The book Millenial Leaders lists ten companies who are being successful with attracting the Gen Y worker. As you read through this list, don't try to bite off
everything on it. Simply ask yourself "How can I shift mybusiness or organization to include a few of these strategies to make my company more attractive to the young knowledge worker?"

1) Google: Focus on Perks: Google is unfortunately (or fortunately) raising the
bar for each company in the world in the war for young talent. According to a study done by the Great Place to Work Institute, Google is at the top of Gen Y's list of companies they most want to work for. Why wouldn't you when you can gain access to perks including: *On site
dental and medical facilities * Free shuttles equipped with Wi-Fi from locations around the San Francisco Bay area headquarters * Classes on a variety of subjects including estate planning, Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin.

2) Intuit: Focus on a Rotational Development Program. Gen Y was born multi-tasking, so boredom on the job can set in quickly. Intuit has
addressed this by offering a cracker-jack Rotational Development Program, allowing new recruits rotation programs in finance, marketing and product development every 6-12 months. This program not only keeps young workers engaged but prepares them for future leadership positions in the company.

3) Walt Disney: Focus on Internships and a Collaborative Culture. Disney has a rock solid internship program for college students, which includes college credits for the colleges they partner with, which gets young leaders committed
to the company before they graduate. Disney is also built on a foundation of a diverse and collaborative culture, and Generation Y was born playing on teams made up of members from all cultures and walks of life. The sense of camaraderie makes Disney attractive for Gen Y, because it breeds a familiar sense of teamwork.

4) Deloitte and Touche: Focus on Leadership Development. Generation Y is very attracted to all aspects of learning and development. They have been raised on a diet which includes a combination of personal, leadership and team development. Deloitte and Touche have therefore designed a state of the
art leadership program called the Future Leaders Apprentice Program (FLAP), and new recruits are immediately eligible for the program. Deloitte is also offering a top flight coaching and mentoring program.
Because Gen Y has been coached since age 5, they are saying that the coaching and development programs offered by Deloitte are two of the main attraction points that has them stick around or return later in their career.

5) The Peace Corps. Focus on Saving the World. The pay is not so great (as a matter of fact, most Gen Y leaders say it's lousy), but they are willing to sacrifice pay in order to do meaningful work on a global scale, to work and live in another country where they can become fluent in a new language and to toughen up mentally and emotionally by doing hard work with long hours. Generation Y sees companies who are making a significant contribution back to their communities as tops on their lists for future employment. Teach for America is another hot and growing company that allows emerging leaders the opportunity to teach in failing school districts... another approach to "making a difference"
in the world.

6) Lockheed Martin. Focus on Continuing Education. Gen Y is all about knowledge acquisition and this aeronautics and space company has hit the nail on the head with 20-something recruits by offering a maximum of $7500.00 annual for education reimbursement and full graduate school sponsorship for junior level employees.

7) L'Oreal USA: Focus on College Competitions and World Travel. If you have not noticed this lately, Gen Y LOVES a competition, and they are certainly keen on world travel.  L'Oreal Brandstorm Competition provides college students the opportunity to compete by putting themselves in
the shoes of a L'Oreal Brand Manager. The competition allows emerging leaders the opportunity to analyze consumer trends while developing a top of the line marketing and advertising campaign for L'Oreal. The winner receives a trip to Paris and the opportunity to interact with
top L'Oreal managers, giving young recruits a leg up during the recruiting and hiring process. The competition alone creates buzz and a "cool factor" for L'Oreal, which is appealing to 20-somethings.

8)Southwest Airlines: Focus on Fun. If you have never flown Southwest, I highly recommend you do it just one time...just for the fun of it. Generation Y's mantra is "Live First, Work Second and Have Fun!", and Southwest's quirky but fun-loving culture makes it a great first stomping grounds for the young knowledge worker.

9) Nike: Focus on Fitness. Nike's campus is a prime location for Gen Y, who hits the gym at least 3-4 times each week. Nike is situated on over 170 acres,
which includes a fabulous exercise center, playing fields and running
trails. And of course, their "Just Do It" tagline inspires young workers to actually use these facilities rather than sitting at home in front of their computer or the tube.

10) Apple: Focus on Simplicity. If you have visited an Apple store lately, you
will notice that you will be greeted by a young man or woman under age 30 at the Genius Bar. Apple is filled with Gen Y employees. The reason? Apple makes things simple. To be simple means convenience and speed to the multi-tasking Gen Y crowd. This audience is also highly dedicated to saving the environment, the concept of excess means that the environment may be harmed even more. Gen Y is therefore choosing to work for companies like Apple whose positioning is dedicated to the greening of our world.

Source:  Bea Fields  http://MillennialLeaders.com