Millennials are shaking up job markets around the world with their increasing numbers and changing ideas about how the employer-employee relationship should work. To successfully recruit this population, it is important to know what they are looking for in a job and how to best accommodate these expectations.
Results from The 2019 Deloitte Global Millennial Survey(1), provide insight into what millennials value and how you might better target these prospective candidates for employment opportunities.
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1. Appeal to Their Love for Travel
According to the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey, 57% of millennials rank travel as a top priority, even above salary. This makes locum tenens and travel-related positions especially attractive.
Recruiter Tip: Emphasize flexibility, location variety, and the adventure of working in different clinical settings. Highlight travel stipends, housing options, or work-life integration as key benefits.
2. Showcase Purpose-Driven Opportunities
Millennials want to make a meaningful impact through their work. They’re drawn to employers that reflect their values, especially in underserved communities or mission-focused organizations.
Recruiter Tip: Promote roles in rural health, community clinics, or public health settings. Emphasize the opportunity to give back, address healthcare disparities, or lead population health initiatives.
3. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
While purpose matters, compensation still ranks high. Millennials are financially motivated, especially as many are navigating student loan debt and the rising cost of living.
Recruiter Tip: Clearly state salary ranges, sign-on bonuses, and benefits. Include loan repayment options, tuition reimbursement, or profit-sharing if applicable.
4. Respect Privacy and Autonomy
Though raised on digital media, millennials are cautious about how their data is used. They value privacy and tend to resist aggressive marketing tactics.
Recruiter Tip: Be transparent about how candidate information is used and limit follow-up to personalized, meaningful outreach. Respect their communication preferences and avoid spamming or cold-calling.
5. Highlight Opportunities for Growth
Millennials are continuous learners. They value roles that offer career development, leadership training, and clinical advancement.
Recruiter Tip: Promote continuing medical education (CME) stipends, mentorship programs, and leadership tracks. If your organization supports board certification, subspecialty training, or research, lead with that.
6. Provide Clear Feedback Structures
Millennials thrive on feedback and transparency. According to PwC, consistent feedback ranks as one of the most valued elements of employer relationships for millennials.
Recruiter Tip: Outline performance review timelines, mentorship opportunities, and regular check-ins as part of your recruitment messaging. A structured review process is a compelling feature.
Recruiting millennial physicians requires more than just a great job posting. It takes relevant, value-driven messaging that speaks to what this generation prioritizes most: impact, flexibility, autonomy, and growth.
PracticeMatch helps recruiters fine-tune their outreach to attract this vital segment of the workforce through data-driven targeting, custom campaigns, and candidate experience tools.
Originally published 5/26/2020. Updated 3/10/2025.