As an IT service-provider, Cheops likes to keep its finger on the pulse of IT specialists. Including young IT people just starting out or IT students looking to spread their wings. Through regular meetings and company visits, we are able to get a good picture of what these young professionals expect from their future job and employer in the IT sector. This blogpost combines these insights into a short overview.
1. It’s not just about money
When they are looking for their first or a new job, young IT people look at a whole range of elements – and certainly not just the pay. Does the employer try to achieve a good work-life balance for employees? Does the company have a good image? What career pathway will I be offered? Where exactly will I be working? The overall picture is what counts. Finding out whether there is a good fit between your organisation and someone starting out is all about being open and especially about having an honest conversation to see whether there is a marriage of the person’s expectations and the day-to-day realities of the job.
2. Clarity about how employees are assessed
Employees in their first job often come out of a school system where rigid and mainly quantitative assessments are made on an ‘out of 20’ basis. Just how that works in the employment market can be very unclear for youngsters and may even seem rather random. So, as a potential employer, you need to explain clearly what yardstick you use to value and assess people. And in doing so, how you take performance, skills and human aspects into account.
3. Clear information about practical matters
Young IT experts have a great many questions about the practical side of being employed. Not just about how their pay and fringe benefits are structured, but also about social legislation or the system of holiday entitlement. For them, these are new concepts that require clear explanation.
4. Individual, group or both?
The new generation of IT employees like to have a clear insight into how much the contribution they make is part of a team or a communal project, or whether it is individual. The fact is, some people prefer to be assessed as an individual, while others like to be seen as part of a group. If you are flexible in this regard as a company, explain to the person to what extent. If the choices are limited, you also need to point that out clearly so that misconceptions are avoided.
5. A workplace that fits the personality
In the same way as their employer, young IT employees find it important to fit well into the company they choose to work for. They need to be able to identify with the corporate culture and identity, which differ from one company to another. Some want to move ahead in a fast-growing company, while others prefer a steady job close to home. The way of dealing with work colleagues and how internal communications work are also very important. Youngsters need to look in the mirror to define what they really want, based on their own personality. Companies can put them on the right path by offering them no-nonsense personality analyses and tests. These can be used for both the company and applicant to assess whether they will be a good fit for one another.
Like other people starting out on the job market, young IT staff also have lots of questions about their first workplace and their career in the sector. At Cheops we anticipate this by taking note of their questions and needs during meetings and company visits. We are always open and transparent during our discussions and visits. And we work with each job-applicant to ensure there is a good match with our corporate culture – this applies both to youngsters as well as to experienced staff. Once someone has joined us, we offer them a personal growth pathway, with guidance and training through our Cheops Academy.