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You may have the perception that career coaching is only for those facing a career crisis or needing an urgent departure from their current role.
Career Coaching has also been inaccurately portrayed as a luxury—only afforded to those with money and affluence or who desire to climb the corporate ladder. It’s quite rare that people think of career coaching for early- to mid-level professionals or recent college graduates.
Society associates career coaching to be synonymous with upward career trajectory or ascension, and we tend to ignore the other intrinsic benefits of career coaching.
These benefits include discovering your passions, finding a career that reflects your morals and values, navigating career transitions, and articulating your skillset.
The Millennial Workplace Takeover
You may have heard of the millennial workforce takeover. We are the largest living generation in the United States. By 2025, we will represent 75 percent of the workforce.
This means that employers will not only be hiring more millennials, but they will also need to invest in retaining them. Millennials will also need to articulate what’s most important for them in a career.
Workplace flexibility, diverse coworkers, promotion and advancement opportunities, as well as a commitment to social responsibility are all critical factors for millennials. If employers want to retain millennials, they'll need to pay attention to these factors.
Millennial women face the added pressure of starting and raising a family—while also working more hours than women in previous generations.
SoFi and reproductive health company Modern Fertility surveyed thousands of women about why they were waiting to have children.
The number one reason was (unsurprisingly) money. 60 percent of participants reported that they are delaying childbearing due to needing a higher salary. They also found that three out of five respondents were willing to delay having a family until they reached a certain job title or level.
Millennials are working longer hours. They are far more educated than previous generations, but they are also saddled with increasingly more debt as a result. Thanks, student loans!
Finding a "good enough job" can be increasingly challenging for millennials, as we're impacted by financial barriers and strains that are often far beyond our control.
This may lead many millennials to feel disillusioned about finding a career that suits them—and feeling as if they just have to settle for something that pays the bills.
The 4 Reasons Millennials Need Career Coaching + Mentorship
If millennials are going to dominate the workforce, we need more career coaches who are in tune with their needs and challenges.
Millennials also need to realize that their careers are being influenced by factors that are often beyond our control, which is why career coaching is critically important.
So why should millennials seek out a career coach? Here are four reasons that dedicated career coaching or mentorship can help Millennials breakthrough.
1. Millennials Want a Work-Life Balance
Let’s be honest: The 40-hour, 5-days-a-week work schedule is extremely antiquated.
Millennials are questioning the very existence of the 40-hour work week and demanding that work be a source of fulfillment and enjoyment. Millennials are challenging the simple concept of commuting to work and sitting in an office chair for eight or ten hours a day.
With the advancement of technology and the ability to work from virtually anywhere, more employers are starting to reject the notion of in-person, office work.
More than 80 percent of millennials seriously consider how a job will impact their work-life balance. Millennials want to be paid well, but they also desire a job that provides them with wellness perks. Having access to a local gym, generous paid time off, and mental health days is also very important.
How Career Coaches Can Help:
A career coach can help you determine what you find most fulfilling in a career. They can also help you in negotiating other perks beyond salary compensation.
Do you know how to negotiate more paid time off, more professional development, or more wellness perks before accepting a job offer? A career coach can help you do just that.
2. Millennials Are More Educated and Skilled
Millennials are the most educated generation. According to the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of millennials value a college education. Additionally, millennial women are more educated than women in previous generations.
Millennials are also well-versed in technology and are committed to ongoing skill-building and professional development. Millennials have a strong desire for learning and understand that learning new skills allows them to remain competitive.
How Career Coaches Can Help:
Career coaches can help millennials in assessing and marketing their skills to employers—and they can assist millennials in helping determine their value proposition and articulate their skills to an employer.
If you have gained a lot of skills and certifications over the years, a career coach can help you strategize to sell yourself in a way that sets you apart from the average candidate.
3. Millennials Have Been Dubbed the Job-Hopping Generation (Among Other Things)
Gallup identifies millennials as the most likely among generations to switch careers and suggests that six in ten millennials are open to new job opportunities.
COVID-19 has created a level of uncertainty for some millennials about their career trajectory, but it has left many of us wanting to explore other opportunities beyond our current roles—and why not?
Millennials also understand that in order to have career mobility, you may have to move around and change jobs. Job hopping isn’t necessarily a bad thing if done strategically—especially if it involves moving from a lower to a higher title, more pay, or to a job that affords you more flexibility.
Even despite the benefits of job-hopping, it is often misunderstood by prospective employers, who may question your commitment to the company if you frequently job hop.
How Career Coaches Can Help:
Career coaches can help you navigate these multiple career transitions and make decisions based on your values and what’s important to you. They can also assist you in crafting a job search or a career plan that leads to upward mobility and advancement.
Lastly, career coaches can also assist you in explaining your reason for changing jobs to a future employer.
4. Career Coaches Can Help Grow Your Network
Millennials recognize the value of staying in touch with their professional network: 71 percent agree that it’s an effective way to build and nurture relationships.
Millennials also understand the traditional method of online applications isn’t the only way to get a job and that your personal and professional network can be a great resource to utilize in your job search.
A career coach can help you assess the assets or resources within your network, introduce you to new employer connections, and coach you on networking strategies.
Millennials may be a bit reluctant to seek out a career coach, but career coaches are invaluable. Given the fact that millennials will dominate the workforce and bring a plethora of fresh talent and skills to the workplace, they are the quintessential career coaching client.
Millennials—if you are looking to take your career to the next level, invest in yourself and hire a career coach. You won’t be disappointed.
Hot tip: Career Contessa offers a career coaching service where you can work 1:1 with pre-vetted experts, like this author, Ciera Graham. Learn more here.
