I often say that I’m not your typical millennial. Perhaps it’s because I don’t live at home with my parents, or because I actually want to get married and have kids someday. Or maybe it’s because I still believe that hard work will get me ahead in life.
Whatever the reason, I do think one thing applies to pretty much all millennials: We are sick of being stereotyped as lazy, entitled people who don’t know how to be adults.
The thing is, many of us are running our businesses and managing employees, often before the age of 30.
We aren’t about to let a couple of negative stereotypes hold us back and neither should you as a business owner or hiring manager looking for talented freelancers from our generation. So join me as we debunk 8 myths about millennials (just for fun).
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Sure! Here’s a single-column takeaway table based on the blog title “Millennials and Freelancing: 8 Myths Debunked”:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Millennials are reshaping the freelance landscape by debunking myths and embracing freelancing as a viable career option. |
| 2. The gig economy is a significant part of millennials’ work life, contrary to the myth that they prefer traditional jobs. |
| 3. Millennials are not job-hoppers; many are committed to freelancing and building successful freelance careers. |
| 4. Freelancing allows millennials to have a better work-life balance and control over their career paths. |
| 5. The myth that millennials are not financially stable in freelancing is debunked, as many are earning competitive incomes. |
| 6. Millennials are resourceful and adapt well to freelancing platforms, using them to grow their businesses. |
| 7. Contrary to the myth that freelancing is just a temporary phase, millennials see it as a long-term career choice. |
| 8. The younger generation’s preference for freelancing is changing the future of work and shaping new work paradigms. |
Myth 1: Millennials Are Lazy
The first myth is that millennials are lazy. Although the millennial generation is often criticized for being entitled and lazy, this isn’t the case at all. Millennials are hard workers who want to succeed in their careers.
Millennials grew up with technology and understand how to use it better than any other generation; therefore, they can do more work from home than previous generations could do.
Many millennials prefer working remotely as a freelancer because they don’t have to commute and waste time driving back and forth between work every day with all of their colleagues who also live closer by than other cities or states across America!
Exploring the freelance world can be an eye-opening experience. Learn about 13 ways we are different in the freelance world to better understand the unique aspects of freelancing.
Myth 2: Millennials Don’t Want To Pay Their Dues
The second myth is that millennials don’t want to pay their dues. The opposite is true: millennials are willing to do whatever it takes to get where they want to be.
They know that just because you have a degree and have been working for a few years doesn’t mean you should automatically be promoted into your dream job or higher-paying position.
Millennials understand the importance of paying their dues, especially when there are so many options available for them in the freelance world, for example, they can take on short-term projects instead of one long-term project at an employer with little room for growth.
Myth 3: Millennials Only Care About Making Money
While millennials are certainly motivated by the prospect of earning more money, other factors play into their decision-making process when it comes to freelancing.
Some studies show that millennials are more likely to be motivated by a sense of purpose than older generations and have a greater interest in working for causes they believe in.
They’re also known for valuing work-life balance and being highly flexible with their schedules which means if you offer your employees the ability to work remotely or on a flexible schedule as part of their benefits package (or at least be open to discussing it).
You’ll stand out from other companies looking for candidates who aren’t seeking traditional nine-to-five jobs with strict hours and locations.
Myth 4: Millennials Don’t Know What A Full Workday Looks Like
This might be one of the most surprising myths. Sure, you could say that millennials are more likely to work remotely because they’re all helicopter parents who don’t want their children around them at the office, but that’s not the case (at least for those born after 1990).
It’s more likely that millennials have become accustomed to having access to technology from all over. They grew up with mobile phones and laptops and now they have smartphones and tablets as well as desktop computers in their homes.
When it comes time for them to get serious about working on something, they’re often able to find seclusion in any corner of their home or anywhere else where there’s Wi-Fi connectivity!
Generation Z is shaping the future with their unique perspectives. Take a look inside yesterday’s yesterday’s tomorrow to see how this generation is making an impact.
Myth 5: Millennials Won’t Commit To Projects For A Long Period
The facts: Let’s get this out of the way first millennials are more likely to change jobs than previous generations.
According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, millennials today change jobs every three years, on average, compared to six years in the 1980s and eight years in the 1990s.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that millennials are less loyal to employers or projects than earlier generations were; it just means they’ve chosen more diverse career paths and may switch from one job or project type to another throughout their working lives.
Millennials also tend to have more jobs at once than past generations did. According to Gallup polling data, 40 percent of employed Americans aged 18–29 hold down multiple jobs significantly higher than older age groups (25 percent for 30–49-year-olds; 18 percent for 50+).
