I had the opportunity last night to interview Ryan Coleman of TheNextForce.com.

Nextforce, LLC and TheNextforce.com was founded and is edited by Ryan Coleman. Ryan got his first taste of the business at 18 when he started a small novelty business with a high school friend. He then found himself generating creative ideas and marketing tactics that helped small businesses gain a competitive edge. Ryan completed his MBA in 2007 with his research focused on creativity in the workplace. This exploration of the history of ideas lead him to question the future of the workplace and how technology and the next generation was going to effect the way business is conducted.

Being a member of Generation Y, Ryan personally experienced the challenges that faced this generation. He started asking the question: “What’s Your Story?” to members of Gen Y and the response overwhelmed him. His next venture was born.

Ryan has spoken to thousands of students and consulted companies on ways to attract, engage and retain the next generation of the workplace. He prides himself on his ability to connect the seemingly unconnected.

During this interview, we discuss how companies can leverage online social media to attract the rock stars of the world.  We also explore what young careerists need to consider as they are setting out to find a career that they love.

Listen to the interview below

Contact Ryan directly at coleman at thenextforce dot com

 

 Interview with Ryan Coleman [40:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I have a top interview tonight with Ryan Coleman of TheNextForce.com.

Listen in through Y-Talk Radio

You can also dial in with a question for Ryan: Call-in Number: (646) 378-1235

We can only take 3 callers at one time, but feel free to dial in with a question. Ryan will be speaking on the topic of how to use social networks as a recruitment tool AND as a tool to find a great career.  I talked with him recently for over an hour, and he is fascinating…so if you are in the recruitment field OR if you are a Millennial who is looking for that perfect job, this is a call you will want to hear!

During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader.

Question Number 6 was this:

If you stay with a company, what factors cause you to want to stay?

Top Answer: Number 1: Great work environment (positive, upbeat, fun, attractive, high tech, energetic and supportive)

2: Great people (great boss, great manager, great co-workers, great friends at work)

3: Opportunity for career development, growth and ongoing training

4: Money (most clarified this by saying they wanted pay to be in line with their talents and skills)

5: Opportunities for promotion/advancement in the company

6: Happiness at work (loving my job and being happy with it)

7: To know that I am doing work that is meaningful and is making an impact on the greater world

8: Job security

9: Great benefits (vacation, health insurance)

10: Strong leadership (vision, integrity, trust and inspiration at the top of the company)

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Allis last night on the topic of business, his life as a social entrepreneur and his success. I can see why Ryan and i-Contact are so successful.

If you are someone who is in search of a top contact management system that is top-notch and affordable, I encourage you to visit i-Contact today and sign up! I get absolutely nothing from sending you over there other than the pleasure of connecting you to a super-sharp young businessman and one of the fastest growing companies in the country.

Listen to the audio interview with Ryan below…he has some wonderful advice on how to be successful in business.

 

 Ryan Allis Interview: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A USA TODAY/MTV/Gallup Poll of registered voters 18 to 29 years old shows Democrat Barack Obama leading Republican John McCain by 61%-32%, the most lopsided contest within an age group in any presidential election in modern times. Obama’s margin is overwhelming across four groups of younger voters, divided by their engagement in the election, their optimism about the future and other factors.

Get the full article here on USA Today

Is going to be interesting…I can’t wait to watch the returns to see what happens here.

I was talking with a young man last week.  He was describing a recruitment trip he had just finished with a company that he thought he was attracted to.  But he said the recruitment trip was boring.  He was impressed with the company, but the lunches, dinners and meetings were stiff and took places in what he described as “old school settings.”  (He mentioned a private club dining room and a men only dining room.)

Hmmm…interesting.

I get the feeling at times that people aren’t in touch with Generation Y.  This is one of the most open, fun-loving generations we have seen in a long time, and we continue to use tactics that worked 20 years ago to recruit and connect with them.  I want to also say that I don’t take Millennials lightly…I don’t think they only want to have fun (some people think that all Gen Y wants is to go crazy in the work place.)  As a matter of fact, they take their work and their results very seriously.

But…what if you decided to change your recruitment tactics?  What if you actually took your Millennials out to play golf or to a soccer tournament or to a rock concert when they visit your company?  Do you think that might get their attention?  What might be different about your recruiting if you threw a casual dinner party and invited 15 people from ages say 23-29 to the party?  And…are you showing your Millennials the after 5 night life of your city?  Your city’s efforts to take care of the environment?  The networking opportunities available?  The cool places to live that are in walking distance of a variety of cultural offerings?

If you are reading this blog post today, I would encourage you to take yourself back to a younger time in your life…before board meetings, country clubs and men only poker rooms.  What do you think is really going to make Gen Y tick when they visit your company on their next recruitment trip?

For more information on Lindsey, visit: http://www.LindseyPollak.com

During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader.

Question Number 5 was this:

When you leave a company, what one thing causes you to leave?

I hear every day that Gen Y leaves because of money or because they love to job hop…so, these responses may surprise you (please know that this survey was completely anonymous:)

Top Answer: 1: Weak Leadership (Leaders are blamers, whiners, disrespectful and lack vision)

2: Money

3: Lack of opportunity for professional growth

4: Lack of opportunity for advancement in the company

5: Better offer or opportunity with another company

6: Lack of acknowledgment for a job well done from bosses and managers

7: Work and work environment are boring

8: Lack of ethics in the company

9: Work culture is not fun and exciting

10: The work has no meaning

If you believe your organization is being affected by any of the above behaviors, please send me an e-mail to beafields@beafields.com, and we can discuss a 360 Degree assessment for your organization.

Pick up a copy of Millennial Leaders today 

During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader.

Question Number 4 was this:

What are the biggest turn-offs for you in the leaders in your workplace?

The following 10 answers did not just come up a few times. They came up over and over again in the answers, which tells me that these qualities and behaviors need some very focused work. If you are the leader of an organization, I would recommend that you start surveying your employees to find out what’s really going on in your organization around these issues. While I realize these qualities are qualities that no one wants, Generation Y is a generation who not only does not want these qualities in their leaders, they won’t tolerate them, and they are smart enough to move on from your organization if they feel these behaviors are a part of your culture.

Top Answer: 1: Arrogance (I know it all!)

2: Big Egos (The success is all about me and how great I am)

3: Hypocrisy/Being Two-Faced

4: Lying and Sneakiness

5: Narrow-Minded

6: Micro-Management and Being Bossy (tied for 6th place)

7: Ignorance (My boss does not know what the heck he/she is doing)

8: Negative Attitudes

9: Inauthentic

10: Sketchiness/Corruption/Flashing Money/Not On the Up and Up/Secretive Behavior

If you believe your organization is being affected by any of the above behaviors, please send me an e-mail to beafields@beafields.com, and we can discuss a 360 Degree assessment for your organization.

I wanted to drop in a quick post about one of the most insightful and clever books that just came out and was written by my friend Mike Michalowicz.

If you buy it, that is great, but that is NOT the intent of this post. I simply wanted to expose you to a concept and ‘movement’ that is all about helping young entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs achieve the next level. The link to the website is:

http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com

I also will be interviewing Mike Michalowicz on Y-
Talk Radio tomorrow night. Be sure to tune in here.