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. We asked five millennials about their careers and the myths they’ve had to bust since they entered the working world.
Millennials are Entitled
It’s not that millennials feel that they’re owed something; their priorities are different.
“I feel like millennials recognize 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,” says Healthgrades product marketing manager Jamie Barrutia. “I really respect companies that I’ve worked for that have allowed for that.”
“I’m making sure my deadlines are met and that I’m getting my job done correctly,” says GE Johnson Construction Company Estimator Ilze Rodriguez. “But I’m also not going to be sitting here for 60 hours a week because you think that’s the work ethic I should have. I think that’s what we millennials struggle with.”
Millennials are Lazy
Technology makes millennials faster—and nimbler.
“My question to that is, are we not meeting our deadlines? Are we doing our jobs incorrectly? What part of it makes us seem lazy?” Rodriguez asks.
“I usually get to work about 6 to 6:30 in the morning and I’ll go weeks sometimes when I don’t get home until 9 or 10 at night. I think when you speak to the entire millennial generation there’s some variation to that,” says Brandon Mencini, vice president of business development for HealthONE. “Working in the health care industry, there’s so much changing so quickly, we constantly have to stay ahead of curve, and with that is usually requires long hours and a really strong work ethic.”
Millennials Job Hop
OK, this one may be true— because millennials see more rewards from seeking new experiences.
“I’ve not held a job down for more than three years, to be clear, but I’ve worked for the governor for six years and done whatever he asked. What I worry people are saying is that people don’t have loyalty. I have a tremendous amount of loyalty. The governor could ask me to do anything and that’s what I’ll do for my next job, but we crave experiences and we crave them fast,” says Andrew Freedman, the director of marijuana coordination for the governor. “I think it is true that there are very few of us who want one set of skills and just to hone that set of skills for the next 30 years. I think we want to figure out how to do things 80 different ways. So while I think it’s true, I’m not sure it’s the worst thing in the world.”
We Won’t Grow Up, Or Move Out of Our Parents’ Basements
For the first time, millennials are more likely to live with their parents than any other arrangement.
“I moved out of my parent’s house when I moved out for college and never went back. The millennials who do live in their parent’s basements likely live there due to underemployment and high cost of living,” says Ivan Anaya, president of the mixed-income community development firm Astucia Ventures.
“I bought my first home when I was still in college and bought my family a home two years later. I don’t think it’s about not wanting to settle down—it’s about the opportunity not being there for millennials.”
So, How Can We All Work Together?
We can talk about who millennials are—and are not—for pages. But what it comes down to is how we can all work together. Our millennials offer some advice:
Ivan Anaya: “Millennials want significance in their work and being a cog in the wheel is the antithesis of that.”
Jamie Barrutia: “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.”
Andrew Freedman: “Millennials are really eager to own something, so if you give them a task, they’ll do an OK job at the task. If you have them own an issue, they’ll learn how to do the tasks around it … Give them a bit of a mission, because they will go for it.”
Brandon Mencini: “I think the biggest thing is to not be afraid to try new things, and I know that sounds a little cliché, but I think a number of different millennials in business have some pretty innovative, creative ideas.”
Ilze Rodriguez: “It’s all about being open and supportive of that person and their growth.”
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.