Few industries have millennial workforce percentages as high as marketing firms. The reasons for this are many. The primary reason is that millennials are extremely connected technologically speaking, which is a vital skill in today’s modern day world. They have grown up in the age of the internet and social media, and therefore are more skilled in their applications than any other demographic.

Marketing is an evolving industry

The shift in how to reach customers through marketing hasn’t experienced this level of change since the growth of television in the 1940’s. The goal of agencies is to connect with customers, provide valuable content and create a brand story that emotionally impacts customers’ desire to choose one product over another. And the way to reach customers nowadays boils down to social media, search and viral content. Two million smart phones sharing a brand story on Snapchat are far more powerful than a Hitachi 4K professional production camera at a commercial shoot. Millennials live and breathe this shift every day, and they are driving change in the marketing world at lightning fast speed.

However, firms do embrace this vital demographic employment group for many other reasons beyond technology. Here are five additional reasons why millennials are so highly coveted in the marketing world:

They are travelers.

In a global market, this group is more travel savvy than previous generations. They have studied abroad, traveled with family on vacations and backpacked through Europe for a month after college. They understand the world is much bigger than the U.S.

Times have been tough.

Growing up with 9/11, the financial crisis and the housing bubble, marketing firm millennials have learned the hard way that they are not entitled to anything. They know the value of hard work, and understand that if they want the American dream, they will have to work harder and longer than prior generations.

This group is self-taught.

If millennials need an answer to a question, they go find it online. People are learning guitar from YouTube. Online degrees such as a marketing masters are now mainstream. Millennials know how to get around. They can hit the ground running and when they need information, they know how to find it online or through social media.

They care about their health.

College educated marketing millennials are health conscious and miss less workdays due to illness. They eat kale and drink cold pressed juices. Super Size Me scared them away from fast food as a primary food group. And while their less educated peers smoke more than prior generations and battle obesity like many Americans, those that enter the marketing field tend to be more health minded.

Social media is second nature.

Millennials understand that the internet can reach millions of people via social media. This has created a feeling that they can truly reach and impact anyone, driving a desire to be more philanthropic than prior generations. They really do want to make the world a better place and employers are looking for this socially conscious group to join their marketing team.

In the past, companies were very quick to dismiss the 21-35 year old group as too junior, unseasoned or green.  In today’s world, for the above reasons, Millennials are making a powerful impact on the industry. Embrace this working demographic as the vital contributors they can be. And once you land them at your agency, do your very best to keep them motivated and empowered to grow throughout your organization.