Working on the Web and the Millennial Effect

Linc Wonham — Tue, 17 May 2011 01:00:00 GMT

A new study released by online employment platform Elance examines job seekers born after 1981 and their attitudes and approaches to working on the Web.

Elance’s Millennial Contractor Survey revealed that technology and independence are critical for the next generation of workers, and also showed that Millennials are turning online to find employment, citing freelance work as a cornerstone of their career strategy.

Survey results also indicate that the traditional resume may be on its way out, with more than half (56 percent) of Millennials stating that they prefer a digital profile to the traditional resume.

Millennials also believe the best route to work is through the cloud, with more than half (54 percent) stating that telecommuting is a critical part of their career goals, while less than 13 percent want to work onsite at a company for the majority of their time.

The survey also revealed that 39 percent of Millennials characterize their work style as that of a freelancer, with the ability to choose their projects, employers and hours, versus that of an employee (15 percent), team member (20 percent) or entrepreneur (26 percent).

Ink-stained hands and circled ads may also be a thing of the past, as more than half of Millennials find 50 percent or more of their work online.

The laptop (62 percent) and desktop computer (34 percent) are still the most important tools for Millennials in business, while smartphones (3 percent) and tablet devices (2 percent) have a ways to go before replacing them as the critical technology for getting work done.

Millennials (Can Be) a Brand’s Best Friend

Linc Wonham — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:30:00 GMT

Generation Y, aka “Buy”, packs a powerful punch when it comes to a brand’s online reputation. The most prolific users of social media do not take that responsibility lightly, and will just as soon share a recommendation for a product they believe in as they will publicly lambast one they consider unworthy.

Such loyalty, as much to the process of sharing opinions about brands as to any particular brands, was the most profound takeaway from a recent study conducted by Edelman Worldwide. Entitled Millennials, Their Actions Surrounding Brands, and the Dynamics of Reverberation, the exhaustive study makes one thing abundantly clear about its focus group: brands matter.

Some of the more specific findings include the following:

•    More than 80 percent of Millennials regularly discuss brands online
•    70 percent will share a favorite brand with friends and family
•    70 percent will keep coming back to a brand they like
•    58 percent are willing to share personal information with a trusted brand in exchange for coupons, etc.
•    54 percent will warn friends and family about a brand they don’t trust
•    41 percent will boycott a brand if disappointed
•    32 percent will rant on a social network if disappointed by a brand
•    29 percent will join a community of others who dislike a brand

'Net Features : millennials

Working on the Web and the Millennial Effect

Millennials (Can Be) a Brand’s Best Friend