Top 5 Career Lessons for Millennials & Gen Z

As a 40-something member of Generation X, I have some career advice for Millennials.

These two groups represent a new generation of global leadership which will profoundly impact the future of work.

First, it’s important to recognize that Millennials (also known as Gen Y) are 80 million strong and growing. They are entering the workforce at increasing rates and will eventually take charge of it altogether, as Baby Boomers and Gen Xers retire.

Meanwhile, most members of the even younger Gen Z are still in grade school but, nonetheless, have high ambitions and career aspirations at the dawn of new century of innovation.

Never too Early

It’s never too early to learn valuable career lessons, especially in today’s fast evolving mobile, digital and virtual Information Age — which is impacting the traditional workplace paradigm in new ways (such as remote work and virtual workplaces, for instance).

Thus, the following are five crucial career lessons for this new generation of leaders to consider, whether embarking on a first job or seeking to climb the corporate ladder of success:

1) Build Strong Work Ethics

2) Dare to Think Big

3) Network on Social Media

4) Connect in Person

5) Persist and Persevere

1 – Work Hard

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

It’s no secret that building a strong work ethic at a young age helps lay the foundation for success. For example, while I was fortunate to land my “dream jobs” in Congress and the White House while still in my early 20s, there was a lot of grunt work that preceded reaching these lofty goals.

In high school, for example, I worked as a pizza delivery guy after receiving my driver’s license. Prior to that, I unloaded inventory from 18-wheeler trucks during the summer in 90 degree heat in a warehouse with no air conditioning. I also worked in retail handling inventory in a stockroom and laying it out on the sales floor.

Then, in college, I worked for years at the student newspaper and completed multiple internships in the public and private sectors – all while balancing a full course load. I was young, ambitious and simply refused to take “no” for an answer.

Early career success is earned in incremental steps from the bottom up. So roll up your shirt sleeve and get to work!

Moreover, everyone knows that hard work is a critically important ingredient to advancement. However, building strong work ethics is only the start.

There are also intangible factors which can greatly influence and facilitate career advancement for young people – most notably, luck and timing.

Thus, in addition to hard work, the following are some other essential elements that will help put you in the right place, at the right time, when opportunities knock on your door…

2 – Dare to Think Big

An important part of my career advice to young people is this:

Don’t be afraid to think big and follow your dreams.

In short, dare yourself to take risks in order to plant the seeds which, hopefully, will blossom in your future dream job at a young age.

In one of her last TV interviews, famed American poet, the late Maya Angelou, was asked by ABC News what advice she would give to her younger self. She offered these timeless words of wisdom:

Dare — dare to be more than you think you can be — dare.

Maya Angelou

In my experience, it’s better to think big and take risks at an early age to jump start your career. Don’t limit your goals or think small. Rather, set your goals high, think big, be positive and go for it!

3 – Network on Social Media

It’s not only important to work hard and think big at a young age, but also to forge and nurture key professional relationships which will pave the way toward career advancement sooner rather than later.

The influential relationships I was able to solidify while in college and thereafter proved invaluable in landing high-level jobs in Congress and the White House before I turned 25. You may have heard the saying: “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” I would add this caveat:

"It’s not only who you know, but who you get to know well." - Chris Matthews (MSNBC TV host of "Hardball" and former White House speechwriter)

Who will go to bat for you when needed and asked, in terms of providing an excellent recommendation and putting you in touch with influencers in your industry? That’s the true test of networking. You may know a lot of people, but if they brush you off when asked for help, then what good are they?

Today’s young people are fortunate to have a plethora of social media networking tools at their disposal, such as beBee, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. While this certainly makes the networking process easier, it should not be used as a safety blanket.

Don't rely on social media networking alone. Leveraging social networks for jobs leads is only the beginning of the process.

4 – Connect In Person

While social media networking is a good start, it’s also important to meet your connections in person, to the extent possible. This helps solidify budding relationships and makes you stand out in the crowd of would-be networkers and job seekers.

Therefore, go the extra mile to meet your contacts for lunch, coffee, dinner, drinks, or just stop by their office and say hello.

Whatever works for them, not you. Recall that other saying, “Beggars can’t be choosers.”

If meeting in person is not possible in the short term then send influential contacts periodic emails, cards, texts, letters, etc. so they don’t forget you. Then try to meet in person at a later date at their convenience, not yours.

Your high-level connections will be super busy, of course, so always be patient and polite. Don't inadvertently become a nuisance.

5 – Persistence Pays off

Lastly, don’t give up too easily, particularly if you face some initial failures or setbacks.

Too many young people fall prey to frustration and procrastination. Yet persistence and perseverance pay dividends.

I’m reminded of a high school history lesson regarding the California “Gold Rush” of the mid-1880s in the so-called Wild West. Some teams of miners dug for gold for months or years on end, only to quit unknowingly just feet away from hitting a gold vein. Yet other miners who refused to give up ended up striking it rich.

If you face initial failure, then redouble your efforts, revise your strategy and continue to move forward. Go with your gut feeling if all else fails. Remember: persistence and perseverance pay off in the short term and over the long run.

Nothing worthwhile comes easy, so don't give up. Rather, keep the faith, believe in yourself and your goals/dreams.

Final Thoughts

That’s my best advice for today’s teens and 20-somethings embarking on new careers or just trying to find their way in a competitive and fluid global job market.

By working your tail off, thinking big, networking online and off, as well as persevering despite the odds, it’s possible your dream jobs may materialize at a young age, as they did for me.

In essence, you’ll never know unless you try.

What do YOU think?

NOTE: This post first appeared on HiveBlog.  All images are courtesy of beBee. All views and opinions are those of the author only.

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David B. Grinberg is an independent writer and strategic communications advisor based in the Washington, DC-area, with over 20 years of work experience — including the White House, U.S. Congress, and national news media.

* All views and opinions are those of the author only.