Spoiled, self-centered, and unable to help themselves. These are some of the words that are used to describe us Millennials, or also known as Generation Y. People love to hate this age group born between 1981 to 1996 because the accusations are true to a great extent. So we must ask, how did we end up this way? After all, Millennials did not instigate the sexual revolution, popularize divorce, create the debt culture, facilitate the migrant crisis, or fund terrorism --- all of which shaped us into the kind of people that we are.
Gen Y now makes up the majority of the workforce. We also have better chances of surviving COVID-19. Such advantages make Millennials the new primary drivers of economic growth. Refusing to have a deeper look at the improper guidance that we received will trap us into the cycle of wrongdoings that led to our present crises. Career development is one area in which we got a lot of terrible advice. Different sorts of unwise counsel about work have buried us in financial and psychological problems that are difficult to get out of. Let’s examine three of these morsels of foolishness so that we may learn to navigate our lives and care for the other generations who are now counting on us.
# 3 “Take up any higher education degree that you’re passionate about, and the money will follow!”
WHY IT’S WRONG: A quick search at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website shows that some degrees lead to careers that are more lucrative than others. In fact, some professions pay quite low even if your parents shelled out hundreds of thousands for your degree. This is the law of supply and demand at work: employers can afford to pay lower salaries if there are too many people with the same skill set as yours are vying for the same job positions. On the other hand, people who majored in rigorous degrees have rare skills that are rewarded with bigger pay. Remember too that our passions can change. It’s therefore better to look around for problems that people struggle with, select a few that we can to solve, and let our passions result from the services that we render.
IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS BAD ADVICE: There are many short courses that you can study to learn in-demand skills, such as data science, computer programming, and digital marketing. Consider exposing yourself to a lot of prospective careers by first studying online for free. Try a reasonably priced certification course once you’ve narrowed down the job that you like. Doing so will give you a more structured training, not to mention a new professional network that can help you get your foot in the door.
# 2 “Study (insert degree here) because it’s highly in-demand, regardless of your interests or innate abilities.”
WHY IT’S WRONG: You will most likely be mediocre in anything that’s not aligned with your interests. Moreover, you will make life hellish for you and everyone else if you suck at work. You might even get fired, or blacklisted at worst. The law of supply and demand will also play out because if multitudes flock to a profession that’s “in-demand”, the demand will fall, thus leading to fewer job opportunities and lower salaries (e.g., oversupply of nursing graduates in the Philippines from the late 2000s to the early 2010s).
IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS BAD ADVICE: Don’t quit your job right away! Use the money that you’re earning to monetize your hobbies. For example, if you’re an accountant who hates everything about your profession but you love writing as well as baking, start a blog about --- you guessed it --- baking! Then rent out ad spaces on your blog. You can even use your writing portfolio to land other types of work. Quit your stable job only after you’ve turned your side hustle into a full-time source of income. Or leave if you can find another stable position that’s more tolerable. No matter what happens, don’t burn bridges on your way out!
# 1 “You must work abroad even if it means taking on a job that’s below your skill set.”
WHY IT’S WRONG: Oooohhh boy! This is the career advice that inflicted some of the greatest damages upon humanity. First, it took people away from well-paying jobs that gave them purpose just so they can live third world lifestyles in first world countries. Second, it made the skills gap worse because more people are now competing for jobs in saturated markets after vacating positions that require higher-order cognitive skills. Third, it fueled socio-political woes such as the surge of illegal immigration, family separation, and the exploitation of migrant workers. And these problems gave birth to even more problems!
IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS BAD ADVICE: You don’t necessarily have to leave your receiving country. You can study again to learn skills that nearby companies need. Research thoroughly about moving to another state or province that can give you better opportunities. If all else fails, consider returning to your home country if you can find a well-paying job there. As for you illegal immigrants, PLEASE turn yourselves over to your home countries’ embassies. You need all the help that you can get to avoid prison.
I’m sure that many of those who gave us the aforementioned advice meant well. Unfortunately, some do want us to fail. Instead of playing the blame game, let’s reflect about the past to identify where we went wrong and find the right path. So I ask you: what bad career advice did you receive? How did it affect you? What are you going to do about it?
(Photos from Canva)
Comments