Generation Millennial – The Job Interview

Generalizing these stereotypes is unfair. However, this is a generation that stays up late at night chatting on social media or binge-watch series instead of going to bed on time in order to prepare for the next day’s work. Despite being employed, this is a group that spends time on job boards looking for remote gigs and the next job to hop onto. You see, many millennials will struggle to overcome these allegations.

Who is a Millennial?

Millennials (also called Generation Y) are people born between the years 1981 to 1996. They are born into the golden age of technology and internet advancement, and are typically socially conscious, independent-minded, entrepreneurial and will always find technological innovations instead of doing things the traditional way. For example, instead of letting their schedule prevent them from building a better self through reading, a millennial might create a playlist of personal development books on the Blinkist app, and listen to them on the go. This would make time more efficient.

Because they hold different values and behavioral pattern than Gen X and the Boomers, preparing as a millennial for a job interview can be a daunting task.

Problems Millennials Have in the Job Market

Unlike in the golden days, when there were plenty of lucrative job opportunities (especially for educated people), young people today will find it difficult to land a meaningful and fulfilling employment. The reasons for these challenges include:

1. Stereotype by Baby Boomers and Gen X

Many people from other generations, who constitute the majority of employers, stigmatize against Gen-Y. They label these young professionals as lazy, entitled, and unstable. These stereotypes tend to cloud their judgement against a millennial during job interviews, making them unwilling to take a chance on the younger applicants.

1. College Degree as Entry Barrier

According to Pew Research, only 4 out of 10 young workers hold a university degree. But this degree is often the minimum requirement for getting a job in the desired industry. Although many jobs such as web development, software engineering, data analysis, etc. require skills and not a degree certificate, some employers do not give new talents a chance if it isn’t backed with a degree.

1. Lack of Experience

Many job openings require 3 to 5 years of experience – even for an entry position. This is because companies are searching for candidates who do not require extensive training to fit into the role. This challenge has made it difficult for Gen-Y to compete with older people who have stayed in the field for many years. Because of this, they have to resort to both unpaid and poorly paid internships.

Skills and Advantages Millennials Often Contribute Towards Their Future Employer

Every organization that wants to stay afloat should prioritize employing young minds as they bring numerous skills, talent and other advantages to the workplace. Some advantages of employing millennials include:

• They’re innovative and technologically savvy.
• They’re adaptable and open to changes.
• Millennials bring a high social awareness to a company.
• They’re highly creative and have an entrepreneurial spirit.
• They’re highly educated, knowledgeable and curious.
• Gen-Y always find innovative ways of solving hard problems.
• They can still be taught

And now that we have found out why it is important to also hire younger generations, let’s find out how to master every job interview with success.

“With Blinkist you can boost your knowledge and gain new perspectives so that you can be a better professional, a better partner, or a better you.” – The United Nations

8 Steps To Master Every Job Interview

Preparing for a job interview can be a daunting task due to the high level of competition and the stereotype against young applicants. Here are some tips for a millennial to ace the next job interview:

1. Research the Company and the Interviewers

Human interaction is always smoother when you know who you’re dealing with. Rather than attending the interview without any specific information about the company, take the time to research about it as well as the interviewers. Having relevant information about the company and the people interviewing you, helps to speak confidently, ask intelligent questions — impacting your overall performance.

2. Review the Job Description

Even if you’re not highly experienced in the role you’re applying for, you stand a better chance of impressing the employers when you review, research and learn extensively about the roles before attending the millennial interview. By doing this, you will be able to present yourself as one who can deliver on the responsibilities with ease.

3. Do a Mock Interview

Get a friend to rehearse with you, and ask you questions related to the position you’re applying for. Make the practice as intense as possible, and use the opportunity to master how to answer questions without stuttering. This is also the best time to apply the knowledge you have acquired from researching about the company and the employer. Try to find relevant questions to ask them about the organization and role.

4. Bring your Materials Along

Some young people make the mistake of showing up without copies of their resume because, they already sent it during the application. Don’t make this rookie mistake. Instead, print a few copies of your C.V, cover letter, portfolio, and anything else that’d be relevant in convincing the employer that you’re a good fit for the position.

5. Arrive in Early

You will have more time to relax and prepare your mind if you arrive at the interview venue on time. You can also use this time to go over some of the important information you gathered during your preparation. While waiting, maintain a positive body language. This is because some companies start assessing their candidates also by observing them in the waiting lobby.

6. Be Positive, Friendly and Confident

Throughout the process, maintain a friendly composure and confident body language. Don’t fret, fidget or avoid eye contact with the interviewers. Instead, maintain eye contact and link your statements to your learnings and knowledge.

When employers ask you the reason you left your former employer, don’t say anything negative. Instead, tell them that you’re seeking opportunities to grow in your career, and this new job seems like the perfect fit upon which you can reach your goals.

7. Use your Age to your Advantage

While age may be a disadvantage due to lack of experience, you can also use your age as a tool to ace your millennial job interview. If your job requires a knowledge of tech and new media, remind the employers that you’re a young professional with an in-depth understanding of technology and an excitement to find innovative ways of solving problems.

“Blinkist encourages you to read more nonfiction books. The app contains cleverly written digests—called Blinks—where books are broken down into their main arguments.” –The New York Times

8. Read Books that Make you Standout

Reading books on productivity, career, and communication sets you apart and keeps you prepared for interviews. Books like Dele Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, Raymond L. Gordon’s “Basic Interviewing Skills” and James Storey’s “The Art of Interview,” will teach you how to handle any interview impressively.

A Millennial Job Interview – The Short Movie

A millennial job interview is a 2017 short film written by Ralf Odierna and directed by Daniel Brea. An amusing interview between millennial applicant Amy (Mellisa Tucker) and Professor Abraham (Tom Katsis) takes place. The video has received beyond 12 million views, 25,000 comments, and more than 500,000 people have shared it on social media.