On any given sporting team there is a variety of players with different specialties- talents that are natural and some that are taught.  There are problem solvers, planners, leaders, executes, and more that make the game move forward.  Similar to a team of athletes, employees work and function with different strengths and weaknesses.  When hiring not only do you have the skillset to decipher through who is best – but also the age range of a hire.  Hiring candidates over 40 has its perks but so does hiring millennials. 

When hiring and trying to diverse your set of skills and resources that help to reach the end business goals it is important to consider what the perks of hiring the young, inexperienced, and bright-eyed millennial could do for you.  Here are a few of the benefits we know:

The young ones want to be your friend too – When managing and looking to add to a team, casting the large vision of what is to come and where things are headed is important, but when hiring and leading without a team that sees the managers and business owners care will fail.   No matter the age or generation you hire, each individual host different talents, fears, preferences, and more.  Getting a feel for their individuality on a micro level will dictate the best way to motivate a team after each hire is made. 

Next up, skip the stereotypes. The 25-year old that’s had a new job every 12 months might not be lazy, incompetent or hard to work with.  Avoid the common stereotypes you see in millennials. The younger candidates could be your best hire that’s here for the long haul and drastically advances the business. 

Again, hound in on the micro of what makes a millennial a good candidate for hire – one common stereotype is “they all want flexibility with their work,” but is that all bad? Weigh out the things young hires want and see how they may be a benefit.

Being born after the 1980’s means that worldwide interweb has always existed for this millennial candidate.  One of their greatest strengths will be their vast knowledge the skills with technology. Take advantage of it – how can your office environment and day to day job responsibilities change thanks to hiring candidate that is tech-savvy?

The millennial candidates will never forget that first job they land. Freshly educated and ready to take over the world – hiring over 40 may seem practical, but hiring a millennial might be the best.