I’ve always said that “recruitment is marketing for vacancies”. And I still think this is true.
Additionally, I’ve come to believe that – when done right – marketing can massively help organizations in recruiting and retaining talent.
Deloitte’s recent Gen Z and Millennial Survey confirmed this for me.
Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and Millennials (1981 – 1996) are projected to make up 74% of the global workforce by 2030.
For the 14th time, Deloitte questioned Gen Zs and Millennials on how they see work and the workplace. More than 23,000 of them responded.
Turns out, three quarters of the future global workforce say they are happy when work provides them with money, meaning, and well-being.
A majority of Gen Zs (89%) and Millennials (92%) consider a sense of purpose to be very or somewhat important to their job satisfaction and well-being.
Now, what does this have to with marketing?
Well, marketing can and should provide a sense of purpose. Especially in professional services firms.
Let me clarify.
Purpose is a pretty big word. In practice, however, it doesn’t have to be all that existential.
People just want to accomplish something. They want to do work that matters. Work that’s important. Work that has a broader meaning, wether for a team, an organization, or society as a whole.
And that’s where marketing comes in. And specifically, marketing strategy.
I think the big strategy question should be: “How can we convince clients who care to provide our workforce with challenging and meaningful assignments?”
You don’t want to stick with whatever and whoever pays the bills.
It may seem like good business model to let professionals work on autopilot. Especially if you can charge big bucks for it. I do believe, however, it’s not sustainable.
You’ll either burn up your workforce or get replaced by a(n unexpected) competitor that has automated the work – delivering better quality, at a faster pace and a lower cost.
Also, I think businesses should really think about providing their workforce with some form of financial security. As this is big concern for Gen Zs and Millennials, who are getting replaced by AI software.
But, that’s another post…
Let me know what you think!
Thank you for reading MBD Spark #85 (formerly The Nudge & MBD Boost), sent on June 24, 2025.
Are you an MBD Spark subscriber?
Bi-weekly tips & thoughts on marketing & business development.
For everyone involved or interested in bringing professional services to market.
Subscribe today!