You can find on the net the occasional story about a high profile company recruiting several people from facebook or MySpace. Supplementary to this there are also, web articles about the need to clean up your social networking image (and photos) least you put off a potential employer if they go snooping. So, I am wondering if people in college are coming to believe that without much effort on their part the ideal employer is going to find them. All they have to do is to not look like a total party animal, and Microsoft will be sending them e-mail offers to join their staff.

 

I have had a recent incentive to inquire how to access Generation Y, with the 20 something year olds I come across in my daily adventures here in the Desert. The County will soon be recruiting a huge number of Correctional Deputies and Deputy Sheriffs for this general area of the County. One of the things we need to know is where to access our demographic group for job announcements and recruiting campaigns. 

 

Offered up by the Millennials I have spoken to when asked about contacting their generation, was the composite reply at concerts, amusement activities (like Knot’s Soak City), movie theaters, shopping malls, radio, and through social networks. I have to think it would be vary tedious to try to match-up individuals and jobs via social networking. As far as job posting boards, there were no favorites even between the top 2; the strategy expressed was to place your resume on all posting sites.

 

I think the tale end of Generation X through to Baby Boomers are probably more practical in terms of knowing that you need to leverage every opportunity available to you. That may even mean using your social contacts (past and present) as business or potential employment contacts. I think this is why this group would support sites like Linkedin and Y’ers would really know much about it, or would think It wouldn’t do them any good until they were already out there in the working world. Of course that is wrong, and to be steered to job opportunities maybe an intergenerational approach would really pay off. 

 

I can see a 22 year old about to graduate college e-mailing through a business/social site a software engineer with 15 years of experience at a major company (or even Riverside County government) to ask what it is really like to work at that organization in the IT Department, or if there were work projects in the students primary area of study and interest. If one of our employees had an exchange with a graduating student who seemed bright, enthusiastic, and a potential asset to our organization, they would be at the top of the next recruiting list (figuratively speaking). You aren’t going to get that on Face book. 

 

Back in the day when I was 20 something we didn’t have the same problem, we did our social and business networking together. Long before the internet, we guys used to gather together in various organizations. My particular experience was with the Palm Springs Jaycees when you aged out of that group you might go on to the Rotary Club. On the other side of the gender divide was the Soroptimists. 

The only excuse I have for slipping into this nostalgic look back at when I was 20 something, is that it is my birthday today, April 28^th. Although I lived through that decade a long time ago, it is not forgotten. Any suggestions on making contact with today’s 20 something year olds, would be appreciated.