Although the appeal of cold, hard cash cannot be denied, it is not the only thing young project managers are looking for when they start a job hunt.

In fact, benefits beyond a competitive compensation package can be even more attractive and help pull the best candidates in your organization’s direction.

So, what do young project managers want? For starters; a clear, quick path for growth.

Mohammed Wajeehuddin, CAPM, PMP, project manager, BearingPoint, San Diego, California, USA, seized an opportunity to  fast-track his career at his company.

“I went from coordinating a US$2,000 project to leading and managing a US$3 million project in a matter of two years,” he says. “I joined BearingPoint in a technical lead capacity, but quickly embraced more roles and responsibilities … If I were at any other conservative company, it would probably take me at least 10 years to be where I am today.”

Andreas Perez-Madsen, a project engineer at Maersk Drilling in Copenhagen, Denmark, sees added responsibilities as a way of growing with the job.

“It makes you develop your professional skills,” he says.

Mr. Perez-Madsen and Mr. Wajeehuddin each developed a job wish list that includes opportunities for self-development, advancement and international work, Also on the list:  opportunities to interact with management, to mentor others, influence policy and be an agent of change.

Beyond these benefits, young project managers also have certain preferences for corporate culture.

Mr. Perez-Madsen’s perfect culture includes a flat hierarchy, an open-door policy and the freedom to speak without fear of reprimand. He also wants the opportunity to set short- and long-term plans for project development.

For Mr. Wajeehuddin, an organization that encourages 360-degree feedback is most desirable because “employees have the ability to provide feedback and criticize management,” he says. “My least favorite is a culture of bureaucracy because it chokes collaboration and creativity and is quite hazardous to the health of a company that wants to be competitive and innovative.”

When Jesus Hernandez, PMP, managing director of Gold Millennium in Beijing, China, was looking for work, organizational culture played a big part in the positions he considered. He was more interested in “projectized” organizations, which he describes as providing employees with enough power to deliver projects without … the need to play daily politics with other department functional managers.

Learn More

Want to learn more about what young project managers are looking for in the workplace and how they are achieving that all important work-life balance? Read Trendsetters from the November issue of PMI’s Career Track. Career Trackis a supplement to PM Network® magazine, a PMI member benefit. Members can access the digital edition online under Resources>Publications.

Because he often works abroad, Mr. Hernandez also ranks tax benefits, currency and payment terms as important perquisites.

“How the company can pay, what currency and some variations on payment terms make a huge difference,” he says. “Basically, money talks but location is also important. I could take a lower paid job in a nicer location, which for me means hot tropical weather.”

The extras young project managers are looking for may vary, but the demand is there. And organizations need to figure out what they can offer to stand out from the crowd.