What Matters to You Matters to Us. Good News for Non-profits.

What Matters to You Matters to Us.

Good News for Non-profits.

Recently, I have been reading a lot about generations – their habits, their needs, their strengths and their shortfalls.  Market researchers study generations to better sell a product.  Firms study them to better recruit and manage employees.  Who we are matters.  And for Millennials (like myself), who you are matters.

First, let’s put this in some context.  Also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers, we were born between the late 70’s and mid 90’s.  We are racially diverse, well-educated, and are known for a distinct and persistent optimism.  Growing up in the digital age has made us techno-savvy, excellent multi-taskers, and quick learners.  According to NASA, it also made us impatient (instant gratification, baby!), blunt and image-driven.

There are over 70 million of us – the largest generation since the baby boomers…and a lot of attention has recently been paid to our job search methods and our employment preferences.  How are we finding positions?  What are we looking for?  NASA’s recruitment efforts stress good income, challenging work, advancement and recognition (remember, we got trophies just for participating as children).  Sounds like a good deal to me.  There is something else though…something not in NASA’s study, but that I have seen and that really resonates with me…and I’m guessing a few of the other 70 million millenials.

Who you are and what your organization believes matters to us!   And since we are more hooked into one another than any previous generation, that information has become surprisingly available.  Ivy League graduates are beginning to choose non-profits and public service positions over Wall Street corner offices.  61% of 18-26 year olds answered that they would prefer to work for a company that offers volunteer opportunities. The 2006 Cone Millennial Case Study also cites that 79% of millenials want to work for a company that cares about how it impacts and contributes to society. A recent Washington Post article on how companies are changing said that “even as the economy has slowed, companies are expanding volunteer programs because these programs attract, develop, motivate and retain the most dynamic and passionate employees. The most innovative of these companies also understand these programs as critical to their bottom line.”

I graduated with a lot of smart people.  I’m lucky to be able to say that my friends are among the most intelligent, creative, ambitious problem solvers I know.  And where are they?  My childhood best friend is a missionary both at home and abroad.  My brilliant chemistry major husband strives to do the impossible and balance a state budget while saving the environment.  His roommate joined the air force after graduating suma cumlaude with a degree in biology. We care about what we do.  We genuinely want to make a difference…and maybe what truly distinguishes this generation is that we believe we can.  We’re confident.  We’re excited.  We crave a challenge…and we want to work for organizations that care.

This is all very good news for non-profits.

-Nicole P