Gen Y grads seek freedom in new careers
Issue date: 6/1/08 Section: FYI
(ARA) - With employers facing a looming shortage of skilled professionals, your recent college degree can lead to more opportunities than you might imagine. Increasingly motivated employers may, however, leave you with an overwhelming array of choices. How do you - a soon-to-be or recent college graduate - set your career on a course towards lifelong fulfillment and financial reward?
"Members of Gen Y - or the 'Millennials' - have a clear vision of what they want from a career, and it's a vision that is unique to them and the technologically advanced, environmentally and socially aware world they grew up in," says Deb Marquette, manager of field talent attraction for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. "This generation of workers is motivated, conscious of their place in the global community and determined to make a difference in the world."
While it's difficult to generalize characteristics of an individual based on their generation, there has been a lot of research conducted to find commonalities among members of Gen Y. Here is what the research says you might be looking for in a career, and tips to help you find a career that is a good match for you.
You want to make a difference. More than 60 percent of 13- to 25-year-olds feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world, according to research by Cone Inc. and AMP Insights. Look for companies whose values align closely with yours. You may find the most career happiness with companies that support your activism and charitable efforts, and participate in or support charities and issues important to you. As an example, Thrivent Financial matches a challenging career with outreach opportunities, including Thrivent Builds-an alliance between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity.
You're not afraid of competition; in fact you crave a challenge and hard work. Being competitive with themselves and others comes naturally to Gen Y employees, who want to do their work better and faster than their co-workers, research by NAS reveals. Look for companies that nourish your competitive nature with rewards programs that recognize performance.
"Members of Gen Y - or the 'Millennials' - have a clear vision of what they want from a career, and it's a vision that is unique to them and the technologically advanced, environmentally and socially aware world they grew up in," says Deb Marquette, manager of field talent attraction for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. "This generation of workers is motivated, conscious of their place in the global community and determined to make a difference in the world."
While it's difficult to generalize characteristics of an individual based on their generation, there has been a lot of research conducted to find commonalities among members of Gen Y. Here is what the research says you might be looking for in a career, and tips to help you find a career that is a good match for you.
You want to make a difference. More than 60 percent of 13- to 25-year-olds feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world, according to research by Cone Inc. and AMP Insights. Look for companies whose values align closely with yours. You may find the most career happiness with companies that support your activism and charitable efforts, and participate in or support charities and issues important to you. As an example, Thrivent Financial matches a challenging career with outreach opportunities, including Thrivent Builds-an alliance between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity.
You're not afraid of competition; in fact you crave a challenge and hard work. Being competitive with themselves and others comes naturally to Gen Y employees, who want to do their work better and faster than their co-workers, research by NAS reveals. Look for companies that nourish your competitive nature with rewards programs that recognize performance.
Be the first to comment on this story