At BMF we value the hard work, enthusiasm and new ideas our college interns have brought to us over the years. Since 1990, we've had more than 200 interns and they all bring something special to what we do. I've asked our two current interns, Shandrell Briscoe, a grad student at UNO, and Andrew Mandelbaum, a senior at Tulane, to share some thoughts regarding what they, as Gen Y'rs will be looking for in a future employer and in corporate brands they can relate to as consumers.
Great job guys! Their comments are posted in this blog entry.
Shandrell Briscoe
Being a member of Generation Y, I grew up with the simplicities of Nickelodeon and Girl Scouts as well as the complexity of terrorism and war. I grew up knowing that there is a complex world outside of my front door. I consider myself to be a global citizen who cares about the world, and as such, I try to make an effort to choose businesses to align with as potential employers and as makers and sellers of consumer products who share my concerns for the environment and community.
What is it that you look for in an employer?
I asked some of my peers this very question. After the obvious idea of competitive pay and excellent benefits, many of them suggested that they find it admirable if they find companies that have a genuine concern for people - their employees, their stakeholders, the outside community and the world.
“Conscious” companies attract me because I can almost instantaneously understand that they are a company that truly cares and will give me the satisfaction in knowing that they are looking out for my best interest. Considering that I am a public relations professional, I have a keen sense to look for what type of image or branding that a company uses. Having a good image and rapport with the outside community is a definite asset for any company.
Ideally, I try my best to support companies that are also corporate citizens. I find it really admirable when certain companies consider human rights or the environment over a larger profit margin. When I learn of companies that do just the opposite, if I have the option to, I am more likely to choose another company that I consider to be more conscious of the rights of other humans and the environment in which those humans eat, play, and live.
Andrew Mandelbaum
Living in a capitalist country, dominated by consumption, each and every individual in today’s society has the ability to interact with many different companies and organizations. These companies in turn, must attract high caliber individuals to their organizations as sources of human capital, and as customers. Balancing these two feats is no easy task, especially in today’s ultra competitive economy. Aside from the aggressive nature of the marketplace, finding a balance between enticing individuals to a company as potential employees and potential customers is also difficult because the aspects of an organization that appear attractive may differ based on one’s potential relationship with the company.
That being said, I would like to first consider the qualities in a company that would attract me as a potential employer. I do not intend to speak for all potential employees in today’s marketplace, or even for my generation as a whole, however, from the viewpoint of someone who will be a college graduate in a couple of months, I have a good sense of the entry-level job search process.
Above any and all other considerations, I believe the first and most important things to consider are employee benefits and company reputation. Benefits are the most obvious thing to consider when looking at potential employers, and rightly so. These include competitive compensation, but also the provision of health care, vacation days, and other factors that help promote a good work-life balance and overall enjoyable lifestyle.
A secondary, and almost equally important consideration in my eyes, is the reputation of the organization relating to a history of business success. Working for a company that has a proven track record of responsibility can help ensure that an employee will be doing meaningful work with important clients, and also will allow an employee to put something on his/her resume that will be beneficial in the future.
Aside from these two major factors, in my opinion, there is little else an organization can do to distinguish itself from its competitors when trying to attract top-notch human capital. When a potential employee seeks hiring, if he/she has focused career goals, the field is already considerably narrowed to the type of work an individual hopes to pursue. From there, the benefits an employee will potentially receive combined with the reputable standing of the company will likely further condense the list of possibilities.
Other considerations such as an organization’s charitable work or environmental initiatives may also factor into the decision, however when it comes down to it, their impact may only be secondary. In short, when looking for a potential employer, I think individuals consider more what the organization can provide for them (compensation, resume boost), than what the organization itself is doing for others.
When deciding on a company from the standpoint of a consumer however, the considerations vary greatly. The reputation of the company still plays a major role in the process, albeit for different reasons. Rather than hoping to work at a prestigious company for the purpose of boosting one’s resume, the benefit of choosing to consume from a company with a proven history comes down to trust. If consumers are able to trust a company or brand solely based on the name alone, the company has done an excellent job branding itself and accordingly, will benefit wildly. As follows, branding is an extremely important tactic for any company or organization whether they provide goods or services, so long as they can establish trust with their clientele.
Aside from choosing a company based on their trusted background, aspects such as competitive pricing and the audience a particular company targets also factors into the consumer’s decision.
While it goes without saying that cheaper is more attractive than expensive to a consumer, a consumer will be willing to pay extra if they feel a connection to the product being offered. In other words, the specific audience a company chooses to target will greatly affect those who choose to be customers. As a potential customer, if I feel that the company has my demographic in mind when designing their product, the more comfortable I feel due to the connection made.
Again, factors such as the company’s environmental initiatives or charitable work will play a very minimal role in any considerations.
From the point of view of the consumer, a company is able to accomplish all of these important goals through a simple medium: branding, marketing, and public relations. Through advertising, be it television, radio, print, or social media, a company can establish themselves as trustworthy, they can target a specific demographic, and they can show their competitive pricing.
In today’s society, especially for my generation, I feel as if social media is an extremely important and necessary platform to utilize in order for a company to be fully effective. For example, if a company is able to garner a large following on Facebook or Twitter, anything they decide to send out automatically reaches every one of their followers.
In short, the important factors a potential consumer most likely considers are the factors that directly relate to the consumer as opposed to what the company itself is doing, and marketing, branding, and public relations are the essential functions that allow every company to reach its customer base.
No comments:
Post a Comment