CMOs and heads of marketing, listen up. You might be finding the millennials narrative pretty uninspiring, but we know you’ll agree that there’s definitely a lot to learn from those climbing the ladder. We spoke to three millennial marketers – agency and client-side – to find out what motivates them, how they like to be managed and what they really think of the millennials nametag.
Meet our millennials
First off, what do you think of the term ‘millennials’? Is it as irritating as some people would have us believe?
Cara: It’s pretty broad, first of all, and there’s definitely some confusion as to who it refers to. Plus, there’s always a resistance to being categorised because it tends to dictate the way a certain group of people should behave. I also think some people associate ‘millennials’ with inexperience, which is why so many people push back against it as a term.
Milllennials are typically seen to be difficult to retain. Would you agree that this is the case?
Russ: Yes. Prior to joining Atos the longest I’d stayed in a job was nine months, which may be shocking to some but I don’t think is that abnormal nowadays. There’s no such thing as a job for life anymore; people know they’re going to have to move around to progress their careers and doing so can help provide variety and experience that really helps later on.
Cara: Yes, a lot of my peers will be looking to move on after a couple of years – either to another agency or to travel. This may have something to do with the fact that we were the last generation to go to university without having to pay increased tuition fees, so many of us didn’t have gap years and jumped into the world of work straight after university.
Jason: I’m not actually sure whether millennials are difficult to retain – I think it depends on the job role and whether there are the right incentives in place for the individual in question.
What do you think senior marketers can do to encourage junior marketers to remain in roles?
Russ: They need to provide two key things: variety and a clear view of progression. It’s widely accepted that millennials have a shorter attention span than older generations, so being able to provide variety and a range of experience will keep junior marketers interested (or maybe that’s just me?) Progression is also vital. As the world becomes faster paced, millennials aren’t going to commit years of their career to something they don’t see as going anywhere, while they see their friends press ahead. Giving that clear view of what’s up for grabs, where you can go and what you need to do to get there is really important.
Cara: Giving junior marketers the opportunity to do what really interests them; if they’re mainly working on lead gen campaigns, maybe see whether they might like to work on ABM as well. We also like to integrate with senior marketers as much as possible; we’ve grown up with social media where knowledge is at your fingertips, so we like having access to the people around us who can share some of that knowledge and insight.
Other than salary, what factors motivate you in your career?
Russ: I’m motivated by being able to flex my creative skills in a constructive way, being trusted to deliver, working alongside a great team (internally and with agencies), doing things/delivering activities that people said I wouldn’t be able to, and feeling like I’m actually making a difference to the organisation. And the odd award here and there doesn’t hurt.
Millennials are typically seen to prefer regular, informal feedback. Would you agree that this is the case and if so, why?
Russ: Yes I’d agree. I think the idea of the annual performance review is a bit antiquated; it gives you flashbacks to getting your school report. When you deliver a piece of work or finish a project that’s when you should gather your feedback, picking up those nuggets of insight from others along the way because then you know how you performed and can take that straight into the next thing, rather than waiting a few months to see how you did.
Cara: Definitely, and I’m trying to figure out why that is – I think it’s about the openness of our culture which has been brought about by social media. We expect that same openness and honesty wherever we go.
Jason: I also agree. In my opinion it comes down to changes in teaching and parenting styles from a young age; everything is becoming less formal and the way managers deliver feedback has changed as a result.
What changes should senior marketers consider making in terms of workplace policies and culture in order to better appeal to junior marketers?
Russ: Flexibility of working. We’ve grown up with the internet, mobile phones and social networks, and we’re used to flipping from phone to tablet to laptop. It’s still a bit odd how many businesses lag behind in terms of the tools they give their staff and the ways of working they put in place. To my mind if you’re able to get your work done properly it shouldn’t matter where you are or how you do it.
What do you think junior marketers value in the workplace and how do you think that differs from previous generations?
Russ: I don’t think what people value at a basic level has changed in any real way (people still want to be rewarded properly for a job well done), but I think the main difference is the need for stability. Previous generations have that ‘job for life’ mentality where you got in on the ground floor, worked your way up and got your final salary pension and that was what you strived for. With those days long gone, millennials are more able to roll with the punches and move around as their own career trajectory dictates.
Jason: I looked for clarity, and for a business that knew where it wanted to be in five years’ time. I was also looking for somewhere that had a firm company culture in place which was aligned with my personal morals – and somewhere explicit about progression opportunities with the right development structure in place.
What’s your final bit of advice for senior marketers looking to get the best out of their millennial workforce?
Russ: It’s pretty simple advice really – listen. Millennials may be the younger generation, but we’ve grown up with technology, so we do know what we’re on about. The worst thing that can happen when you start out is feeling like your opinion isn’t being considered.