have used MySpace.com as a job search resource and more than
one out of three who did rate it a valuable job search resource. A smaller percentage
of Y Seekers also have used Yahoo! Groups, but again, almost one-third of these users
found it to be valuable in their job search.

For now, Y Seekers are leading the charge for using online social networks to search
for new jobs. Those employers and recruiters who want to attract these workers
should consider how to leverage social networks in their recruiting strategies.

Percent of Respondents Who Gen Y Gen X Boomers Seniors

All Seekers
Have Used as Job Resource 17 - 28 29 - 41 42 - 60 61+

MySpace.com 21% 9% 4% 3% 8%

Facebook.com 11% 4% 2% 1% 4%
14
LinkedIn 7% 9% 5% 10%
%
Blogger 5% 1% 1% 0% 2%

Classmates Online 3% 7% 5% 5% 5%

MSN Groups 5% 4% 8% 1% 6%
15
Yahoo! Groups 13% 18% 13% 16%
%
AOL Hometown 1% 3% 2% 3% 2%

MSN Spaces 4% 3% 3% 3% 3%

Given the popularity and, more important, the relatively high value users are placing on
online social networks, there is a good chance for them to emerge as a mainstream job
search resource, especially as the younger seekers mature in the workforce.

16
Recruiters Seeking Y’s
Given their experience and position in the workforce, professional recruiters have not
actively recruited the Gen Y’s. About one out of four Y Seekers have indicated that
they have used the services of a professional recruiter to support their job search.

Given your experience or consideration in using a recruiter Experi-

No Experi-
who represents you to companies, how important are each of enced
enced Seekers
the following attributes in selecting a professional recruiter? Seekers

Positive reputation 65% 74%

Recruiter I can trust 65% 73%
Recruiting firm with a significant number of jobs available 56% 67%

Agency that specializes in recruiting for a specific industry 48% 52%

Referral from a friend or associate 46% 52%
Well-known brand 39% 53%

Diversified list of services such as resume writing, career advice, etc. 39% 46%

Personal relationship with a recruiter 39% 47%

Convenient location 38% 49%
E-mail communications you receive from a recruiting firm 38% 45%
National network of office locations 36% 39%
What you read/see on the Internet 24% 34%
What you read/see in the press 21% 27%
Global network of offices 20% 31%

About as many (28%) who have used recruiting services indicated that they found such
services very valuable in the job hunt. Given that the Gen Y’s are the future of the
workforce, professional recruiters must begin to understand how this generation views
their services.

As it turns out, Y Seekers view professional recruiters in much the same way as their
mature working peers. By far, Y Seekers are looking for recruiters that offer a positive
reputation and are trustful. These attributes are even more important for Y Seekers
who are considering such services.

Professional recruiters have an opportunity to better deliver and fulfill on their ser-
vices to Y Seekers. While one in five Y Seekers that have used recruiting services are
highly satisfied with their experience, 79% are only medium to dissatisfied.

17
 Experienced with a Recruiter
Likeliness to Recommend and Satisfaction

Low
Medium
High

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Likeliness to Recommend Satisfaction

Such ratings are important given they are highly correlated with a Y Seekers’ willing-
ness to recommend recruiting services to others. As such, most Y Seekers that have
experienced recruiting services are ambiguous or unlikely to recommend professional
recruiting services. While this will probably have little ramification to current recruiting
business, such impressions are likely to stay as this generation matures into the recruit-
ers’ prime market.

Given all of the job search activities and resources of the Y Seekers, how productive is
it for them? Y Seekers may be less experienced in their job search activities, but they
are at least as productive as their older counterparts.

Active Y Seekers
Almost half of Y Seekers indicate that they applied for more than five jobs during the
past month. Only 7% said that they did not apply for any jobs.

How many jobs have you applied for during

the last month?

9 or more
5 to 8
2 to 4
1
None

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Interviews Applications

These applications turned into interviews for 59% of Y Seekers, with almost a third of
these Y Seekers having more than two employer interviews. Still, 41% of Y Seekers
failed to turn their job search activities into employer interviews.

