Future of Work for Millennials: Project Management

The future of work for millennials is project management. Don’t believe me? Here’s why.

1. Flexibility

We can manage our projects wherever we want. You know why? Because of the beauty of Wi-Fi! Most projects that we’re put in charge of consist of extensive amounts of research, e-mails, and meetings. So please explain to me why we can’t do our research while sitting at Starbucks or at a park, outside, on a freaking gorgeous day. We want to be able to work flexible hours, tossing aside the 9-5 mentality allowing us to blend our work lives with our personal lives.

2. Accountability

I know that this might come as a shock to some people but Gen-Yers don’t want five supervisors and a manager AND a director breathing down their necks every two seconds. There are few things more annoying than that. In my current job, we have a task-tracking table where all the employees from the department have to record what they’ve accomplished that day. Every day I’m tempted to delete the file.  Now, I understand that my supervisor asks us to document our work in an effort to cover her ass. However, for us employees, IT’S ANNOYING. And quite frankly, it makes us feel like we’re being treated like children.We like knowing that we are accountable for our work. If we fail, we’re held personally accountable, not our bosses. And we don’t like to fail, so that is motivation enough to succeed.

3. Meaningful Work

We want meaningful work. This is nothing new. In my brief experience with project management, my boss put me in charge of coordinating a Bone Marrow Drive. During the three weeks that it took to coordinate, I was so engaged in my work. I loved waking up and knowing that I was working to put together something that would help others. I didn’t mind that I was getting e-mails on my iPhone at 8pm. It actually excited me. I felt proud of the work I was doing and I felt a certain sense of pride knowing that my boss was confident in my ability to work independently to see this project through.

4. Proper Credit

We’re a generation that’s obsessed with receiving credit. We go almost anywhere and we have to “check in”, letting everyone know that we were there, regardless of the fact that they couldn’t care any less. Have a favorite restaurant? Now you’re obsessed with being the “mayor”. As new members of the workforce we want to prove to those that think we should only be making copies that we are in fact quite capable of doing real work. Nothing feels better than being able to complete a project and take credit for the work that was done.

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Other stuff you might like:

• Generation Y Redefines Success
• How To Be Rich in Your Twenties
• The 5 Most Valuable Lessons Grad School Taught Me
• Pursue a Lifestyle, Not a Job
• Why We Need to Get Over Our Fear of Rejection
• Don’t Wait, Be Happy Now
• The 5 Best Investments You Can Make in College

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