The Millennial Age, the Millennial Crisis, or however you wish to phrase it has become a movement to some and a burden or means for self-loathing to others. Whichever way you look at it, there is one common issue—graduates who are not being able to find a steady job right out of college. This frustration has given students a massive amount of financial fears during their years as undergraduates. It has also left them feeling a sense of entitlement that has yet been fulfilled. Is the outrage justifiable? Thanks to forbes.com, we can shed some light on such a dim situation.
Some believe the inability to get a job right out of college is just a matter of how hard a student works and how they utilize their resources while in school. This includes: talking to professionals in your intended field; be picky when considering internships; and constantly trying to improve your professionalism. However, this may be difficult to do with the constant reminder that it’s getting more and more difficult to pay student loans because of an unstable economy and low job market. As forbes.com notes in “The Millennial Generation, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ (Part 6 of 7),” “the Great Recession has thus totally dominated their view of the economy in general and their career aspirations in particular.” Because of this, many students may have the notion already that even if they will not make enough money to keep up in this unsure economy.
Forbes continues by saying, “It’s also true that the majority of Millennials looking for work have as yet been unable to find secure and salaried careers—leading to lives that are literally on hold.” All of the frustrations that come from the lack of security and self-sufficiency causes “young adults age 30 and under are putting off marriages, births, home purchases, car purchases, and relocation.” In this situation, movement is limited and the motivation to succeed is hindered by constant rejections. So, where does one go from here?
Well, in Forbes “Leadership For The Millennial Generation: An Interview With Lindsey Pollak,” Millennials may see some hope. Lindsey Pollak’s new book, Becoming the Boss: New Rules for the next Generation of Leaders is a follow-up to her previous book, Getting from College to Career. Pollak wrote “Becoming the Boss because all of those young professionals are now stepping up into leadership and management positions and they have begun asking for advice on that next step in their career journey.” This jump in Millennials gaining leadership roles is comforting to students who have yet to graduate from college. Suggestions from Pollak’s previous book have given college students tips they should keep in mind when preparing for the professional world. With the right guidance, Millennials can surprise themselves.
When asked what she learned while writing Becoming a Boss, she stated, “According [Hartford’s 2014 Millennial Leadership Survey] mentioned above, 83% of Millennials consider themselves to be a leader in some aspect of their lives — work, community, family, sports, etc. I knew Millennials were a confident group, which is terrific, but this number is much higher than I anticipated.”
Perhaps we should take a page from Pollak’s optimism and “believe very strongly that today’s young people have tremendous potential, but they do need some guidance on ’soft skills,’ such as face-to-face communication, work ethic and professional patience.” If we advocate that students and graduates during this Millennial crisis receive the right advice and information about the current job market, how to utilize today’s technology and the truth about the economy, maybe they will no longer feel as if they are stuck with no place to go.
