Instead of accepting ill-informed myths about millennials, hiring managers should invite procurement recruitment consultancies to seek them out and harness their talents, an industry expert has urged. Fiona Bane of Procurement Leaders argues that millennials – people aged between 22 and 37 – have the right characteristics to excel in new-generation procurement jobs. Where older professionals may have to work hard to familiarise themselves with digitalisation, digital technology has been a core component of the air millennials have breathed since they were born.
They may appear youthful. Bane cites a comment made to her by a colleague, who said: “If they were sitting opposite me in an interview, I wouldn’t hire them – they look too young.” But, many are relatively fresh from formal education and have retained the mental agility and capacity to adapt to fast-changing environments that such advanced, rapid-learning experience entails. In Bane’s experience, millennial talent arrives ready and wanting to make a positive impact on its new role, a trait she views as inestimably valuable to procurement, as it revamps itself and “emerges from the shadows” to become a key business enabler.
There is, though, a tendency among millennials, borne out by statistics, to change jobs more often than other generations. However, Bane believes that as the procurement function changes in the new digital era, the solution is to keep the job interesting, a characteristic already gathering momentum in a fast-evolving profession.
Bane concludes by emphasising that millennials already constitute half of the British and US workforce, adding: “By 2030, they are expected to account for more than 75% – with a large proportion by then being the even younger generation of Generation Z. Instead of worrying about these workers, adapt with them, take advantage of their education and varied experiences and remember they don’t want to stop learning.” Whether you’re looking for permanent hires or procurement interims, Bane’s advice is simple: think millennial.