Workplace success hacks for the millennial from a millennial

07/05/2016

Rangam Consultants wants to provide our clients and consultants the latest market intelligence and to that end we are starting to explore the world of temporary staffing and job seeking through the eyes of a millennial. We enlisted the help of a guest blogger for this week. She is a world-traveled JD Candidate who has taken her own experiences and those of her peers and developed this honest and detailed set of guidelines. Whether you are a hiring manager, a parent or a job-seeking millennial, we want to hear about your experiences. Write to us at staffing@rangam.com.By 2020, millennials will form approximately half of the global workforce. Competitive, confident and driven, they approach the workplace differently than the soon-to-retire Baby Boomer generation or their Generation X boss. As a result, they tend to be uncomfortable with the rigid corporate structures of the past, and this may result in friction within the changing workplace environment. To help this future generation achieve success in the workplace, we have compiled a list of dos and don?ts that adapts them to the office life while retaining their need for flexibility.

Dos

Put in some effort ? Unless you work in Google or Facebook, you have to dress seriously in order to be taken seriously by your boss. This includes wearing office appropriate attire and maintaining personal hygiene, as first impressions still matter. Go ahead and participate in Movember, but make sure your beard looks good in a suit.Be visible ? You may have a 7 AM call with clients in another country but don?t let your employer wonder where you are if you?re not in the office at 9 AM. Remember to show your work and the effort you?re putting in, and not become a tardy wallflower.Adapt and Network ? Yes, you need to be held accountable for your work, and your mistakes, but you also have to play nice with your colleagues. Millennials have been raised in a competitive world through no fault of their own, but a little networking goes a long way in your professional career. Generation X is touted as more likely to have the team player trait, but millennials are more adaptable which is why you need to be able to be a team player and network. Make ample use of LinkedIn, and spend an extra two minutes forming a relationship with a work acquaintance. Your colleague in IT could be the next Steve Jobs and that is a handy contact to have.Be organized ? What sets millennials apart is that they know technology like no one else. Make use of your smartphones, not only to socialize, but also to organize your work life with the multitude of apps available to you. Respond quickly to emails, set reminders, maintain calendars, and use the thumb access to the world?s information to wow your boss with innovative ideas and solutions.

Don'ts

Be overconfident ? Confidence can go a long way in paving your career path but arrogance can turn off the very people in charge of your promotion. Take credit when it?s due, but maintain that human contact with your colleagues. You never know when you might need their help.Be impatient ? Ride out the slow climb to success. Rome wasn?t built in a day and nor will be your career. Many companies are discouraged by job-hopping millennials and become hesitant to hire them. Your job may be boring at times, but by displaying old-school loyalty, and bringing your creativity to work, you can stay and grow in your job.