The National Conversation, Field Work Term, Good Talk

What Millennials Want From Work

An adapted excerpt from "Workforce," a new podcast featuring employment expert and Dean of Field Work Term and Career Development Holly McCormack

Mentorship

Millennials want to be in a developmental relationship with their supervisors. It's not enough to acknowledge work well done. They want to feel that the supervisor's engaged in their professional development.

Moving quickly and advancing

It's not so much about ambition for ambition's sake. It's really about wanting to learn something quickly and move onto the next level of mastery.

Organizations with a social conscious sensibility

This generation is reluctant to work for companies that do not have a social conscious, even if the job pays well. They’re simply less motivated by money. They make choices based on the overall picture of the position and the organization. Value alignment is essential and they want to work in places that not only demonstrate shared values but live those values.

Flexibility

It's not that people in their 40s and 50s don't value flexibility of schedule. Certainly most people would be very happy to have a more flexible schedule. It's just that it is not a priority in the same way that salary tends to be for people in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Often millennials would rather take the more flexible job than one that pays better.

Being in it with you

Millennials will soon be a majority voice and they will be one of the largest workforce segments. They're saying to employers in as many ways they can, not only do these things matter to us but we're willing to be in it with you and help you figure it out. But it can't be off your radar anymore.

 

Holly McCormack handles strategic planning, partnerships building, and fundraising for the expansion of Bennington’s Field Work Term and work-engaged learning initiatives. Her efforts focus on the academic integration of FWT and the resulting opportunity for employer recruitment. Holly also oversees the Kilpatrick Fellowship program, and provides career advising for seniors and alumni.