Hey millennials! Let’s talk. So you want to build a lasting, meaningful career. Or, maybe you want to launch your own business. Actually, you’re not sure what you want to do, but you know you want a good work-life balance. Welcome to the career goals of the typical millennial: guess what? As a generation, we’re actually individuals with varied interests, hopes, dreams, and visions for where we see life taking us, and our career goals look different too.
Trying to lump “millennials” into one demographic is a mistake. Yes, this generation faced lots of early bumps in the road. But, the ways we overcame these bumps are as creative and diverse as the personalities within this generation. While facing mounting student debt, a recovering economy, the most competitive job market ever, higher levels of clinical stress and anxiety, or just plain struggling to transition into adulthood, millennials are getting hit from every angle for being lazy, disloyal, and self-absorbed. Thanks, world!
As a result, millennials tend to march to the beat of their own drum: and that’s great. These individuals are approaching work with an entirely different worldview and unique set of values. They’re changing office culture, expanding into the gig economy, and becoming entrepreneurs at greater rates than ever.
No matter how you choose to approach your career, BULLIT has your back. We want to see you succeed even when the cards are stacked against you. We’re a community here to help you build a professional profile that makes a real difference in your career. Here’s how we want to help.
For the determined ladder-climber
Are you a traditionalist when it comes to your career? Do you see yourself in the corner office with a fancy car and job title to match? If you’re the type who is happy to put in the time and effort it takes to reach the top, promotion by promotion, then reputation is everything.
It’s not just enough to work hard and nail your performance review each year. For those ambitious types, building a reputation with your coworkers makes the difference between missing a promotion and flying up the ladder. Consider this: 30% of searches people conduct on sites like LinkedIn are for coworkers at their own company. When they search for you, what will they see?
When you ask for feedback on BULLIT, you create a public record from every milestone in your career, even the ones that seem minor. That presentation you gave three months ago? The client loved it, and you have the feedback to prove it. This gives you some ammo to go into your performance review and show that you talent in spades.
For the wanderlusting remote worker
Are you part of the new generation of remote workers who are taking their show on the road? Whether you’re working in a traditional job from home or freelancing in a foreign country, BULLIT wants to make sure you’re getting the professional development you need.
It can be scary to feel as if you’re not getting enough facetime with your boss or clients. A common fear remotes face is “because I’m remote, will they forget about me, will I stop getting cool assignments, will I lose out on learning and growth opportunities?”
BULLIT makes it easy for you to always be asking for feedback, whether it’s from a mentor, a coworker, a new client, or a colleague. More frequent feedback leads to better feedback. When you engage with your network on a consistent basis, you’ll actually get more professional development than if you were to wait for the traditional end-of-year performance review (if such a thing even exists for your remote role). As a freelancer, you’ll also begin to build a global reputation. The same way AirBnB hosts thrive off reviews, you’ll be able to pull in business the more active and connected your BULLIT profile.
For the confused career switcher
Still not sure where you belong? If you keep changing jobs, industries, organizations, and direction, turn that confusion into an asset. Lean in to some of the things you take away when you switch jobs frequently. As Forbes reports, there are a plethora of benefits to trying new roles, industries, and companies.
“[Job hoppers] probably can point to experience in a number of different industries and different size companies, and exposure to a variety of challenges,” says Tracy Cashman, a partner and general manager in the IT Search division at WinterWyman. “Someone who has a diverse background is often more attractive to a potential employer because they potentially bring new ideas and ways of doing things. Just make sure to keep some kind of record of what projects you accomplished where, and make sure one to two people at each company will serve as a reference.”
If you’re going to hop, hop with intention. Make sure you leave on a good note, and that when you’re in a new role, you’re building your reputation for soft skills as well as technical skills. BULLIT is the only place where you can carry a record of your leadership, creativity, and reliability from job to job. Don’t miss this opportunity to prove you’re worth it!
For the grad on square one
Not sure where even to start? We hear that. May we humbly suggest finding a mentor through BULLIT? Check out the profiles of professionals you admire. What soft skills helped them get where they are today? What are they really like to work with?
You should also start to ask for feedback on your own skillset. Ask your college professors and classmates to rate you on your trustworthiness, timeliness, logic, and brains. These are the things that matter most to a recruiter. We let you safely set up a profile that shows off what makes you different than than the average applicant. Circumvent the professional reputation grapevine and feed recruiters the inside scoop on your workplace personality.
For the enterprising entrepreneur
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: millennials may be the most entrepreneurial generation yet. So many people within this generation are choosing to take greater risks earlier in their careers than playing it safe.
If you’re one of the types who would rather create something from scratch and be your own boss, you may worry that your generation’s stereotypes will make it difficult for you to find clients and grow your business. One of the heuristics on BULLIT is trustworthiness. Are you a straight shooter or do you miss the mark? For anyone looking for funding, new clients, business partners, or anything needed to grow a business, focus in on this aspect of your BULLIT profile. Make sure to curate what makes you different (and better) than those negative “millennial” stereotypes.
How has BULLIT boosted your career? Tell us on Twitter! @bullit_me.
Originally published at BULLIT.
