Millennials are a different breed of employee, but they can also provide the fresh insight and growth mindset that can drive big changes in your business. Knowing how to work with them is one thing, but hiring them while they are new to the workforce can be a challenge as well. Are you looking for entry-level engineers who can bring that culture of innovation and youthful energy to your business? Here’s what they are looking for when they hit the workplace.

 Offer Engaging Job Opportunities

Entry-level engineers from the millennial generation are interested in doing work that puts their minds to good use. They want to be engaged and intellectually stimulated on the job, even in an entry-level position. Engineering is an amazing discipline where employees can really see the results of their effort. Don’t overlook that opportunity by dumbing down the tasks for your new blood. Let them stretch their wings, get creative, think outside the box and potentially make a real difference in the company they choose to work for.

Make Room For Professional Development

Millennials aren’t just working toward a paycheck. They care about their career and advancing themselves professionally. Keep them interested in your company for the long haul by creating an open conversation about goal setting and career development. Show them they matter to the company beyond their current position and you are willing to invest in their long term success.

Adjust Your Communication Style

Entry-level engineers fully expect to be included in decision-making processes these days, and want to be communicated with rather than spoken to or managed. Provide opportunities for those conversations and make adjustments to communication styles as needed to help attract and retain the sorts of employees that will bring a renewed energy to your company. Consider the changes to be a reflection of your changing corporate culture, because as millennials demand changes within the industry, older employees might also come to expect the same treatment.

Show Your Appreciation

Financial incentives aren’t necessarily enough to attract the great talent you need. There will always be another company willing to pay a little bit more. These days, job satisfaction is as much about culture, engagement and non-traditional benefits as it is about the bottom line. Given that one of the greatest contributors to unhappiness in the workforce is a feeling of being unappreciated, you will feel the squeeze when your newly hired engineers get poached by other companies willing to go the extra mile. Instead, show them how important they are to your business success. Give recognition where it is deserved. Make them feel appreciated, and reward successes to build loyal teams.

Create a Strong Culture

Culture matters as well. Many entry-level engineers know what companies they want to work for already, based on reputation alone. Your employees talk about what’s great and what’s not so great, whether online or just by word of mouth. Creating a great work culture, one where candidates want to work for you, takes more than a little lip service during staff meetings. Put in the extra effort to make your company the best place to work it can be by putting employees first.

For more tips on recruiting the engineering talent you need to be an industry leader, contact the hiring team at Verum Technical today.