Being a millennial is stressful enough when graduation day rolls away and the workforce looms ahead. It’s scary, intimidating and the rest of the world has this preconception of you that can destroy you before you even send out the first job application.
Don’t feel bad. You’re not alone in this battle to prove yourself and your worth.
In fact, many millennials battle with the prospect of finding a great job after college and settling into ‘adulting’. This is mostly due to the stereotypes already in place at the workplace about millennials and their many shortcomings.
Let’s take a look at some of these stereotypes and little tips to beat them.
Entitled to Feel Entitled
Often times, millennials are viewed as the over-ambitious, ladder climbing generation, reluctant to put in the years of hard labor. To the older generations, that can cause conflict when the new guy (or gal) suddenly gets all the sweet promotions and company benefits. It causes a disconnect between staff members and the blame lands on the generational difference when it all boils down to some workers believing that millennials feed of entitlement. It’s harmful to a collaborative work environment and could hurt productivity.
The Fix – Ask an employee who has been there longer than yourself to look over a project for you or include them in your research process. It shows that you value their opinion and they get to see you in a new light as the person who is able to ask for help.
Technology is life
This is the generation of Twitter fingers, selfies and snaps so it’s natural for people to assume most millennials are just scrolling through social media to double tap their approval on high definition photos. Yet the internet is a hub of constantly changing information and building lasting connections. There is so much happening and changing in the world that it’s important to keep updated with business trends and services to ensure withstanding the competition.
Fix- Explain to your employer the importance of staying up to date on Twitter. Pitch ideas that can help the company grow a strong social media presence. Talk about how helpful technology can be to the company’s marketing strategy. The goal is to show that your use of technology is justified and useful to your organization.
Job-Hoppers
Post-graduation, the goal is to find a job that can make ends meet. It can seem like millennials walk away from more jobs or bounce in between but research shows that Baby Boomers bounced around jobs in their twenties just the same. In order to settle into a job, they would search around for higher salaries, career growth, and cultural fit. It’s almost unfair to millennials that they get penalized for finding their career path.
Fix – Explain to your employer the benefits you’re looking for. Be vocal about what you value in a company and what you are willing to offer for that value. If career development is important to you, this is the time to communicate it. If you’re looking for support with work and life balance, here’s where you explain your preference for flexibility. Don’t feel bad about being vocal about your goals. It can save you some job hopping stories and land you right where you want to be.
Laziness
Not only applying to the workplace, millennials are considered lazy in almost every aspect of life – including parenting and financing. Yet a study among American employees found that 59% of millennials said competition is their biggest motivator, compared to the 50% Baby Boomers. Perhaps laziness isn’t the issue but working smart and efficiently is.
Fix – Show your employees how thorough you are while you work. If you need to finish a project, get into the habit of doing so in a timely and professional manner. Exceed company sales trends and aim to go the extra measure to answer company problems. Regular displays of diligent work can help beat that one pesky preconception.
The most effective way to bet stereotypes is with consistency. Millennials are held back in the workplace, not because of their attitude but because of the company environment and the stereotypes within. Don’t shortchange yourself. Take a deep breath and go prove these guys wrong – you’ve got this.
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