18
Y Job Search Frustrations
As we have seen, Y Seekers are very productive in their job search and apply for many
jobs, but receive few interviews as a result. So it is no surprise that their primary chal-
lenge is getting a company to recognize them and secure an interview.

Yet, Y Seekers feel there is too much competition in the workplace. And almost as
many feel they are categorized as under-qualified for jobs as there are who feel they
are overqualified.

Review each of the following job search challenges and indicate how strongly Y Seeker
you agree that you have experienced such a challenge during the past twelve Top Box
months. Response

Getting recognized and interviewed 55%

Too much competition 43%
Under-qualified for the position 36%
Over-qualified for the position 34%
Lack of time for job search activities 33%
Too young 30%
Need for employer flexibility 24%
Personal challenges 19%
Too old 2%

Given their age, it is no surprise that almost one-third believe they have been discrimi-
nated because they were too young for a position.

Consistent with their primary challenge of not being recognized by companies, Y Seek-
ers indicated that their chief frustration is the lack of a company response. Such a frus-
tration is also shared by their older seeker peers.

Y Seeker
Consider each of following statements. How strongly do you agree that each is
Top Box
a frustrating part of a job search?
Response

Lack of company response 71%

Inflated job qualifications 60%
Omitting key employment information in posting 50%
Vague/unclear job descriptions 45%

Inflated job qualifications are a secondary frustration and a frustration universally felt
by all job seekers. Inflated job qualifications is a driver of many Y Seekers feeling they
are experiencing being shut out of jobs because they are under qualified.

19
 While Y Seekers experience challenges and frustrations in their job search, many are
securing interviews that turn into job offers. How do Y Seekers consider new offers
and what are the primary influencers that will motivate a Y Seeker into accepting a
new job offer?

Y’s Define Greener Pastures

Y Seekers are primarily motivated to accept new job offers that provide higher salaries
and opportunities for greater career advancement. Such primary motivators are fol-
lowed closely by better benefits and skills training.

Y Seeker
If you were to consider a new job how strongly (ten being strongest) would
Top Box
each of these influencers impact your decision to accept the new position?
Response
A higher salary 89%
Greater advancement opportunities 89%
Better benefits 85%
Better skills training 81%
A better company 76%
Flexible work hours 69%
A location with a shorter commute 59%

The chance to work for a previous supervisor I enjoyed working with 48%

The chance to work for a new supervisor 42%

A location with better perceived weather 24%

Such motivating factors are consistent with young workers’ universal desire to pro-
mote their career while feeling under-compensated by their current employer. How-
ever, as we have learned, these factors for accepting new job offers are universally
shared across all seeker generations.

Some current research would indicate that Y Seekers and Gen Y workers are at-
tracted to flexible work environments. As Monster research indicates, many Y Seekers
are attracted to new jobs for this benefit but only after more fundamental worker
needs (salary, benefits, advancement opportunities) are met.

Therefore, if a company wants to distinguish itself in the workplace, make sure you
have anted up with compensation and training and then provide flexible work hours.
Such a formula will attract and secure Gen Y workers.

20
Conclusions and Recommendations
Key conclusions and recommendations drawn from Monster research include:

1. Gen Y’s are on a hunt. A new job hunt. This research indicates that Genera-
tion Y workers are less than loyal to their current employer and looking for a
new job. Disillusioned with their employer, Gen Y workers feel under-
appreciated and under-compensated for their work product. Moreover, they
see other employers as offering better compensation and job opportunities.

To stereotype Gen Y workers as “job hoppers” would be missing the bigger

picture. All workers are job hunters, some active, some passive and others
poised; but most workers are looking for greener pastures. Companies must
ensure they are a greener pasture as defined by workers broadly. Assuming
that broad definition, companies can attract Y Seekers by offering a flexible
work environment and providing a workplace full of advancement opportuni-
ties.

2. Generation Y workers grew up with technology and the Internet. They are
comfortable with new technology and Internet-based services. However, Y
Seekers preferred job search resources are offline and old fashion. They still
turn to family and friends and newspaper ads.

