6 Reasons Millennials Make the Best Employees

Millennials – it has almost become a curse word. Once it leaves your lips, people are either agitated or excited.

In some cases, it’s becoming so overused that you may have even hesitated to click the link to this post because what more could possibly be said that hasn’t already?

You Need Millennials

You’re bombarded with everything about them because it’s easy for anyone to put in their two cents.

They are the generation that grew up on the internet with instantaneous communication. Generation X, Baby Boomers, and the appropriately named Silent Generation, did not have access to an internationally scaled hub that exchanges ideas, goods, and services.

Millennials are powering the web, the economy, and most importantly, the job market.

Many think they are lazy, entitled, job hoppers without any real regard for their futures. Others applaud them for their idealistic mentalities focused on doing something outside of the cookie cutter model that generations before us (yes, I’m a Millennial) followed.

Regardless of your views on Millennials, you need them. They make up more than 33 percent of the workforce.

I want to be clear: Generational groups are defined by societal events that molded their upbringing and while their generalizations hold some weight, they are not facts. Not all Baby Boomers are technologically illiterate just like not all Millennials are progressive.

Here are the top six generalities and reasons why millennials are the best employees:

1. Most Educated Generation

The Bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma. For many jobs today, you can’t get an interview without that piece of paper that says you can learn. Depending on the field we’re entering, many are pursuing Master’s degrees and Doctrine’s.

We understand the value of learning outside our mental framework and push ourselves to work hard in order to pay off those massive student loans.

2. Technologically Advanced

We were browsing the internet between naps, diaper changes, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Not really, but as we grew, entertainment technology came in the form of video games and pocket-sized MP3 players and then our social connection developed with cell phones, instant messenger, and social media. Millennials can throw a minimum of 20 years tech experience on their resumes.

3. Entrepreneurial Spirited

We learned from our Baby Booming and Generation Xer parents to embody individualism. They saw the importance of working for themselves. We are a product of pursuing not just a career, but a lifestyle, that doesn’t rely on anyone else’s success. We don’t necessarily want our lives to revolve around work, but we don’t mind working outside of the 9-5 as long as 1) it doesn’t feel like work and 2) we aren’t bound to heavily governed hours and managers. No one likes to be micromanaged.

We search for work that is aligned with our passions so we stay motivated to work toward our dreams.

4. Dreamers

Millennials were brought up to receive a participation trophy just for signing up for a baseball league (not our fault). But because of this, we dream to succeed at everything we do. We were given the privilege to think that everything we accomplish is worthy of recognition. For the masses, we take pride in our work.

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. -Les Brown

5. Progressive

Equal pay for men and women, transgender rights, same-sex marriage, gender workplace diversity, and immigration laws. All these social issues and more beckon for reform. It boggles our minds (at least the majority) that these issues are still mandated. We believe that just because something has been done since the dawn of time doesn’t make it right. The Civil Rights Movement was our parents’ doing, and we now want to push the needle further with everything else.

With a progressive mindset, it sets the foundation for more equal opportunity for everyone to advance their careers.

6. Impatient

What do we want? Success and respect!
When do we want it? NOW!

Patience is a virtue and must be practiced when it’s appropriate. But not all good things come to those who wait. Some good things come to those who go out and make them happen. This even includes our dating life with apps that connect us to others.

With a Millennial on your team, you can expect them to get their hands dirty in many different projects and impress you so that you recognize their desire to move up before they move out.

And employers… we don’t mind if you tell us to slow down to improve. As much as we like to work quickly toward our goals, we like to be a better teammate more. But we are on the fast track.

What do you think of Millennials?