Young professionals are currently considered the next generation of skilled workers and are highly sought after in the world of work. Their youth, qualifications and first work experience make them extremely attractive to employers. There are numerous job offers for them, with high demands on their salary and working environment.

Few target groups are as sought after by employers and companies as young professionals, but they not only strive for a successful career, but also for professional development and making the most of their skills. Learn how you as an employer can make yourself attractive to the popular target group and win them over for your company. 

Young professionals by definition

Young professionals are a group of young, highly qualified employees who are at the beginning of their career. They are characterised by their limited professional experience, but have usually acquired a high level of education and professional knowledge. Many of them have also already completed some internships and can thus draw on some prior work experience. These talents are often seen as a valuable resource by companies, as they bring fresh ideas, a great willingness to learn and a high potential for innovation.

Young professionals strive to develop their professional skills and advance their careers. They are motivated to take on new challenges and specialise in their field. In doing so, they attach great importance to the compatibility of work and personal free time, an appropriate work-life balance and the opportunity to live out their personal interests and values at work as well.

This group of professionals is usually well connected and uses modern technologies and social media to socialise, exchange ideas and develop professionally. They are demanding in terms of working conditions, career opportunities and remuneration, and are looking for employers who can support their needs and ambitions and offer them development opportunities.

What they expect from their employer

Young professionals have high expectations of their employers, as they are not just looking for a job, but for long-term career development and fulfilment.

• Career development: Young professionals expect clear development opportunities and promotion prospects in their company. They want to be able to unfold their skills and talents and advance their careers.
• Continuing education and learning opportunities: They place great value on continuous training and the opportunity to learn new skills. They expect support to attend training, conferences or other learning programmes.
• Work culture and work-life balance: Striving for a healthy work-life balance is a focus for this group of young workers. They expect flexible working hours, opportunities for home office and a supportive work environment that allows them to live out personal commitments and interests.
• Meaningful tasks and projects: They want to work on meaningful tasks and projects where they can use their skills and make a positive contribution. They are looking for challenging activities that allow them to develop professionally.
• Appreciation and feedback: Young professionals want to receive recognition for their achievements and regular constructive feedback from their superiors and colleagues. They value open communication and the opportunity to contribute their opinions and ideas.

In summary, young professionals expect clear career development, training opportunities, a good work-life balance, meaningful tasks and projects as well as appreciation and feedback from their employers. If these expectations are met, they are motivated to give their best and remain loyal to the company in the long term.

What do employers value in young professionals

Employers value them for several reasons:

• Firstly, they bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that can contribute to the further development of the company. Their qualifications and knowledge are often up to date, as they have usually recently completed their studies or training.
• In addition, young professionals are usually highly motivated and ambitious. They strive to advance their career and develop professionally. They are willing to take on new challenges and continuously train to improve their skills.
• Young job seekers are often technically savvy and familiar with the latest tools and technologies. They often bring a high level of digital literacy, which is a great advantage in today's technology-driven world of work.
• Furthermore, they are often flexible and adaptable. They are willing to embrace change and adapt to new ways of working. This makes them valuable team members who are able to operate successfully in dynamic and agile work environments.

Employers thus value young professionals for their fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, motivation, technical skills and adaptability. They are an important source for future growth and success of a company.

What employers expect from young professionals

Employers have certain expectations from the young generation they want to hire as valuable employees in their company. Here are some of the expectations employers typically have:

• Technical know-how: Employers expect young professionals to have solid technical knowledge and skills in their respective field of work. They should be able to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.
• Willingness to learn and develop: Employers expect young professionals to be willing to continuously develop and learn new skills. They should be open to new challenges and changes in their work environment.
• Teamwork and communication: Many companies value employees' ability to work effectively in a team and to communicate with other members of staff. Young professionals should therefore be able to work together constructively and communicate information clearly and concisely.
• Commitment and motivation: Employers also expect young employees to be committed and have a positive attitude towards work. They should be willing to work towards the company's goals and proactively contribute to achieving them.
• Adaptability: Employers value young professionals who are flexible and can quickly adapt to new ways of working and environments. They should be able to deal with change and adapt to new demands.

In summary, employers expect professional know-how, willingness to learn, ability to work in a team, commitment, motivation and adaptability. If these expectations are met, young professionals contribute to the success of the company and develop into valuable employees with potential for future leadership positions.

Make it a win-win situation!

In order to attract young professionals to your company and retain them in the long term, it is crucial to address the motivations and development opportunities of this young generation, as they undoubtedly bring enormous potential with them.

To be considered an attractive employer for this target group, a new understanding of recruiting is required that takes into account the principles of new work and translates them into future-proof concepts, methods and tools to attract and retain the right employees in the long term. These include, among others:

• Flexibility
• Benefits and perks
• Learning and development opportunities
• An open corporate culture

Finally, it is important to approach this new generation of young professionals with the necessary sensitivity. As an employer, you have to realise that both sides are always applying and courting in an application process. If you understand this, you have taken the first step towards successful recruiting.