Yikes! Hey college students and young
professionals, the job outlook this year for entry-level positions
isn't looking so good.So,
the following tips are for students and recent grads (all 2.5+M of
you) who aren't afraid to hear the hard truth about the American
workplace. You may not like what you read, but if you really want to
get ahead and find work that makes you happy, then you must face
reality head on. Think of it as a paper cut - you can either apply
the right care to it now, or you can ignore it, only to wake up and
find it infected. Which will you do? I work with hundreds of
professionals who always tell me the same thing, "I wish I had known
these tips when I was starting out." So please, don't ignore the
facts. A jump start to a better future is available to those who
heed these tips - guaranteed.
TIP #1: You are the most educated
generation to enter the workforce, but you are also viewed as the
least prepared. Don't be blind-sided by your generation's
professional reality.
Your generation, Generation NEXT
(also known as Gen Y & Millenials) is the largest and most educated
generation to enter the workforce in US history (over 70% plan to
get undergraduate degrees and another 40% plan to get advanced
degrees). Unfortunately, you are also seen as professionally
immature and a huge challenge in the workplace. How did this happen?
A little historical perspective helps to explain...
Years ago, getting a degree was a
privilege and done with intent. If you were lucky enough to go to
college, you knew what you were studying and what your career would
be before you even began. You could expect a nice starting salary
and a bright financial future. You also could count on a lifetime of
employment and lots of career development from a single firm. A gold
watch and a retirement package were often your reward for loyal
years of service.
Fast forward to today: there are
thousands of colleges and anyone who wants to go can get in
somewhere. Thus, a college degree doesn't get you a 'leg up,' it
just allows you to 'step up' to the career starting line. Inflation
has outpaced starting salaries, and the average student graduates
$17+K debt but without the professional experience and focus of
those who graduated years ago. As many as 4 out of 5 college
students have to move home after school because they can't afford to
live on their own. In short, a college degree today is more
expensive - but the return on the investment is down significantly.
TIP #2: The other generations in
the workforce don't have much compassion for your situation. You are
being incorrectly perceived as lazy, entitled and arrogant. Don't
validate these beliefs by ignoring their concerns, instead, work to
overcome them.
The other generations in the
workforce think you deserve some 'tough love.' They are frustrated
by your attitude in the workplace. The generations before you worked
hard, paid their dues in jobs they didn't enjoy, and now want
respect for their professional battle scars. Many of them had to pay
for school themselves and didn't have the option or time to identify
a career they could get excited about. The pressure to pay the bills
and be out on their own forced them to put their professional
satisfaction on the back burner. So, they don't appreciate you
criticizing or challenging the workplace they created. These actions
go against how they were raised on-the-job. And while no one expects
you to follow in their footsteps, you do need to recognize that work
experience is critical to developing your own knowledge and skills.
We don't run until we learn to walk, right? So, it's time to
consider that you your views and opinions on-the-job may not be
fully grown yet. Before you offer advice on how a situation should
be improved in the workplace, take the time to seek out the varying
generational perspectives of those that have been there before you
and make an effort to understand their point of view. The best
employees know how to 'manage up.' That means, coaching those above
you in order to get the results you desire. The first and most
important rule in coaching is , "Ask, don't tell." If you want to
change a person's point of view, you need to broaden their
perspective by asking questions that will provide you with a more
comprehensive understanding of their position.
Here's something to consider:
Generation NEXT is known as compassionate and socially responsible.
You are worried about the world and care about those around you. So
why not include the generations above you in your efforts to create
a better world? Share with them your ideas and enthusiasm, but
respect their knowledge and time spent in the trenches. Assess your
thoughts and think carefully about how you convey yourself
on-the-job. Your opinions do matter, but will only be heard if you
can articulate them in a way that connects you to those you wish to
influence. Learn to speak their language, and all ears will be on
you.
TIP #3: DON'T road trip, backpack
or 'take a year off' without thinking about your career first. Those
who delay to play, often pay!
As graduation approaches, many
students feel the pressure of career and think, "I've done what's
expected of me and now I deserve to do something for myself."
However, rewarding yourself without at least organizing your plans
for career before you go can make embarking on a job search when you
return more difficult. Here are some stats to consider: Landing an
entry-level job after school (from start to finish) averages at
least two months. The process of finding the job opportunity, going
on the interviews, receiving and accepting the job offer, and then
starting the job, all take time. It is easier to manage this process
when you are close to resources (i.e. campus career center) and a
network of peers who are in the midst of finding work too. All too
often, college grads put off their career homework until after
they're done having fun. They return home and suddenly find
themselves alone and without the support of their friends and school
to help them. Add in the potential pressure of parents over your
shoulder, inquiring about your progress, and looking for a job can
become very overwhelming. I once had an angry father call me to
inquire about my services for his son because, in his own words, "My
son just got back from a 7-month road trip of fun only for me to
find out he has no idea of what he wants to do or how to find a job.
