Millennials are among the most likely groups to job-hop. Ever-open to new opportunities, with many being driven by their perceived purpose and values in life, Millennials seem keen to take the non-traditional career route. A recent Gallup report found that one in five Millennials say they have changed jobs within the past year, more than three times the number of people from other generations.
The phenomenon of increased contract and part-time work, as well as expanding remote opportunities, has contributed to the Millennials’ flexibility, but it has also presented a number of serious challenges. Beyond the predictable talk of the rising costs of living, job insecurity and the inability of most Millennials to afford a home, little is discussed of the mental toll such frequent job transitions take. It is an unlikely coincidence that rates of burnout, loneliness and depression continue to rise among Millennials.
As a Millennial myself, born in the early ’90s, I know the personal costs of seemingly endless choices around jobs, education and even moving countries to expand my opportunities and convince myself that I’m making the most of my time here on Earth. While many among our generation enjoy the freedom to pursue personal meaning and social impact through our work, the stress and emotional insecurity that come with this incessant pursuit are by-products in need of reconciling.
A few key insights and strategies have helped me navigate the ebbs and flows of career change, and the life disruptions that have accompanied them. Whether you are a Millennial, someone experiencing a career transition due to COVID-19, or a person who’s simply getting in touch with your true purpose in life, you can both cope and thrive on this journey.
Find multiple sources of joy and meaning
My first mistake as a young Millennial, new to the workforce, was to put all my eggs in one basket when it came to finding fulfillment. My first ‘career’ position was at a large international non-profit organization, where I was inspired by the promise of improving the world. When I experienced the hard realities and business-minded barriers to fully realizing this mission, I felt let down, and quickly questioned my entire purpose in life.
A friend who seemed to be nearly always full of positivity and enthusiasm soon advised me of my problem. While I was going home exhausted every day and stewing over the organization I so closely identified with, she was leaving the office behind to M.C. events and socialize the night away. She laid it out in a simple form: Find another source of joy. It’s great to switch jobs when the time is right, which I did, but in the meantime, I had to make the decision not to be miserable.
Not long after, I set out to read an inspirational guide to mindfulness, and adopted a creative project by starting an Etsy shop. With interesting new projects to focus on, I found that energy was created instead of consumed. In time, my renewed perspective encouraged me to take the leap to leave the job I no longer enjoyed or found purpose in.
The importance of flexibility and patience
Of course, the decision to switch jobs after two years didn’t mean that my next dream job magically materialized. In fact, I needed to take a part-time job in a slightly different field to make ends meet. While it felt like a step back (or sideways) and came wrapped in feelings of uncertainty, focusing on the freed-up mental space I had earned was key to my mental well-being.
One thing leads to another, when you have the courage to take that first step you know in your heart is right. In my case, an OK job that started out as a few shifts per week evolved into five days a week, when I was invited to fill a role even better suited to me. I couldn’t see this potential when I started, but I had to fight to stay patient during my career transition and trust in what was to come.
Since then, I have employed creative income-generating schemes to ensure that the present moment feels like ‘enough’ while I continue developing my career. I have worked as a nanny, walked dogs and sold personalized art on the side, all of which have brought joy. As the saying goes, for good reason, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Taking a flexible approach is critical if you are to find happiness in your work and build the career you desire over time. Over the years, I have had to mix-and-match part-time jobs, graduate school and volunteer roles in order to begin piecing together the murky puzzle of my career. I have found that if you stay true to what you enjoy doing in the moment, and what feels right as your next step, the picture completes itself over time.
Release the pressure on yourself to succeed
There are so many variables we are conditioned to define ourselves by; namely, our career, material wealth and social status. If we are to succeed in life’s truest sense, we must ask ourselves what is important to us, beneath the expectations of others. Why is that certain career so desirable, and are there different ways to reach the same goal we have, deep in our hearts?
We don’t need to reach the same popular milestones as our friends or parents once did, when they have vastly different motivations. We assume that everyone who is important to us must be thinking about our success, or lack thereof, far more than they really are. The truth is that everyone is more consumed by their own lives, and we would be better off releasing our concerns about their judgment. Whether you are 20, 40 or 60 years old, your life is up to you to define and live with.
As a Millennial, while navigating the ebbs and flows of the career changes we are especially prone to, one of the surefire ways to protect your well-being is to work on releasing the pressure on yourself. For me, it has helped to focus less on age and more on progress, and invest in conversations with people who are on the same purposeful journey.
At any age, only when we take control over our story and trust in ourselves will the true magic unfold in our careers and lives.
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image 1 Image by Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay 2 Image by David Mark from Pixabay 3 Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay
