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Six Myths About Millennials at Work
I pulled this information off a website based on a survey of 1,100 millennials done by the Boston College Center for Work & Family and the audit and tax advisory firm KPMG to see how young adults navigate their careers.
“Some of the things people were saying didn’t jell with my experience of this generation,” writes Brad Harrington, executive director of the center. “I’ve always had difficulty swallowing assumptions, and I was seeing millennials with a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed.”
Here are several beliefs his research didn’t hold true:
• They job hop: 60 percent of millennials said staying with their employers was their preferred strategy to advancement versus leaving their organizations.
“When asked what they value most, having career growth opportunities was very important,” Harrington writes. “Fewer organizations offer lifetime job arrangements, however, and the world has moved away from the idea of long-term job security. But it is something these young people embrace. At a rate of two to one, millennials prefer to stay, and that was surprising.”
• They favor technology over in-person communications: Millennials still network like old folks – person to person.
“What was interesting was when we asked how they found their most recent position, instead of saying ‘social media’ like we expected, the number one answer was that they were referred by a friend, relative, or another connection,” he writes. “They are using the tried-and-true method of networking.”
• They do the minimum required: When asked how much effort they give beyond what is considered normal, 80 percent of the millennials in the study answered, “A great deal of effort beyond what’s expected.”
“They know they have to work hard to get ahead, and they’re willing to do that,” Harrington writes. “A high percentage of respondents wanted to take on increasingly challenging tasks and develop expertise to advance up the career ladder.”
• They are more socially conscious: Nope. Responses to “how much I am helping others” and “contribution to society” were among the lowest ranked items in importance of career success measures for the millennials surveyed.
• They aren’t motivated to succeed: 59 percent of millennials said competition is “what gets them up in the morning,” compared with 50 percent of baby boomers.
• They are entitled: Millennials are actually less wealthy, less indebted and less employed than previous generations.