As Millennials, we get advice. A lot of advice. Some is helpful, while the rest is…not so much. If you’re interested in some free advice, from one Millennial to another, keep on reading. (And check out Part 1 of my blog found here for other advice!)
Go the Extra Mile
Work-Life Balance. As Millennials, we sometimes think that our evenings are the most important and defining moments of our lives. This is the time to “live it up,” right? Five-o’clock hits and you’re on to dinner, happy hour, concerts, etc. with your friends. Yes, that is absolutely important. Having a healthy work-life balance is crucial for sustainable productivity, health, and happiness.
Read our blog on Work-Life Balance here
However, what I wish I’d known is that this isn’t as important as everyone makes it sound. Putting in the hard work and contributing to your team in order to meet your deadlines, hammer out a project, finish a meeting – you name it, will be recognized by your managers and you will learn much more. You can stand out for more reasons than just your intelligence.
Yes, work-life balance is important, but going the extra mile will pay off. Embrace an atypical Millennial mindset. Your friends can order an appetizer while you’re on your way to meet them – they’ll understand.
Digital Personas Can Be Misleading
We’ve all seen those companies with social media pages bragging about their incredible company culture. Whether it’s beer in the office, yoga retreats at lunch, happy-hour meet and greets, or puppy Fridays, it emits an ambiance of fun and excitement that’s attractive to Millennials. I’ll admit, I fell for it.
Before finding L-Tron, I was working for a company that had all of these things. The perks of the job (puppies, happy hour, yoga) didn’t outweigh the job itself. Complaining about every aspect of their jobs, my co-workers were miserable. The environment wasn’t for me.
I wish I’d known what to look for in the right company.
If I had, I would have known to look for a culture where the people at the company are going to encourage your growth, allow you to participate in the team from the beginning, and people who genuinely enjoy coming to work every day.
Everyone looks for something different when it comes to company culture. What was important to me was finding a company where the people I would be surrounded with were genuine people. Where you could have a meeting and leave feeling better than you did entering the conversation. Where the employees walk into the office every morning and say “good morning” with a smile on their face. Most importantly, it was important for me to find a company culture where the employees respected the company and were passionate about its success working daily to grow the organization.
For more on how to find the right company culture, read our blog on Culture Is King here!
This is what I’ve found at L-Tron.
The Bottom Line
So what have I learned? As a millennial graduate myself, there is so much that I don’t know and so much that I’m learning. I’ve learned to ask questions, and ask the right ones. I’ve learned what it means to be a true team player. I’ve learned that I don’t need to have all of the answers right now, but to instead focus on doing the best I can for L-Tron and my team.
Bottom Line: Be a sponge, be humble, and take it day by day.
Are you a Millennial graduate? Do you have career advice for Millennials? Share it with us on Twitter at @LTroncorp!
