DEFEATING DOOMSDAY: A Survival Kit for Working with Millennials in the New Economy

DEFEATING DOOMSDAY: A Survival Kit for Working with Millennials in the New Economy 

By: Chris Langlois

Those with gray hair and the perfect full Windsor tie may feel that Doomsday is around the corner after working with Millennials in the workforce. As a Millennial it is easy for me to prepare for certain situations in regards to my peers, now I want to help you prepare for what you think is “Doomsday”. Here is how you prep:

Expect Job Hopping: We have seen our parents (generally boomers) get fired, laid off, let go, etc, with a job that was “secure”. We saw the pain and the scariness of being let go after, literally, pouring their life into it. It is imperative that you understand and embrace the potential for our job hopping. As a Millennial, I have had 6 jobs since I was 18 years old. We understand the risk of job hopping, but we also understand the risk of not job hopping as we look back at our parents. However, we have a strong appetite for growth and education that will help us succeed which will help us kick butt at your company.

Education and Training: My generation is extremely educated. When the economy plunged, a large percentage of my friends (millennials) couldn’t find jobs. So they went back to college to get their masters and to work towards their doctorate. The buck doesn’t stop at college education. We strive for continual training in the workforce and in our personal lives too. Money Magazine said, “…Millennials understand the economy handed them lemons, so they’re developing skills to make career lemonade.” I completely agree. We bust our butt to make the best of our situation all while staying positive.

Positive Environment and Attitude: Millennials are optimistic about their future (even if they over paid for college or are over qualified because of their education). Now with that expensive education, we still prefer and even seek out a company that has a strong presence in their community and that and breath their mission statement. You as the manager, owner, or supervisor are expected to praise us when we do well and to communicate with us regularly. We want to make sure are hitting the nail on the head for you. Don’t be afraid to text us! (as much as you don’t like it, we communicate that way)

Entitlement Engagement: Often I hear those dudes with gray hair tell me that we as Millennials are “too entitled” and in some cases I relate. Let me try to explain why we come off this way. We were raised during the self-esteem movement with tons of praise (from you Boomers!) and we believe we can accomplish whatever we want in life. We see ourselves as a desirable and valuable commodity and sometimes with special treatment because we have a lot to offer. Now as some of you see us as entitled, try to see it as engaged… and isn’t engagement great? If we seek more responsibility, take some off your plate and give it to us as we both now you are juggling objectives. If we have an idea, listen to us as we bring a fresh and innovative perspective

The Gray Hair Dudes: We love working with older generations because we have a lot to learn from you! Be that mentor, that work parent (as you know we are close to our parents), and guide us to success. Now if we bring up an idea or want to try something different let us. Historically, the older you are the more you knew. Today that’s not always the case, especially with all of the technical savvy Millennials today.

This Doomsday survival kit comes from my experiences as a Millennial and what I see around my peers and myself. I encourage you to embrace everything here and I challenge you to prep yourself for the fictitious Doomsday!

www.extremeEDvantage.com

chris@extremeEDvantage.com