Millennials have been brought up on technology. From flip phones to smartphones, this unique generation is taking what they know and turning it into job opportunities.
This generation is jumping into jobs that require tech savvy skills such as creating, analyzing and managing content for various social media platforms.
PwC, a company who works to provide industry-focused assurance tax and advisory services to their clients, commissioned Opinium Research to conduct a survey of 4,364 graduates who were 31 years old or younger in order to understand how the millennial generation is shaping the workplace, according to the PwC website.
'The millennial generation's world is digital and this has an inevitable effect on the way they communicate; 41 percent of those questioned said they would rather communicate electronically than face-to-face or over the telephone,' the survey said.
"Millennials expect technologies that drive them socially to also be important in communication and innovation in the workplace."
Anna Huffstutler, junior Lee student who hopes to one day land a job in broadcasting, said she uses social media in both her studies and internships to connect with those already working in the media.
'With my own Twitter [and] working with these different [companies], it's just been a lot of learning by experience,' Huffstutler said. 'That's how a lot of people are learning right now ' they learn [social media] on the spot.'
Companies are reaching out to the technology savvy millennial generation to fill job positions dealing with the new media.
Jordan Dickenson, a recent Lee graduate, said working with social media wasn't on her radar when she began applying for jobs before graduation.
'Given that I was an advertising major, it was in my wheelhouse of talent, so I figured I would have to do social media to some extent for whatever company I went with,' Dickenson said. 'But I didn't think I would end up with a social media solutions company where that was our primary focus.'
Dickenson now works at Social Joey, a social media solutions company in Cleveland, Tennessee that collaborates with small businesses to manage and create content for social media platforms of their choosing such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google +.
Companies have found social media is a great way to be seen and get connected to their desired demographic. However, a company cannot use social platforms to simply self promote. Platforms such as Facebook are primarily community focused, therefore, they must provide a community for those who wish to view their content.
The ability to know what to post and how to post is a strength many millennials have. However, Dickenson said this is not enough to make a millennial stand out.
'We know how to use social media; we grew up with it. Most companies also think that, and so that's why they entrust most of their social media to the younger demographic, the millennials, when they're hiring them,' Dickenson said.
Studying the algorithms of social media sites, as well as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of content, can make young candidates more sought after by companies.
'What really sets people apart is looking into the analytics of [social media], SEO benefits and the campaign side of it,' Dickenson said.
Working with social media professionally requires more than being able to word a post or create a graphic, Dickenson said.
'Whether you're providing social media for a company, or for several different clients, you're going to be set apart time and time again [if you] can explain to them here's what I'm doing and why I'm doing it,' Dickenson said.