While Gen Y’s are technology oriented they are also social. So their prefer-
ence to network with family and friends is neither inconsistent nor surprising.
Companies must recognize this and work their referral systems to capture the
Y Seeker. As well, companies must actively manage their employer brand and
reputation to ensure an informal social network is prepared and willing to rec-
ommend their employment.

Newspaper want ads remain a staple for Y Seekers but are not delivering a
high value job search experience. Companies should continue to see newspa-
per ads as a way to attract Y Seekers but must be aware that other channels
are delivering a better value in terms of job search.

Therefore, employers need to consider emerging channels that are attracting Y

Seekers and providing a better value. These include online job boards, com-
pany websites and niche-oriented job boards.

3. Company websites are a popular job search resource for Y Seekers. However,
20% of Y Seekers have never posted a resume to a company website. Such lack
of posting is much less than general purpose online job boards.

Companies must ensure they maximize the value of their sites to attract Y
Seekers. This research would support this goal is being achieved. However,
companies must also ensure their sites make it relatively easy to accept elec-
tronic resumes as easily as online job boards accept resumes.

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 4. When posting a Y Seeker job, make sure the job qualifications and description
are well formed, clear and accurate. If you believe the job is in a desirable loca-
tion, emphasize it in the posting.

Unlike their older counterpart seekers, Y Seekers are not as influenced by

where the job is posted. Therefore, the message is the message, so make sure
it is maximized for Y Seekers.

5. Open jobs delivered by company recruiters are given strong consideration by

Y Seekers. However, jobs that are sourced by family or friends are given the
greatest consideration.

Such informal channels are difficult in controlling the message and delivery.
Therefore, companies need to actively manage their employer brand and repu-
tations to ensure even informal messages are delivered accurately and with
some standard. Periodically perform an employer brand audit to determine the
state and health of the employer brand.

6. True to their technology upbringing, Gen Y’s have embraced and popularized
online social networks. Moreover, more than any working generation, Y Seek-
ers are using social networks as a job search resource and finding good value
in doing so.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Companies must learn how they can inte-
grate and leverage online social networks to attract and recruit Y Seekers.

Consider joining the social networks popular with Y Seekers, including

MySpace.com and Yahoo! Groups. Develop network pages that promote the
employer brand and Gen Y-oriented jobs. Emphasize your “greener pasture”
and why you are the “better” company for which Gen Y’s are looking.

7. Despite their “newbie” existence in the workplace, Y Seekers are using profes-
sional recruiters as a job search resource. However, relatively low “high” satis-
faction rates and low likelihood to recommend suggests professional recruiters
may want to consider better courting these future job candidates.

While Gen Y’s are not paying the bills, they do represent a recruiter’s natural
resource, understanding that all workers want to do business with professional
recruiters that have a positive reputation and are trustworthy. Such good will
and reputation is not earned overnight. Consider the nurturing you do now
with Gen Y’s as an investment in your future, brand and reputation. Start to-
day.

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 8. To acquire and secure Y Seeker workers, a company must demonstrate two
things. First, a company must be willing to provide at least competitive com-
pensation and be ready to prove that their grass is as greener as other employ-
ers. And second, a company must demonstrate the capability to nurture Gen Y
careers through training and a defined path up the corporate ladder.

Demonstrating these things will get a company to what Y Seekers also want:
The idea of a better company than the company they work for today.

Generation Y is the future of the U.S. workforce. Such youthful workers will need to
step up to more responsibility, as a gap in the workforce is created by the retiring
Boomers. These workers are ready to prove themselves and are looking for compa-
nies willing to give them this opportunity.

Companies that offer Gen Y’s a nurturing workplace and competitive compensation
can assure themselves of a motivated and bright workforce for some time to come.
Companies that disregard this generation may find themselves on the wrong side of a
bad reputation and struggle to maintain a workforce in a workplace that is likely to
become more competitive.

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 Methodology
The findings presented in this report are the result of a nationwide online survey con-
ducted by Monster and Management Recruiters International Network in the fourth
quarter of 2007.

The research sample consisted of 300 Monster job seekers who indicated they are em-
ployed, fall in the age range of Generation Y-aged (17 and 28 years of age) and are
from a diversified list of industries, non-profit and government organizations.

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