There’s no question that differences in generations exist, especially when it comes to finding jobs. The “Baby Boomer” generation, a stratum of professionals who resulted from the end of World War II, typically found careers based on networking, friend and family connections, newspaper ads, and handshake deals.

Generation X, described often as people who were born between the two decades encompassing the early 1960s to the early 1980s, were caught in between the Baby Boomer world and the digital world. This generation has relied on traditional methods for job seeking employed by their parents, but they have also embraced the advent of the Internet in seeking out new opportunities. Generation Y often referred to as “Millennials”, are deeply entrenched in technology, including the Internet, when they seek out employment.

SEE ALSO: Job Bait: Attracting Job Seekers

Where Does Social Media Fit In?

Interestingly enough, social media is one tool that seems to join all three groups of job seekers together. Although Baby Boomers were not raised with the Internet or social media, they have, in large numbers, been flocking to such technology in order to see what opportunities exist. Likewise, Generation X job seekers, many of whom have at least some solid experience with the Internet and social media in their lives, are also turning to these technologies in order to seek careers. Finally, Millennials, most of whom have been brought up with a firm grasp of the Internet and social media, prefer to rely on such technologies as their first stop when seeking out a first-time or new career.

Where Do Job Boards Fit In?

Although social media is a major participating factor in the practices of the abovementioned three demographics, job boards are still a major part of the process. In total, according to Millennial Branding and Beyond.com, Baby Boomers are more likely to turn to job boards first in their quest for employment, with Gen X’ers not far behind. Only Generation Y/Millennials are less likely to use job boards as their first step in finding a new career, but the differences between the generations are only about 5% across the board.

What This Means for Your Job Board

If you operate a job board, it’s important to not only draw a distinction between these three demographics but also to reach out them in unique ways. For example, when it comes to Baby Boomers, you might want to target your job board site’s listings to appeal to such professionals. Likewise, a job board might be set up to appeal specifically to Gen Xers or Millennials, and the jobs posted on such a board might be filtered to reflect the change in seeking habits.

Finally, you could consider developing various social media pages that speak to the values of each demographic without alienating others. Taking such an approach could prove invaluable to your overall job board strategy by reaching out to job seekers and various employers who share your values and the values of your interested job seekers.