What did I spent $80K on a college education for?!?!" This
father-son relationship was quite strained, and much of my time
coaching this new college grad was spent trying to get him to stop
beating himself up for not taking responsibility for his future.
Don't get stuck in this position. You must consider the consequences
of your actions.
But, if this isn't enough reason to
focus on your career goals before you go, consider this: opting to
play as opposed to looking for a job sends a clear message to
employers regarding your professional priorities. Here's a true
story, I was speaking to a manager of a successful consulting
practice in March of last year who was looking for an intern. She
had just interviewed a young woman who had graduated the previous
May and had opted to grab a job as a bartender because in her own
words, "I didn't know what I wanted to do and wasn't ready for a
real job." The young woman had impressed the manager with her energy
and appearance but was concerned with the young woman's inability to
convey clearly how and why she now was ready to commit to a
full-time, professional position. The client opted not to hire this
graduate and said to me, "I think I'd rather wait two more months
and get an intern from the upcoming graduating class. That way, I'll
know the person I hire has a sense of urgency to work and be
successful."
Actions speak louder than words, so
choose wisely what you do after graduation. The best way to enjoy
taking time off after college is to make sure your professional game
plan is in order BEFORE you go. And when you return and start
looking for a job, don't forget to incorporate what you've learned
about yourself while on your post-college adventure and how you plan
to use that knowledge in your career.
TIP #4: More degrees don't mean
more money! If you aren't sure what to do next, the LAST thing you
should do is stay in school.
Several years ago, I was in a
meeting with a group of college seniors. I went around the room and
asked each attendee what they were thinking of doing after
graduation. As I arrived at a young man who appeared confident to
the point of cocky, his response was, "I'm planning to go to law
school, get my MBA, or get a Masters in Education." Given that it
was April and graduation season was a month away, I was very
surprised. So I asked him, "Why law school?" His response was a
flustered 'um, um' followed by a defensively toned, 'Because I think
I might like it." Needless to say, six months later, he was seeking
career coaching. He had graduated, had no idea of what he really
wanted to do, nor how to find the answer. I think many college grads
are like this young man. They believe that education is a safe bet.
His multi-faceted answer months earlier had been his way to make
sure everyone was impressed, while he secretly was confused about
what to do next. I'm just glad he didn't force himself to go to
school to save face! Going back to school without determining a
financially sound reason to go is a risky investment. Advance
degrees only provide career advancement when they offer the
opportunity to build a specific skill set for a particular
job/career. Don't go back to school unless you are 100% certain
you'll use what you learn to get ahead. Better still, work for a
company who will pay for it. Don't believe me? Then consider these
facts: some studies suggest as many as ˝ of the people who get
advanced degrees never see the financial return on their educational
investment, while another study shows roughly 40% of all advance
degree recipients end up taking jobs that they could have gotten
without their additional degree.
TIP #5: Don't succumb to Cinderella
Syndrome. The sooner you break your addiction to acceptance, praise,
grades, rewards and other bribes, the sooner you'll find personally
satisfying work that is professionally rewarding.
Many Americans, especially young
ones, are victims of Cinderella Syndrome. The idea that one day, a
surprising event will come along and fix their situation. For
example, those that are severely in debt dream of winning the
lottery, getting an inheritance, or even marrying a rich person.
Others who dream of professional success imagine the 'perfect'
opportunity will eventually fall in their path and be theirs for the
taking. The number of people between the ages of 14 and 28 who
believe they will eventually be famous and successful is staggering.
And why shouldn't they? Reality TV and a sensorial assault of
marketing imagery tell them that they can have it all and that they
are destined for greatness.
Yet, here's the real problem:
Generation NEXT has been raised on the use of external incentives as
a way to get them to do things. Focused on a prize for everything
you do, many Gen NEXTers are now addicted to rewards that include
praise and acceptance from others. But we both know, an incentive is
a nice word for 'bribe.' And when humans are forced to meet the
expectations of others using bribes, they retaliate by putting in
the least amount of effort to achieve the goal. Don't believe me?
