Hiring Generation X

Abstract

The apple doesn't fall anywhere near the tree anymore. Note to baby boomer-age managers responsible for hiring Generation-X CPAs: This is not your father's workforce. Or yours, for that matter. You are dealing with a group of 21- to 35-year-old professionals who three years into their careers can command the same salary you worked 12 or more years to attain. The candidate you want to hire is probably simultaneously considering offers from your competitors. Contributing to their freedom to pick and choose the job of their choice is a robust economy and a national unemployment rate holding steady at a low 4.2%. Other demographics add to the bleak equation: Only 35 million Gen-Xers were born between the years of 1964 and 1978 When you were their age, you competed for jobs with 85 million baby boomers. Don't let the ties or high heels they wear to interviews mislead you. They want to wear khakis to the office, or don sweats and telecommute from home. They want immediate authority, independence and a voice in major decisions. They are technologically savvy and can probably teach you a thing or two about the software programs you use every day. If you want to hire a Gen-Xer, you need to understand how this workforce segment has changed the rules of recruitment. Because while you're contacting references and examining GPAs, your firm or company is being scrutinized just as closely by the prospect. WHO IS THE NEW RECRUIT? Understanding who Gen-Xers are and what they want gives you an edge in formulating offers they will accept. The old rules of hiring--getting the best candidate for the least amount of money--no longer apply. In the past, employees tolerated employment circumstances that were less than ideal. Loyalty and tenure were rewarded, and changing jobs frequently raised eyebrows. Today's job candidate has more choices and, therefore, more power. Employees are motivated by different criteria than they were in previous decades. Twenty years ago, the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder was enticing. Now workers want to skip the rungs and lead a cushy life-style from the start. Job-hopping is a normal, accepted method of career advancement for Gen-Xers. Because there is a scarcity of candidates, the criteria for job selection and satisfaction have changed. Money is usually the main motivator--salary, signing bonuses and stock options have become common currency. Yet life-style issues also are critically important--and this is territory where smaller firms and companies can make their mark. Gen-Xers value factors such as flexible schedules, shorter commuting distance, interesting work culture and prestige. Titles and other amenities, such as offices, in-house gyms and day-care centers, carry a lot of weight as well. Burdened with tradition and bureaucratic human resources policies, accounting firms often have difficulty meeting their needs. It might appear that relief is just around the corner with next-in-line Generation Y, but don't count on it. Gen-Yers were born between 1979 and 1994, are 60 million strong and will soon enter the professional workforce. The increase in the workforce may give the small or midsize firm or company more choices, but life-style issues will be a mayor factor in their choice of employer, too. COURTING A GEN-X PROSPECT Recently, a 67-person, midsize regional public accounting firm in Atlanta sought to add a CPA to its team. A candidate with five years of experience was relocating to the area and researching the market for job opportunities. He interviewed with the firm and with Big Five accounting firms and received several offers. He selected the smaller firm because it offered more opportunity. His new employer provided a $62,000 annual salary ($10,000 more than his previous job and more than the other firms bid). The smaller firm gave him greater responsibility and an opportunity to learn about international business, a specialty of the boutique agency. …

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