“FIRST, DON’T CALL THEM MILLENNIALS

Wait, what? Let me explain.

A study from Pew Research found that only 40 percent of millennials even identify with the word “millennial,” compared to nearly 80 percent of those aged 51 to 69 who consider themselves part of the Baby Boomer generation.

I was actually surprised that almost half of millennials claimed to be comfortable with their generational moniker since I find that most of the young people, I meet prefer that their generation not have a title at all.

I also find this generation to be more focused on describing themselves as individuals (hence the rise in “personal branding” as a career skill) than as members of a massive group.

This begs the question: what should we call this cohort if not the M-word? Clearly, I do use the term millennial because it’s helpful to have some sort of terminology, but I use it in a respectful fashion, realizing that most millennials don’t care for any group name at all.

The bottom line is that it’s important for managers, marketers, and recruiters to understand that using the word as a descriptor (as in “millennial-focused office”) will rarely come off positively. Young professionals tell me they prefer terms like “emerging professionals” or “next-generation” when referring to their age group in the workplace.”[1]

Join me for a wonderful discussion with a millennial who goes against all stereotypes. She was raised in a family where she absorbed the values of three generations and uses them to her advantage as she exceeds expectations navigating a multigenerational workplace.  It's refreshing! Join me.

[1] https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/essay/millennial-life-how-young-adulthood-today-compares-with-prior-generations/