Then check out Alfie Kohn's book, "Punished by Rewards: The Problems
with Gold Stars, A's, Praise and Other Bribes," and you will quickly
understand why so little effort is put into identifying a career
path while in school today. The average college student's only goal
is to get the piece of paper required to keep others satisfied. In
fact, students are encouraged to keep their options open and to
address their career interests after graduation. Unfortunately, this
is having dismal results. Some say today's college grad will have as
many as 10 jobs in the first ten years of their life - you are
becoming perpetual job seekers who don't receive the benefits of
mentoring or professional development due to job hopping. And, as a
career coach who's college grad clientele has tripled in the last
year alone, I can tell your confidence will be weakened as bounce
around, desperately trying to find career satisfaction, but feeling
like a personal failure instead. Yet worst of all, your income
potential suffers too. Being a specialist is what gives you greater
earning potential. The better you are at a particular skill set, the
more sought after you'll be. However, years of career exploration
without any calculated thoughts towards developing critical skill
sets that can eventually be leveraged as professionals strengths
results in the 'jack of all trades, master of none' persona. History
is starting to repeat itself, the very generation that wants to stop
career crisis and find work-balance is ending up confused and
lacking the experience necessary to take control. On-set Career
Crisis (the same anger, depression and anxiety felt by Mid-career
Crisis individuals but at the first stage of the career path) is
rising amongst Generation NEXT.
So, why don't more college students
just pick a career and get going? Well, given the number of career
choices today and the lack of guidance given to help them leverage
their strengths and narrow down their interests, Generation NEXT is
finding themselves ill-equipped to identify and embark on a
satisfying career. Imagine being brought into a supermarket and
told, "Stand here and without reading the labels, pick one food. But
pick wisely, because you are going to have to eat it every day for
the next three years," and now you will get a sense of what it's
like to be a college grad looking for their first job today. And
let's not forget that reality TV and being submersed in the
On-demand, Instant Gratification Era has your generation feeling the
greatest amount of pressure to succeed at a young age in history.
It's no wonder why, no matter how you spell it, 'career' is a
four-letter word to Gen NEXT.
So, what's the solution? Go out and
find what you are looking for, then build the plan to make it happen
for yourself. I guarantee you'll get their faster (and have more fun
doing it) then your peers who choose to wait for Prince Charming.
Generation NEXT can begin by leveraging their experiences as
professional students. It's time to approach your career like you
would a term paper. Seek out resources and do your homework. Set up
informational interviews and talk to people whom you respect
professionally. Get the facts so you can focus on a two-year
professional development plan that involves enhancing a skill set in
a particular industry that excites you. You are not making a
life-or-death decision or a long-term commitment, but you do need to
identify a smart, short-term professional goal and go after it. A
career path is full of twists and turns, but opting to hit the road
without at least some destination in mind can get you lost, not to
mention, waste valuable time and resources.
TIP #6: Got a Career Story? If not,
then plan on a longer, more stressful job search.
Want to impress hiring managers?
Then you MUST be able to articulate your professional strengths and
short-term career goals in 30 seconds or less. This is called a
'Career Story' and the more compelling it is, the better the odds
you'll get hired. Like it or not, you are 'selling' your services
when you look for a job. So you need to reflect on your situation,
assess yourself, and then put together a brief summary of what kind
of employee you are and what you want to accomplish professionally
in the near future. The key to a great Career Story is simple: be
honest, be authentic, but most of all, be worth hiring! I have my
clients write out their Career Story and share it with several
professionals they respect. They then take the feedback and
incorporate it in so they can rehearse the story and commit it to
memory. I'm not suggesting it be rattled off like a line from a
play, but rather, learned to the point that it is easy to articulate
and converse about. A strong Career Story speaks volumes about your
knowledge of yourself and your desire to be professionally
successful. Hiring managers hire people who know how they'll add
value to their organization from day one. Share with them how you'll
be a valued asset and the job will be yours.
TIP #7: Spray-and-pray job searches
are for people who are willing to settle for what's available. Get
active, create a network, and you'll get access to the hot jobs
nobody else knows about.
The average job seeker has to send
out over 100 resumes to get even one response. The automation of the
job search process has inundated hiring managers with so much paper,
they are forced to be aggressive in their 'weeding out' methods. A
simple typo or an odd formatting of your resume can land you in the
'no' pile in a second. Frustrating, but true. And, if your resume
does make it into the 'for consideration' pile, know this: Managers
hire personalities, yet, an applicant's personality is severely
diminished, and often misinterpreted when limited to conveying it
via a single piece of paper. FACT: 93% of communication is
non-verbal. That means, your resume, by itself, has a limited
capacity to present you effectively. If you want to find a great
job, you need to connect 'live' with people who can assess your
potential and direct you towards the right opportunities.
