I am probably going to get blasted for my comments over at Brazen Careerist. There was a great blog post by Sharalyn Hartwell about Gen Y not being happy with entry-level jobs. She talks about a study that gauged Gen Y and its happiness, in general, on the job.
"Only 45 percent of American workers are satisfied with their jobs, according to the report released by The Conference Board, a non-profit organization that distributes information strengthen businesses. But less than 37 percent of workers under age 25, the lowest percentage among all age groups, reported being satisfied with their jobs.
The survey was first conducted in 1987, (long before even the oldest members of Generation Y entered the work force) and the under 25 workers were the most dissatisfied then as well (that would be the Gen X’ers). This is probably a strong indicator that no one, Millenial or Gen X’er (or anyone for that matter) finds great satisfaction in entry-level jobs. No one really expects to anyway. Everyone knows the first few jobs (years) are all about paying dues."
Well said, Sharalyn.
She goes on to say: "Interestingly enough, the next age bracket, 25 to 34-years old, is the MOST satisfied at work at just over 47 percent. By most definitions, the oldest members of Generation Y are between 30 and 32. Clearly Generation Y as a group is not resoundingly unhappy with their jobs. By age 25, most men and women are advancing in their careers, officially out of entry-level positions, and can start to see a hopeful and bright career path."
This is why I think Gen Y'ers need to get a good entry-level job that will help them build the skills and connections necessary to be happy in what they do when they are at the middle of their careers. Sometimes a good entry-level job is just working for a reputable company.
I also think more Gen Y'ers do realize the value in just having a job since the recession hit. Still, there are others that feel they are entitled to more just because they have a degree. In general, most people do nowadays--that's not enough to be distinguished and get chosen for the corner office!
I know I write a blog to 20-somethings and members of Gen Y too. (I am on the border for the whole Gen X/Y thing...born in '78!) And I don't want to ever talk down to new grads, but I firmly believe that it's the expectation of an entry-level job that have everything to do with happiness. If you think it'll be a dream job and then you find yourself filing eight hours a day, of course you'll be disappointed. But if you get a job that paves the way for better things--offering the ability to build skills and network--that's the whole goal of an entry-level job. You have to create happiness in other ways.
And come to think of it, being in my early 20s again with the whole world ahead of me served me with a great deal of happiness. I was miserable at some jobs, too, but they certainly helped me get to where I am today...completely happy with my career. I knew the jobs would pay off later...they helped me figure out what I wanted and didn't. They helped me expand my skills and build my network. That is the whole goal of an entry-level job. (That and to start paying off your debt and being independent!)
My advice? Hang in there. Save the job-griping for happy hour and remember that you'll get to where you want to be eventually.
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5 comments:
While it is always tenuous to use the words "Fun" and "Happy" in regards to your job, should we not take some satisfaction and pride in what we do? When did survival become the only benchmark to determine the adequacy of a job?
I agree with everything said, but even at a young age, you must learn when to walk away. My simple addage: if the bad days outnumber the good, it's time for a change. Not talking about tough days, or stressful days, but days when you go home angry at life, when you curse the alarm clock the following morning, or burst into tears. Had any of those lately?
One thing that we at TalentEgg have noticed is that students and recent grads are often recruited -- by large organizations in particular -- with misleading promises of how exciting or meaningful the work and culture will be.
Most entry-level workers have very limited experiences with the reality of the working world and often take a job -- especially in this economy -- without really knowing what it will be like day in and day out. This results in low satisfaction rates and high levels of job hopping.
While entry-level workers can somewhat avoid this by completing internships, co-op and job shadowing, the problem definitely lies on the employer side as well.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Kristen. You definitely make some good points. We do have to put in our time and learn about the business world and do all the things to line up the stars for your career later, but I do think Scott and Cassandra make good points. If you've legitimately been given false impressions of the job and you just hate your life, sometimes it isn't worth it. There are undoubtedly entry-level jobs out there where you can learn, pay your dues and not hate your life entirely. Part of the growing up process if learning when you have to just deal (and be an adult) and when to cut your losses. That, unfortunately, is a trick we have to continually figure out our whole lives, and not just professionally!
Thanks again for the reference and your great points!
It's all about balance...grads need to shoot for jobs that will give them skills for the future. You'll never be 100% happy, especially in the beginning for the most part. I'm not saying don't shoot for happiness, but if you're not loving your job, you may not be loving the ramifications of job hunting, either.
You can take pride in what you do and not be happy, by the way, Scott. I hope your job search continues to go well.
One thing crappy jobs do....they make you totally appreciate when you get a good one :)
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