“Don’t just focus on yourself, and where you’re headed, and how you want your career to progress, but look around at what’s working for people.” —  Cara Silletto

Being a millennial in the workforce right now is a peculiar experience — and this is coming from a millennial. We’ve lived through two economic recessions and have accepted the reality that nothing is certain.

In work, that translates to always having one foot out of the door. Why stay in one role or position when it is possible that you could be laid off, furloughed, or made redundant at any moment? Plus, many of us feel the need to achieve personal fulfillment in our careers — so if we do not find that in one role, we seek it out in another. 

Recent studies reveal that: 

• 21% of millennial workers have switched jobs in the last 12 months (Dynamic Signal)

• 43% of Millennials plan to quit their current job within two years (Forbes)

• 62% of millennials looking to switch jobs are considering a switch to freelancing (Deloitte)

• Only 28% plan to stay in their current role for more than five years (Forbes)

With pivoting being the new normal, what does that mean for long-term career success? For many of us, it means understanding and mastering career fluidity. 

Cara Silletto is a workforce thought leader in employee retention and the author of Staying Power: Why Your Employees Leave and How to Keep Them Longer. A millennial herself, Cara was our guest on Episode 53, “Bridging the Gap between Generations to Drive Retention and Workforce Momentum.”

Cara has studied trends in millennial workforce behavior and has tips for millennials who are invested in advancing their careers but find themselves stuck — especially when there is tension between the generations. For millennials, understanding how to be fluid but also competitive and hirable is key. 

She offers her advice for thriving in your current position so that you don’t feel compelled to “jump ship” immediately. It’s possible to achieve the things you want out of your career while maintaining stability and good rapport within your organization. 

1. Don’t just focus on yourself and your career progression. 

Watch and learn to see what is really going on in a situation. Observe what’s working for others as they progress, and then try to understand the reasons behind what’s working within your organization and how people are getting those new opportunities or promotions.

2. Avoid the blame game.

Millennials often feel frustrated when they face friction at work or feel like they are not moving fast enough. Before reacting, try to analyze the dynamics of the situation and its outcomes. Avoid blaming other people and assuming you aren’t getting what you want compared to others. There’s often more to the story than you might initially think. 

3. Take constructive criticism. 

See challenges as a chance to grow, rather than a setback. You do not always need to pivot at every point of tension. These are moments to challenge yourself to be better and learn new hard or soft skills. However, if the dissonance never seems to dissipate, trust your instincts if you need to move on.

4. Don’t be narrowly and inwardly focused. 

Understand how your business/industry operates and how it makes money. Then, see how you can take your role to the next level by taking those considerations into account and subsequently delivering value to your organization based on this knowledge.

5. Look at your career path holistically.

Rather than making snap decisions, be patient. Focus on the being in the momentum to truly master what it is you’re doing, knowing that it’ll be advantageous in the long-run. Realize that your moves may need to be lateral or even backward to achieve the goals you want.

For more, listen to the full episode here: https://www.strategicmomentum.co/episodes/53

If you have your own career advice, submit it here: https://www.strategicmomentum.co/submit-story