4 Reasons Why Millenials Will Never Be Happy at Their Jobs

The disparity between how the world views millennials and how millennials view the world of work

Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 (age 25–40 years) is considered a Millennial. But what does it really mean to be a millennial? Some researchers/authors call us lazy, narcissistic, entitled, self-centered, materialistic, and other such (un)flattering adjectives. But they also call us impatient and chide us for jumping from job to job at the drop of a hat. Essentially, we are judged because of our career moves.

And I was judged too. See, I’ve switched 3 jobs in the last 5 years and have no regrets. They were all calculated and well-thought-out moves. But in all job interviews, justifying this has been the hardest bit. How do I explain that I was on a quest to find the perfect job?

Yes, in hindsight I realize that the perfect job is a myth — but try explaining this to a fresh college graduate with stars in her eyes.

I’ve finally come to the conclusion that Millenials will never be happy at their jobs and yes, they are prone to jump jobs. But the reasons are entirely different than what is visible on the surface.

Let’s dive in.

1. Incurable optimists

How can an employee, always thinking of switching jobs, be called an optimist? Well, because they are willing to give chances to the corporate world again and again. A toxic culture, bad manager, lack of work-life balance, etc. don’t make them lose hope about their next workplace. We move on, hoping that the next boss will be super supportive- a true leader. That our next employer will genuinely care about our well-being and attempt to create the best workplace for us. That whatever causes us stress in the current workplace will not bother us in the next one.

We switch jobs in the hope that our next workplace will be the perfect one. Yes, for us, the grass is always greener on the next side. And even if we don’t know what lies on the side, we never hesitate to take a leap.

Gradually, we do realize that the perfect workplace doesn’t exist and stick with one workplace for a longer time. But it isn’t the lack of hope that stops us from switching. It’s rather that the optimism shifts in favor of the workplace where we are willing to give more chances to our current workplace.

2. We value ourselves

Let me tell you a story that changed my perception of self-worth. It goes like this:

Before he died, a father said to his son; “Here is a watch your grandfather gave me… It is almost 200 years old. Before I give it to you, go to the jewellery store in the city. Tell them that I want to sell it, and see how much they offer you.” The son went to the jewelry store, came back to his father, and said; “They offered $100 because it is so old.” The father said; “Well, try the pawnshop.” The son went to the pawnshop, came back to his father, and said; “The pawnshop offered only $20 because it has a scratch” The father asked his son to go to the museum and show them the watch. The son quietly questioned his father’s judgement, but still, willing to act on his last wishes he went to the museum, when he came back he said to his father; “The curator offered $375,000 for this very rare piece to be included in their precious antique collection.” The father responded; “I wanted to show you that the right place will value you in the right way. Don’t find yourself in the wrong place and get angry because you are not valued. Never stay in a place where someone doesn’t see your value, or you don’t feel appreciated.”

I came across this story right at the beginning of my career and has been instrumental in shaping my attitude towards all my workplaces. In all honesty, this was the primary reason why I quit my last workplace.

Millennials today understand their self-worth — be it workplaces, relationships, or friendships. They won’t stay if they don’t feel valued. And ain’t nothing wrong with it!

3. Life is too short

We millennials are a bunch of impatient beings who believe we should have made it big yesterday.

Hustle, second income, and value of time are some of the constant buzzwords in their conversations. The moment they realize they are not valued at a workplace, they’ll leave. Life is too short to not give their best.

Once during a company reorg, facing uncertainty regarding my new role, I remember telling the following to my HR Business Partner:

“I want to be featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 list and I just have 4 years to do it. I can’t wait any longer and waste time twiddling my thumbs”

Be it the lack of growth opportunities or something wrong with the company culture, they surely don’t want to waste their time at a lost cause. And hence begins the search for greener pastures[read: incurable optimists]

4. Job = Life

We give too much importance to our jobs and take them too seriously. We sacrifice everything, including our personal lives, to achieve those impossible goals and targets. Just like on a hamster wheel!

It’s common sense that staying plugged in 24x7 is not sustainable. We first justify it thinking it is intellectual stimulation and a working weekend or two doesn’t make a difference. But what is ‘extra’ becomes the norm. It starts with one or two odd working weekends but slowly engulfs all weekends.

The bottom line? Millennials expect their jobs to be a lot more than just a part of their lives. Sometimes it’s even their life’s purpose and at other times how they measure success. Needless to say, it leads to disappointment when they don’t see the same reciprocated by their boss or teams.

Key Takeaways

#1 It’s okay to switch jobs. And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise! You can easily justify the multiple switches, linking back to one of the reasons above.

#2 Your job is not your life. Find a side hustle, pursue what you love doing, and treat your job like a job. Nothing more, nothing less!

In the end, leaving you with a quote which imbibes the true spirit of being millennial:

“Be brave. Be silly. Be your own magic. Be present. Be full of surprises. Be adventurous. Be kind. Be free. Be you.”

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