This could be because millennials have had difficulty finding steady work during economic recessions or because they prefer having multiple streams of income at once. Either way, this trend reflects an entrepreneurial spirit rather than a lack thereof:
Millennials don’t want traditional 9-to-5 jobs where they’re locked into one workplace indefinitely; they want flexibility and freedom so they can pursue other professional opportunities when necessary and often do so without asking permission from higher-ups first!
Myth 6: Millennials Are Overconfident In Their Skills
Millennials have been told that they are overconfident and it’s become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As Millennial workers, we’ve been conditioned to believe that our educations, internships, and degrees make us more qualified than our older counterparts who may have less work experience or fewer credentials;
This has prompted some employers to treat us like we’re invincible even if we don’t know what we’re doing yet.
But what about the rest of the world? Does everyone think millennials are overconfident? Well … no! Research shows that millennials’ confidence is pretty normal compared with other generations’.
It turns out that if you ask any generation how confident they feel about their abilities at work or school (and then compare those answers with how well they perform), most people will rate themselves highly regardless of their actual performance level.
Myth 7: Millennials Don’t Care About Company Culture Or Perks
You might think that millennials don’t care about company culture or perks, but you’d be wrong.
Even though they’ve moved away from traditional workplaces and have a reputation for being work-averse, millennials do want to work for companies that share their values. They also want to be able to contribute their ideas and be heard at work.
That’s right: Millennials don’t just want cool perks; they also want an environment where voices are valued, whether that’s through flexible hours or the ability to telecommute whenever necessary (or both).
The gig economy is changing the way people work. Discover what freelancers have to say about it in our article: Freelancers: What can you tell us about the gig economy?.
Myth 8: All Millennials Act And Think The Same Way
The truth is, that millennials are a diverse group of people. There are many different types of millennials, and each one is unique.
There are some things that all millennials have in common they’re tech-savvy and they value flexibility but they also have different interests and skills.
Some millennials are very career-driven and ambitious; others prefer to work on their schedules; still, others want to travel the world as much as possible before settling down.
Millennials aren’t lazy either: many of them work long hours at unfulfilling jobs because they have student loans to pay off or families to support.
When allowed to pursue something more meaningful than their day jobs (such as freelance writing), however, millennials jump at the chance!
Freelancing is not always easy, but the rewards can be fulfilling. Learn about the challenges and reasons why freelancing is hard and why you should do it anyway to gain a clearer understanding of the freelancing journey.
Don’t Believe Everything You Read Or Hear About Millennials
While it’s true that millennials are often stereotyped as lazy, narcissistic, and entitled, this is far from the truth. Millennials are a diverse group of people with different values and experiences.
According to Stanford University’s Center for the Digital Future, only about 1 in 5 millennials will be freelancers by 2020 and even fewer will be independent workers by choice.
So don’t believe everything you read or hear about this generation of young adults (who may or may not include yourself).
Remember: stereotypes are always overgeneralizations about groups of people based on their age or other demographic characteristics; this type of thinking can hurt companies’ ability to attract talent from all generations and backgrounds!
What drives Generation Z in their careers? Find out what freelancers from Generation Z want from their career and gain insights into their aspirations and goals.
Conclusion
If you’re a millennial or you’ve hired millennials, I encourage you to stop making generalizations about these workers. It’s up to each individual to decide what they want out of the workforce and how they want to approach their careers.
Each person is a unique individual with their strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, and desires. At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel valued in their work and make a valuable contribution to the world around them.
Further Reading
Myths and Truths About Millennials: Discover the realities behind common misconceptions about millennials and gain insights into this generation’s behaviors and values.
10 Millennial Money Myths Debunked: Learn about the financial myths surrounding millennials and get practical advice on managing money effectively.
All About Freelance: Delve into the world of freelancing with this comprehensive resource that covers various aspects of freelancing and its impact on the workforce.
FAQs
What are the key myths about millennials and their truth?
The article “Myths and Truths About Millennials” sheds light on popular myths surrounding millennials and provides evidence-based truths to dispel misconceptions.
How can millennials manage their finances better?
“10 Millennial Money Myths Debunked” offers valuable financial advice and tips to help millennials manage their money more effectively and debunk common money-related myths.
What is the concept of freelancing and how does it work?
Explore the world of freelancing and learn about the ins and outs of freelancing, its benefits, and challenges through the resource “All About Freelance.”
What are the actual characteristics of millennials as a generation?
Discover the real behaviors, values, and characteristics that define millennials through the insightful article “Myths and Truths About Millennials.”
What are some practical tips for succeeding as a freelancer?
Find valuable advice and strategies for freelancers to thrive in the freelance world in the resource “All About Freelance.”
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.