The Problem With Being A Millennial
Five years.
That’s what separates me from “Generation X.” Instead, I’m considered a part of a generation that is generally making a bad name for itself.
Damn it, I’m a millennial.
On the one hand, I grew up with computers and encyclopedias. I remember writing down my notes from the encyclopedia for my 3rd grade “research paper” on pandas on notecards. I can remember the days when you used multiple search engines to do your research and came up with very different results depending on which one you used. (My favorite was Dogpile because it aggregated results from multiple search engines.) As far as learning goes, I think I received the best of both worlds by having to learn with and without the assistance of technology.
But fellow millennials, we need to knock a few of our cohorts upside the head. People are out there making us look bad.
I’ve heard and seen a few horror stories. I recall catching an intern doing her homework once at a previous job instead of the work that we desperately needed to get done. (WTF?) I’ve even seen the entitlement in some friends. (No dear, life will be just fine if your parents don’t pony up for your princess dream wedding.)
But when I read this article from Twin Cities Business, I nearly flipped a gasket:
Anne, a seasoned HR manager at a large manufacturing company, welcomed Justin, a new hire fresh out of college, for his first day of work. She gave him a tour of the office, got him settled in at his desk, and told him when and where his orientation session would start later that morning. Then Anne went back to her own desk to work, and just as she was digging into the accumulation in her inbox, the phone rang.
It was Justin’s mom. She wanted to thank Anne for giving Justin his first job and also offer some advice about how to manage him.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING HERE????
Let’s presume Justin is unaware of mommy-dearest’s actions.
Seriously, Mom? Justin needs to be a grown up now. If he didn’t leave home to go to college, he’s certainly stepping into the adult world now. You are doing your son no favors by telling his company how to manage him. The helicopter-mom act is only exasberating the bad name of the millennials and adding to the sense of dependency and entitlement. If never forced to be on his own and take personal responsibility, he’ll never be on his own.
This article is only online in part. The rest is also a must-read. The full version goes on to describe parents who want to review their child’s benefit package to help them make an informed decision regarding their employment offer, interns not being satisfied with less-than-meaningful work, etc.
In fairness, I firmly believe that the parents are as much to blame for this situation as the millennial. No one forced you to make that phone call. (I’m not even sure that they would be ok with it, but that’s a separate issue.) But parents, sometimes, your kid needs to screw up. Even more important: YOUR KID ISN’T PERFECT. Life might be tough sometimes. This is one of life’s greatest learning experiences.
But millennials, take some responsibility. Pay for your own cell phone. Buy your own car. Work your own way through college. And for the sake of all of us, DON’T LET YOUR FAMILY DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU!
I know I mentioned in a previous post that I had help from family. I asked for connections. No one wrote the letter for me. My family didn’t coach the interviewer, nor did they encourage my hire. A family member sent an email out saying, “Hey, Rachel Jean is looking for a job. If you might have an opening that fits her, you can contact her directly.” I still applied and intervied like everyone else. I firmly believe that I didn’t get any special treatment in the hiring process. (The contact at the business that hired me didn’t know me and wasn’t a part of the interview process. She simply told me where the opening was and who to address in my cover letter.)
I see this everywhere. I believe it. Millennials are expecting more and asking for more help. If you want more responsibility earlier, fine. Earn it. Have some drive. Do it yourself.
And if you have a hovering parent, do whatever it takes to land the helicopter.
