There’s no shortage of headlines about millennials—who they are, what they want and why they’re so different from any other working-age generation out there. Maybe it’s because millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are now the largest working population. Or that they’re a little too comfortable with technology. Or that they’re pushing back on what a traditional day of work looks like.
It’s created plenty of tension—and plenty of assumptions about this generation. For the summer issue of our magazine, Business Altitude, we asked five millennials about their careers and the myths they’ve had to bust since they entered the working world. Below, see what one had to say about every myth circling Gen Y.
Jamie Barrutia has worked for big brands, from the Denver Broncos to Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, but it was a role at the Eating Recovery Center in Denver that tapped into a new passion, and what’s led her to her work at Healthgrades as a product marketing manager. She loves the openness of the company and how they are all working toward the same goals—something she says is breaking down silos.
Millennials are lazy and entitled
I don’t think I’ve been a part of that stigma. Everything I’ve ever done I’ve worked incredibly hard for and I’ve never had anything handed to me. That might be where I’m coming from with that one, but I don’t think that’s been something I would say I’ve heard or had affect me.
I do feel like we’re more efficient. I don’t like to meet just to meet. I want you to do your job; I’ll do mine and if we need to talk about it, let’s get together and talk about it, but there’s just some efficiencies and with new technologies and letting those work a little smarter for companies and individuals.
Millennials job hop
I think millennials have the reputation that they job hop a lot or they just want to do freelance or start-up. I feel like millennials recognize the work-life balance more than previous generations and they’re trying to find that place where they can have a life outside of work or the office. I really respect companies that I’ve worked for that have allowed for that.
Millennials want balance
Tapping into a passion – I’ve struggled with that. I spend so much time at work. It has to be at least partially inspirational work for me to be passionate and engaged and really want to do a good job. In my career, when I feel like I’m not passionate anymore or for whatever reason … that’s time for me to see what else is out there and to tap back into my passion and my inspiration and feeling like I’m contributing to something other than eight hours of working.
Millennials don’t want to grow up
I don’t know about the settle down part, but the grow up part, I mean I have a job and two kids [a husband and a dog] and I own a house. I feel like a grown up in that respect, but in terms of settling down – I don’t think we necessarily have to “grow up” grow up, and that maybe comes back to the work-life balance again. We should absolutely be able to leave work at 5 o’clock on a Friday afternoon and go do whatever we want to do, whether that’s go ski, go mountain biking, go play – and still be able to come back to work on Monday. I think that’s important to do.
Where I choose to work is where I’m still able to play and have that time to do things outside of work. I don’t want to grow up in the sense that I can’t do those things.
A piece of advice for employers
My husband is an IT recruiter. We’ve had a lot of conversations about things you can do as a company that don’t cost you money but employees find value in, like having a day to work offsite.
Parting thought
I feel like a lot of the companies I have been at I think there’s still that good-old-boys club and I’m hoping that’s changing and I hope the millennial generation is part of that.
Sara Crocker is the communications manager for the Denver Metro Chamber.
Want to learn more about the making of a millennial? Check out the Summer issue of Business Altitude.