Data on Millennial Angst Freaks Me out
Am I a lemming in a Millennial mono-culture?
The data on Millennials interests me, and many others, a lot. Here’s some honest personal reflection.
The data also freaks me out because sometimes the data is so representative of my life it makes me wonder if our generational context has generated a mono-culture that I’m blindly apart of when I should somehow be wiser and different. (that’s a definition of a hipster right? CRAP)
At the same time though, things have indeed changed dramatically, and it’s worth noting in order to mitigate how much I freak out.
One thing that has bothered me about myself, and which is freakishly represented in a recent Barna research project, is job hopping. Without intending to be so, I’m that guy. When I think through the history anecdotally it makes sense to me and I actually feel good about the story. But when I think through the dates point by point by themselves, I feel kinda dumb. By kinda, I mean really dumb, and this is in spite of the fact that I don’t think I would change anything. The recent article from Barna says that Millennials are staying at jobs on an average of 3 years. I’ve NEVER made it that far. In the last 3 years I’ve had 5 jobs and am starting my 6th soon while staying on as an independent contractor at my 4th. Technically I’m still contracted with and available to the 5th as well, so that’s 3 jobs out of 6 I’ve had in the last 3 years that I technically still have. I mean, that sounds ridiculously to me. Sometimes my professional life feels ridiculous to myself and I wonder if there is something wrong with me. I’m 29.
May 2011 — Barista
June 2011 — Intern
November 2012 — Executive Assistant
February 2013 — Account Manager
June 2013 — Theological Researcher
July 2014 — Instructional Designer
At the same time, in the context of tenuis startup technology jobs and freelancing, this is not ridiculous at all, or at least not THAT ridiculous. In fact, many authorities on today’s job market would encourage something like this as a model to shoot for. A fair amount of LinkedIn Influencer articles seem to be generally aimed in that direction. (and by golly, I cannot get enough of those)
I’m considering these facts of my life alongside observations like this from the research:
“Millennials see their twenties as a time to explore their career options so they can find a job that will provide that sense of meaning and fulfillment. This may be a little confounding to their parents. Two-thirds of Boomers say “starting your career” is crucial in your twenties, while only half of Millennials agree.” (I apologized to my father immediately after reading this)
I can’t help but ask myself, is this ok? I don’t know for sure, but I currently believe it can be, and I’m praying I’m not just buying in to some new Millennial version of the American dream that feels more palatable to me, but am following a unique path that only I could walk.
This may simply be a tension our generation lives in, or certain new contexts within it, due to a proportioned combination of things.
Still, Millennial angst gives me angst, which may mean that I’m the ultimate Millennial, and by nature of that very fact I’m completely dismayed by it.
