Tesar-Reynes

In this down economy, Millennials have three advantages over the rest of the workforce:

1. They are content for almost any work.
2. They can pick up and move most anywhere.
3. They are unwaveringly optimistic.

Millennials are eager to start working. To them, a $30,000 a year job is just as good as a $40,000. They just want work. Doing what makes them happy is far more important, at this point, than the pay they are reimbursed.

The only bills a fresh out of college professional has are rent, cell phone, and maybe debt through credit cards and student loans. Add to this the likelihood of a Millennial having roommates, and you get bills divided between 2-3 people. My roommates and I split groceries and cooking duties, further minimizing expenses.

Another intern at the strategic communications firm I work at still lives at home with his parents. He’s been interning for almost eight months now. When I asked him about any burnout, he calmly replied, “I have zero bills right now. I’m in a pretty good situation.”

He just got hired on last Friday. That is one favorable situation.

The Optimism of a Millennial

The other night, a friend and soon to be graduate of Columbia College grabbed coffee with me. We met at Columbia’s Semester in L.A. program. When we were in L.A., she said that while she loved the weather, her home and heart were back in Chicago, and she couldn’t see herself living in La-La Land.

As of the other night, she had already applied to 10 jobs in L.A. and a handful more in Chicago. You couple her mobility with her willingness to do anything, as long as it involves marketing, and you have a powerful combination.

When I mentioned how hard it was out there to find a job, it was like she didn’t even hear me. “I think it’ll be all right,” was all she replied. When I said the pay for junior account executives wasn’t very high, somewhere around $30,000, her face lit up. “I’d be so happy if I could be making that much right now.”

I couldn’t believe it. Here I am, well prepared thanks to a college education, but sometimes I just can’t get passed my anger at the situation.

It reminded me of the old Christian saying, “Be like a child.” Maybe all we need is a little more faith that things will work out fine. For Millennials, this belief comes well-embedded.