Marketing podcast with Lindsey Pollak (Click to play or right click and “Save As” to download – Subscribe now via iTunes or subscribe via other RSS device (Google Listen)

In a thriving business there’s growth. It doesn’t always mean the kind of hyper growth that we read about in feature stories, but a business is like any organism, it’s either growing in some fashion or it’s dying.

The surest way to healthy growth is through the attraction of the best and brightest talent weaving it’s way through college and into the workforce.

But, we all know that the Gen Y worker just doesn’t have the same values and work ethic as the Baby Boomers right? Well, guess what, that’s what our parents said about our generation and their parents said about the generation before.

Every generation is different, the key is to understand how and build your business in a way that meshes with their priorities. (I raised four of them, I have some ideas on this!)

For this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast I spent some time with career expert and author of Getting from College to Career, Lindsey Pollak. Pollak spends more of her time coaching recent grads on the best ways to get ahead in their job search and career so I turned the tables on her and asked her to shed some light on ways for businesses to appeal to, attract and retain the best from the next generation.

The next generation of worker did not ever consider the notion that they would go to work for one company for life. They are looking for things that challenge, inspire and interest them, even if it means taking less money, or jumping around on the career path.

The next generation of worker is completely digital. But, that doesn’t mean they understand how to employ technology in business. They want to do work that matters, for companies that have a strong sense of story.

The next generation is social. But, that doesn’t mean they only get Facebook, that means they want to work with people they know and like and increasingly they want to work for small businesses that are doing something they think is worthwhile.

So, how do you attract this new worker? Have a story about where you’re going and tell it. Build a culture where creativity, collaboration and autonomy flourish.

And when they come to work for you, ask them what they think, ask them how they would do something different and most importantly listen.