Why You Should Hire a Millennial

Let’s get a disclaimer out of the way: I’m a 23-year-old woman. I like getting hired. I am somewhat biased on the topic of whether or not you should hire a millennial.

But I think it’s an important topic to address. Sometimes, I even hear my own peers talking about how aimless/vapid/entitled/whatever their generation is … mostly to convince potential employers that they aren’t like those “other” millennials. You know, the ones who waste their time on cell phones and Facebook, the ones who would rather complain than do actual work, the ones who simply don’t know how to work.

But here’s the thing: those millennials, by and large, don’t exist. At the very least, they are not a good representation of the generation as a whole.

So, in the interest of putting this myth to rest once and for all, I’d like to take this time to debunk certain claims about millennials. For example …

“Millennials don’t want to work hard!”

Out of all of the myths I’ve heard, this one is the most baffling to me. I’m not sure where it came from, because most of us want to work hard! My friend routinely works 50-hour weeks. Another friend works full time while also going to college.

I, myself, am no stranger to hard work. Just last week, I started out my “vacation” sitting in a train station, laptop open as I finished off a media distribution for a client. I strive to always be accessible, even when it’s inconvenient for me, because I care about getting the job done.

And in case you think that my friends and I are the outliers, the data actually backs me up on this. Studies show that American Millennials are working just as hard, if not harder, than previous generations.

“Millennials have no attention span!”

This is one of the complaints I’ve heard most often. It’s also one I have some sympathy for.

Studies have shown that Millennials have shorter attention spans. They have also shown that our multitasking and job-hopping can have some damage when it comes to the workforce. So, clearly, these arguments are not without their merit.

So why do I bring it up? Because we’re aware of it.

And because we’re aware of it, we’re actively trying to change how we approach work. On a personal level, I start my week by planning out my schedule, setting aside time to work on all of the projects I need to do. And once I make my schedule, I stick to it. If I say I’m going to be writing a press release at 1 PM on Wednesday, that’s what I do. I don’t swap between email and Twitter after every sentence. I make a conscious effort to engage with whatever it is I’m doing.

I am also very dedicated to the companies and clients I work for. When people ask me where I see myself in three years, or five years, my answer is always the same: “Doing this.” This is the path I’ve chosen, and I don’t intend on giving it up anytime soon.

And most of my peers are the same way. We grew up with the temptations of the internet and social media. I’d argue that, out of all of the generations, we’re the most equipped to ignore them, because we’re so used to them.