Guest Post by Megan Dougherty and Danielle Aaronson
Between the two of us, we have a combined ten years in the workforce and have already held five jobs. On paper, it would appear we are on par to live into our generation’s less than optimal reputation of job-hopping. Ouch. In fact, Forbes reported that Millennials are expected to have nearly twenty jobs over the course of their lives.
Have we ever asked ourselves why though? UNC found most of us are job-hopping because we are not finding flexible environments where we feel we have the opportunity to make a difference. And while part of the responsibility resides with company leadership to create a flexible environment that caters to Millennials’ desire to make a positive impact, it is also true that the responsibility lies equally with Millennials to make intentional career moves and work towards a spot that is right for us for the long haul.
“I just want a job – any job” is an all too common remark we hear from young professionals looking to jump-start their careers.The assumption is, once they land a job, they can gain the experience they need to apply for their preferred “dream job” at their ideal company. But it does not have to be that way.
The reality is, if we all amp up the intentionality around finding the right job, not just any job at any company, we will have a much easier time getting on track to that “dream job.” And hopefully, we can begin to leave the job-hopping reputation in the dust!
All of this can start right here, right now too. Here are some questions we put together for our fellow-Millennials to help facilitate this kind of thinking:
What kind of environment do you thrive in (structured, collaborative, traditional, creative, etc.)? What does that look like for you?
How do your core values match the organization you want to work for?
What impact do you want to make every day? How does that impact play out through your skills?
By acknowledging your answers to the above and looking for roles at companies that complement those answers, we feel confident that your career choice will make a bigger impact, develop you further, and overall leave you feeling more fulfilled.
As Millennials ourselves, we have realized that by proactively thinking about these same questions, we have been able to find careers that enlist our competencies, align with our passions, and tap into our otherwise untapped potential.
Think about it… what if we could change GenY’s job-hopping reputation simply by being more proactive and intentional about what we have been truly seeking all along – the careers of our dreams.
Guest Authors
Megan Dougherty brings her enthusiasm, passion for people, and technical know-how to Luck Companies’ Values Based Leadership Team in her role as Executive Coordinator. At Luck Companies, she is heavily involved with internal and external engagement around the sharing, promoting, and application of Values Based Leadership. Megan’s methodical approach to business and her high-attention to detail are juxtaposed by her playful sense of humor and adaptability. 
Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with a concentration in Strategic Advertising and a minor in Spanish, from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Follow Megan on Twitter @meg_doc.
Danielle Elizabeth Aaronson is a Leadership Development Partner at Luck Companies, an organization committed to igniting human potential through Values Based Leadership. Her passion for developing people and representing positive change drove her to seek a career at a company that cares deeply about their people and challenges them to exceed expectations in creative and healthy ways. Aaronson joined the Luck Companies team in 2012.
Follow Danielle on Twitter @deaaronson.
Using Intentionality to Counter the Generational Reputation