Management Monday: Managing professional life as a Millennial
Credit: Small Business Trends
Overly sensitive, head-strong, lazy, selfish, flighty and entitled are just some of the words that have been used to describe Millennials.
*Gasp*
Anyone born between 1976 and 2001 (Millennials) has just been thoroughly insulted. Well, don’t be offended just yet, keep reading. Innovative, hard-working, entrepreneurial, inspired and skilled are also descriptions of Millennials. The trick for Millennials looking to land a job and develop a career is to rise above the stereotype. Below are some tactics to show you’re a Top Achiever.
Career Tips for Millennials:
1. Generation Y grew up with technology, so capitalize on your knowledge and skills. Bring your media knowledge to the workplace and volunteer to show co-workers new tricks. The important thing is to be offering genuine help, not appearing boastful. We’re all learning all the time, which includes you. Show your eagerness to learn, it will speak wonders to your employer.
2. Because Millennials were raised with technology at their fingertips and social media integrated into their lives, they sometimes forget face to face value. Take charge of your sociable qualities and grow your networking skills to stand out.
3. Remember that nobody is above putting in sweat and effort to make progress. Ashton Kutcher has been highly praised for his recent speech where he stated “I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work.” In 20 Things 20-Year-Olds Don’t Get, Jason Nazar relays that Generation Y is full of talent, but “even the most seemingly gifted folks methodically and painfully worked their way to success.” Learn discipline and set high goals. Be the first to the office and the last to leave. Work for your future.
4. Though you may be the last to leave the office, don’t stay until 3:00am and show up exhausted the next day. There is something valuable to be learned in finding work life balance. As reported by the New York Times, one Harvard study suggested that sleep deprivation costs American companies $63.2 billion dollars a year lost in productivity. The go-go-go Gen Y lifestyle sets many achievers back. Stand out and shine by staying energized and focused. Check out these tips for getting better sleep: Which age, race and sex sleeps better?
Thank you Steve Goranson for photo
5. Millennials have been decried as having “the fickle loyalty of a flying monkey” (Elyssa Thome Employee Success Blog). This is possibly the biggest negative attributed to hiring Millennials. Organizations seek and invest in employees who plan to stick around a while. It just makes sense across the board from organizational development and team morale to saving money by reducing turnover. What that means for you? Stick it out. Invest in your organization and don’t run the second it gets tough. Showing loyalty to your company will not only yield results such as increased responsibility and skill building, but if you do have another opportunity down the road, you’ve built a good rapport. Your current organization will hate to see you go, but be happy to see a hard worker succeed.
You’re not a statistic, you’re a unique individual with dreams and aspirations. Above all, carve out your own values, your own strengths and let those shine. You’ve got big things to offer the business world, but only you can make that happen.
