(I’m not pictured yet in this photo. I’m still yet to come! I was number 5.)
I’m a gen-Xer. I’m kinda jealous of my millennial little bros and sisters. I feel like I’m the middle child; mad that the youngest is getting all of the attention.
As the baby in my own family, I remember my brothers and sisters say things like:
- She got a car, we didn’t!
- Her curfew is later!
- She gets to go on a spring break trip, we stayed home!
Today, I feel like I keep hearing the same messaging: We must cater to the millennials.
I realize in marketing and PR, I have to pay very close attention to the millennials preferences because of their incredible buying power in the marketplace. Things like:
- How they like to place their orders for food,
- Online shopping preferences,
- Facebook, Twitter and Instagram views,
- How they communicate, and
- How they consume the news.
As applicants and employees, millennials seem confident but sometimes lack in good old-fashioned persistent. We usually hire interns who don’t just send an email, but followup with a phone call because a tenacious young professional is the kind of intern that we’re looking for.
Some of the best learning experiences for new professionals in the workforce is to collaborate. I think it is important for all of us Gen-Xers and beyond to mentor (good learning experience for us too!), help motivate and show our appreciation.
I try to offer constructive criticism to interns and mentees from time to time, but something I’ve seen a few times recently in client meetings is an unconscious use of cell phones.
My advice: GET OFF YOUR PHONE.
Find something for your hands to do without it. Do not bring it to a meeting or if you do, put it away, do not text during a meeting, do not check your Instagram and do not have it out on the table. Without your phone, you might be able to:
- be engaged
- offer input
- live your life in the moment and truly learn from us old folks some times
In fact, I learn every day from working with young professionals, and I plan to continue my education by surrounding myself with bright young minds.
