ILMA Compoundings - July 2019 - 12

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

Using Digital Tools to
Recruit Millennials
More and more baby boomers are retiring from manufacturing every year, and Gen Xers aren't getting any
younger. Millennials are now between the ages of 22
and 37, so when you are trying to fill vacant positions,
it's likely they are the ones you are trying to reach. That
means there is a good chance you need to change your
traditional approach to hiring.
Nick Goellner, sales and marketing director for Advanced
Machine and Engineering and partner and managing director of MakingChips, a community of manufacturing leaders
most famous in manufacturing circles for their weekly
podcast of the same name, says one of the first things you
want to do is make sure your website features fresh content
that portrays a modern brand.

Goellner said it is very likely that millennial and Gen Z
job hunters are using their phones when visiting your
website for the first time, so a responsive website, one that
adapts to the device on which it is displayed, is a must-have
for manufacturers. In general, an outdated website gives
prospective employees the impression that your company is
not forward-thinking, according to Goellner.
"When you're at the start of your career, you want to work
for a company that's changing the world, not just maintaining status quo," he said.

JULY 2019

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

Social media is also important, and Goellner thinks that
Instagram is a natural fit for companies with an engineering
bent because the platform doesn't require much writing.
However, he is quick to add that Instagram and other social
media platforms are just channels. The content you choose
to post is what is most important.
"If the goal of the content is to recruit the younger generation, I think it's really important to show the type of work
that this person would be doing and to make it appealing and
interesting," said Goellner. "You want to show that manufacturing isn't a dull, dangerous, dirty or dead-end job."
Millennials often get a bad rap for expecting everything
to be handed to them, but Goellner said that, in reality, they
are probably intimidated if all they see on your website and
social media feed is mature faces. That is because millennials
didn't grow up building things with their hands and they
might feel unqualified as a result. Goellner advises using
imagery and video of experienced employees showing
novices the ropes.
He also suggests showing and talking about your technology and giveing them an idea where manufacturing is
heading. Millennials are not worried about automation taking over their jobs. A recent Deloitte survey shows that over
half of millennials surveyed feel Industry 4.0 technology will
augment their job, not eliminate it.
Other tips Goellner gave were to be sure to communicate
a clear career path. Millennials have no interest in doing the
same thing day in and day out for decades. They get a bad
rap for being job hoppers, but you can use that trait to your
advantage by providing variety through cross-training.
It's also important to promote what your company is
doing in the community. Goellner said that younger generations want to know they are not working for a company
focused only on the bottom line. Millennials want to work
for companies that stand for social responsibility and social
accountability, and making changes to your business to
fit this updated, appealing model won't just attract skilled
workers - it might just bring an improved perception in
your community and increased revenue along for the ride.

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ILMA Compoundings - July 2019

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