20-something: will work for (food) purpose and praise
by Raymonda Doncev
I'm not saying part the red sea and lead me to the promise land holding my hand. But a one ounce shot of daily praise and a goal in earshot will certainly do the trick. You can call us, the Millenials, spoiled (we were), you can call us needy (we kind of are), and you can call us self serving (but that's where you would be wrong). We care about adding value, we're smart, and we'll work, but we need wooing to prove our worth. And we are worthy.
3 key components to mixing the perfect 20-something employee:
1. Point to a goal of value as we want and need to matter.
2. Train us and provide structure so we can matter.
3. Praise us often so we feel we do matter.
Goals.
Goals are important to everyone, but especially to us. Tell us where the light at the end of the tunnel is and what that light means so we have something to work towards and be certain that goal is going to have an effect on the company. We want to be a lucrative asset; we want responsibility (the more, the merrier, and we certainly have the energy for it thanks to Red Bull); we want to matter. We need to feel important and by setting a goal of significance: something that will make a difference to our peers, our superiors or overall company objective, reaching or exceeding that will justify our work and our time. It will give us a purpose. And keep it coming. We can handle it. We have grown up with goals: go to school in order to learn in order to get straight As in order to graduate with honors ahead of everyone else in order to apply to a competitive college in order to get into an even better grad school in order to get a great job in order to take over the world in order to be a multi-millionaire by 30 in order to make our parents proud. Get it? Goals. We started our days, weeks and school years with goals; why would we change now?
Training and Structure.
Some people can be given a "big picture" project and run with it. We'll run alright, but it will be straight to your office to get more details, ask for instruction and beg for structure. To do lists are our best friend. Check. Check. Check. *sigh* sense of accomplishment. While we are sharp, we are speedy learners, and we can be efficient, we have ADD from a childhood of overstimulation and multitasking so we need guidelines and proper training to calm our minds (Ritalin in a non pill form). Show us the way or show us the door. And if you show us the way, we'll work long and hard and make it to the end of that tunnel, in record time. We don't want to disappoint you, which is precisely why we need your schooling and a check off list. Give us the opportunities to accomplish something fantastic but give us the tools because we would hate to fail you based on a lack of “how to” knowledge. So tell us what you want, how you want it, and the rules of play and we'll hand it to you on a platter: silver, gold, platinum; your element of preference.
Praise.
Schmooze us! Tell us how fabulous we are! Our parents did, our coaches did, our teachers did; basically everyone taller than us did. This is how we were raised: on praise. So we want, expect, and need this to trickle into our jobs. We don't expect you to pour our coffee but we do expect a lil' sugar in our day. We thrive off of encouragement, a daily reminder that we are making a difference; that we are doing a great job; that we matter (re-occurring theme?). A spoon full of sugar helps the 8 hours pass and keeps us happy, refreshed, and hard at work. If we feel appreciated, we will do what is necessary to keep that sense of appreciation and value. And your ra ra ra's and pats on the back will drive us.
From the mouth of a 20-something: give me a noble goal, show me the way and tell me I'm great, and I'll show you I'm loyal, hard working, and absolutely worthy. And I am worthy.
