By Maria Dima
A new survey by Goldsmith’s University of London tried to find out millennials first-world problems and avocado anxiety ranked on the 14th place. One in three millennials stress about whether their avocado is under or over ripe.
With these type of worries, it’s no wonder millennials have a bad reputation.
I was born in 1987 (what a great year) and theoretically, I too am a millennial.
Demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years for this Generation Y. Honestly, the kids born in the 80s are worlds apart from those of the early 2000s, but that’s a different story.
Nevertheless, all millennials are viewed as mere numbers in a pessimistic report that includes professional uncertainty, anxiety, depression. That and inventing the selfie concept, of course.
More 18-35 year olds are unemployed or out of the workforce now than in the previous three decades. When it comes to career choices, here’s what they’ve been doing wrong:
Document their life
I’m talking about social profiles.
They’ve been emerged in technology for most of their lives and it’s a big part of their reality. If they attend a concert and don’t post a picture of it, it’s like they never went.
The need to share any experience with the rest of the world can have its drawbacks related to one’s professional path.
You can’t have a perfect resume and a Facebook page full of nasty, party hard images and expect things to go well with your future career.
Broadcasting both the good and the bad, living for likes and the constant need of extra attention can backfire.
Recruiters are trying to see if candidates fit their profile and company culture, so they always check social accounts as well. Think about that the next time you post a 4am selfie. Accountability will be a hard thing to sell as a strength if your Facebook page begs to differ.
2. Mindset
Millennials are the textbook definition of a paradox: they’re more educated and productive than past generations, yet they accomplish far less.
Why?
They were born with the idea of uniqueness.
They feel entitled to everything just for showing up, yet forget how life really works. Hard work, trial and error, learning and repeat.
Millennials are master procrastinators as well. They’re always waiting for the next big thing and for someone else so solve their issues until then.
3. Social skills
While they master every social channel and spend more than 6 hours per day glued to their phones, they are prone to loneliness and social anxiety. Yet another Millennial paradox.
In most work environments, networking and team spirits are a must in order to get ahead and have results. You have to be part of something and adhere to the company values.
Millennials are highly sociable when they are controlling the environment, but taking them out of their comfort zone can be tricky. Things like small talk, conversation starters, trust and creating real bonds outside a screen are not easily achieved.
4. Consistency
Millennials get easily distracted and you can’t blame them.
They lose focus easily and have a fear of commitment.
They also lack the mere desire to follow through every project and want everything to move like their well known fast-paced environments. This last part is what gets them in trouble.
If they don’t see results asap, they lose interest and move on to something else, instead of figuring out ways of solving the problem or getting over obstacles.
Nothing is as important as delivering a great job, day after day, putting in the effort.
5. Goal setting
Productivity and speed are two of they’re most valuable assets, yet in the absence of a clear vision and specific (smart) goals those don’t mean very much.
Millennials are used to winging it. They’re spontaneous and creative, but only think of solutions for NOW.
Not having an action plan for long term success will make you feel lost. They have so many examples of overnight success they end up thinking something will magically knock on their door and it will work out somehow.
That somehow is just the illusion of positivity.
Millennials, your attitude towards success, failure, work will drive your decisions and shape your future, so make sure you have the winner mindset at hand. Practice it, own it. Take control of your life!
The writer is an inbound marketing expert.
