The work preferences of Portuguese millennials - a survey of university students

Abstract

In order to attract the best talent, it is vital for employers to understand the characteristics and preferences of their applicant pool. Very little is known to date about the Portuguese millennial generation, despite knowledge about young graduates entering the job market is of particular interest to employers. Previous studies have found that work preferences vary across generations and national cultures, justifying regular and localized examination. We therefore surveyed over 2,500 Portuguese millennials attending undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees and present a portrait of their work preferences. We find that career development opportunities are the prime concern of Portuguese millennials, who also value a workplace that provides both positive social relations and interesting and exciting work. Some intra-generational differences are noted, namely in terms preferences for employer size and work location. Gender differences mark our results, with women expressing lower entry salary expectations. Implications for recruiting organizations are drawn.