How can you make this happen? Set
up informational interviews with people at companies and in
positions that interest you. You are not asking for a job, but
rather gathering data on how to land a job like theirs. This is the
single best way to build your first professional network. Some stats
say as many as 80% of jobs are filled via referral. Who's going to
refer you? If you are shy or feel like you would be imposing on
these people, let me change your perspective: What person doesn't
want to take a few minutes out of their day to discuss how they
became successful? Moreover, seasoned professionals know the value
of making connections. Who knows? Referring you to a job may help
them in their own career some day. So, get your Career Story in
great shape and start sharing it with the world. Get busy setting up
opportunities to meet with people who can share their expertise and
knowledge with you too. And soon, you'll master the right way to get
the inside track on those jobs that never get posted, a.k.a. the
good ones!
TIP #8: A great mentor is worth a
lot more than a good job. The excitement for any new job wears off
over time, but the relationship with the right manager can keep you
engaged, challenged, and on the fast-track to success. When looking
for a job, consider the manager. Can you see yourself learning a lot
from her/him? What's their Career Story? How did they get in their
position and what could you gain by being under their tutelage? Most
importantly, can you see yourself being comfortable enough to take
critical feedback from them and to share your professional concerns
with them? Here's another reason to choose a job based on the
manager. People often refer to 'office politics' in the workplace.
They are everywhere. It's only natural for an environment of various
personalities to have conflicts and differences of opinion. So,
office politics will always exist. A large part of success
on-the-job boils down to who you know and how you work with these
politics. Finding a manager you respect and are willing to take
guidance from will help you navigate these politics and rise up in
an organization.
TIP #9: Want to quantum leap your
career? Then learn to deal with the three C's ...now!
Your generation has been protected
and encouraged with positive reinforcement throughout your entire
lives by well-intentioned parents who wanted to minimize your
exposure to pain, failure, disagreements, and other negative
experiences. The "everyone gets a trophy" and "you're all special"
mantras you listened to were meant to build confidence, but this
parenting approach had the drawback of not letting you 'skin your
knees' and build your ability to cope with the emotional impact of
the three C's: Conflict, Criticism and Causing Disappointment.
Here's what you need to know from this point forward: to succeed in
your career, and more importantly, in life, you will HAVE TO A) work
through intensely conflicted situations, B) receive and internalize
criticism, and C) accept that you will cause disappointment, because
you just can't please everyone, all the time.
How do you prepare yourself to deal
with these successfully. Begin by focusing in on who you are and how
you want others to perceive you. Define your personal and
professional goals on your own terms, not someone else's, and then
go after what YOU want, know the reward for addressing the C's that
encounter along the way will only serve to make you stronger. It's
time to develop your critical skills in these areas. Ask any
successful professional how they got where they are today and
they'll confirm that building up your resiliency against the 3C's is
the key.
TIP #10: Embrace the equation used
by the most professionally satisfied people in the world.
I've worked with hundreds of people
who were professionally successful, but personally miserable. In
fact, I was once one myself. So, I ask anyone who knows someone like
this to consider the following: "Can you really call it career
'success' if it costs you a happy life?" I realized quickly that
there is something flawed in our current professional logic. So I
researched the situation and learned that no other culture in the
world puts as much emphasis on career as the defining element of
their personal worth than America. We base many major life decisions
on our ability to answer the question, "What do you do?" For better
or worse, we are a society that sizes individuals up and determines
how much respect we will bestow on a person, based on what they do
for work. Yet, I challenge you to ask yourself the next time you
meet someone who appears professionally successful, "But, are they
successful in life?"
So, how do you find career
satisfaction AND a successful life? You embrace and pursue your
career using the following equation as the foundation of what you
do: EXPERIENCE = LEARN = GROW. Satisfaction comes through growth.
Growth occurs when we learn. Learning comes from experiences. Find
things that let you get 'lost in the moment' of the experience, and
you will find work that doesn't feel like work. People who love what
they do will tell you they wake up every day and look forward to
'experiencing' what their career has to offer them. Proactively seek
out opportunities to learn on-the-job and you'll grow to new levels
of success and satisfaction. Be grateful for the opportunity to
work, get creative in your ways to engage in it, and most of all,
get excited about your capacity to expand your knowledge through
experience, and a career that satisfies will be yours.
