This summer, we had the pleasure of teaming with three millennials that we hired as interns. The three college students where chosen for the internship due to their specific skills that they brought to the table – both hard and soft skills. These skills were matched against client and business needs and, also a mesh with the Bastien Advisory Group values.
What did we learn this summer from our interns and their extended network/others that we met? What are the commonalities that we observed that millennials at age 20 share with us, a product of Gen X, at age 40? What did we learn from millennials?
Let’s all get ready – there is so much power in them and we see this so clearly now. We want to thank our interns for our learning experience here and the time to create our current “point-in-time” observations and take-aways from this summer.
What do the values of Bastien share with some millennial values?
- Through team collaborative environments and the technologies that they grew up with, many millennials have become even more capable of working in teams, than by themselves
- Millennials are not only open and receptive to change, as well as, they encourage and promote change
- They retain zero tolerance for injustice with no limit to leadership potential of the diverse population – equity and equality matter
- Shared value of true entrepreneurship and creativity
What are some potentially teachable concepts that we would share with certain millennials?
- Focus on face-to-face communication, noting that millennials are receptive to change and highly receptive to new ideas
- Learning the true value of patience and, continuing to gain an understanding that professional tenacity sees great return
- Don’t be afraid to view professional life as a long, complex, “work in progress” journey. Achieving one’s individual goals takes a strategy and paying attention to one’s own aspirations, through deliberate planning.
What can others learn from millennials?
- Focus on sensitivity to differences in employees professionally
- As a whole, the population is not risk adverse or, they are appropriately risk-adverse
- Highly technologically capable and savvy (and, very quick at technology learning and problem solving). Technology skills allow for greater employment potential across industry sectors.
- Millennials maintain power over large and reachable social networks, enabling messaging on new ideas to spread to those that will benefit from them
- Demand flexibility and versatility in the workplace. Look to maximize the enjoyment of work and the relationships that they share with their colleagues.
These are “point-in-time” observations, so just as millennials continue to grow, we will no doubt, continue to grow our understanding of how their strengths benefit the Bastien Advisory Group team.
Also, here comes Generation Z, a highly diverse, team-focused, and transparent generation entering into college/university and, very soon, the workforce.