Chris A. Petersen

Strategic Thinker, Professional Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator

How Millennials Can Securely Change Jobs

Have you noticed the current shift in career commitment? It used to be, even if you hated your job, you stuck with it. You made a commitment to the company and your family, so you made a decision to stick it out. Millennials, however, tend to prioritize their happiness differently than other generations.

Today, the emerging trend is if someone isn’t happy in their position, they seek out a new one. Sometimes this new role or position may be in their current company, or it might be with a completely new company. Millennials aren’t afraid to switch jobs, positions, or even entire careers.

Additionally, the notion of working 80-90 hours per week, or whatever it takes “to go above and beyond,” is not as widely adopted anymore. People tend to focus more on their community and giving back instead of spending all of their free time in the office.

Why Might You Leave Your Current Job?

I encountered an example of a Millennial following this lead pretty recently in my life. A young lady who used to be my daughter’s nanny had graduated from college and gotten a great job. She is a very bright and ambitious young woman. However, after less than two years, the company she was working for made a lot of changes (some due to recent acquisition activity), and she found she wasn’t really happy with the new direction.

While she was considering whether or not to stay with the company, she was contacted by a family who needed a nanny for their children. As their nanny, she would be able to travel the world with them for the next year. She reached out to me to see if I would be a reference for her, and of course I agreed. She also asked me if she could ask for some advice—to which, of course, I also agreed. In essence, she wanted to know what I thought about her potential decision to leave the very professional position she currently held and had worked so hard for in college, to spend a year nannying around the world.

A Change Can Be Good

This gave me pause for a moment. In the past, I would have immediately told her it was a bad idea. I was so used to the idea that when you made the commitment to your company, you have to follow through. I would have also told her it would look bad to have a gap in her resume for a position she could have secured without a college degree and was outside her chosen field of professional employment (even though a nanny is a very important job).

Today, I am not of the same mindset because of all my experiences. I supported her decision with a smile, and encouragement. “If you have the support of your parents, and if you feel it’s the right decision for your life and future… go for it.”

With excitement, she listened to my unexpected words. “This could be a great opportunity to see the world,” I said. I ended with a little more career advice: “You’ll also have the chance to possibly learn about other career opportunities you might be more interested in.”

A Note of Warning to Millennials

Prior to any departure from a current position, it is a good idea to have a plan for how you might be able to rejoin the marketplace when you return.

It would be wise to meet with people and mentors in your network before you make any major decisions like this. Make sure to maintain those invaluable relationships, asking for vital advice on how to exit and reenter, as well as make and maintain the contacts you might meet while pursuing an alternate opportunity.

Something else to think about would be trying to find a way to learn and incorporate new skills you could potentially use on your return to the workplace. This keeps you relevant and fresh for when you begin your job search again.

This generation is so much more open to taking risks and trying new things. Failure isn’t as scary to Millennials, and they see almost everything as a learning experience instead of as a real failure within their career. However, having a plan in place for when you step off the plane after a year of traveling, or quit a job you want to move on from, will give you a little more security.

A Good Work Ethic Means A Good Work-Life Balance

When most people hear the phrase, “good work ethic,” they think of someone who works with extreme focus and diligence. This person often puts their job above everything else in their life, and they end up running themselves ragged.

But the truth is this: an ethic is a philosophy, and having a good work ethic means having a healthy understanding of what work is, why we do it, and how it plays into the rest of our lives.

Learning the Lesson

At one of my previous jobs, I was the go-to person. If anyone had a question, I would get a call at three in the morning. I never said no. I was the person who would run to the fire.

Eventually, I realized I needed a change. I was so off balance, my personal life was hurting. While I was deciding what to do, I realized I wouldn’t be able to transition down the ladder in my company after having been their go-to person for so long. I even had a conversation with the CEO, and I explained my situation. He told me I didn’t have to be that person. I could be anyone, but when I was truly honest with myself, I knew that couldn’t happen. Not at that company.

So I made a difficult choice—I did what was best for me, my personal life and my family, and I resigned. I took some time off and started looking for another job with a better—and healthier—idea of what I needed in a balanced work situation.

Since then, I have found better opportunities for me. I now set my own expectations and my own boundaries.

Balance Starts at the Top

If your boss has balance, it’ll be a lot easier for you to have it, as well. In my career today, I’ve found balance. In the companies I work with, it’s practiced by the CEO on down.

Now I look for companies that are more balanced. I find myself thinking it’s okay if the doctor runs late, or if I need to go get a haircut, or go to my daughter’s school to help out. I can’t blow off work or be late consistently, but I’ve learned that sometimes you can reschedule your day to find some balance. Make time for real life.

Previously, I never would have postponed a call, or rescheduled, or let someone else take the call. Now, I can do those things. In my life today, that balance is non-negotiable.

It’s Just Business

Identify what balance means to you at the start of your career and as your career progresses. Some companies may not allow for the right balance you need, and you’ll have to make a decision about whether or not that’s the right company for you. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not just about the company you work for. You have to enforce your own balance, even though it will be difficult.

No matter how much you give up for your work, or how good you are at it, remember, it’s just business. It’s not the only piece of who you are. It’s part of who you are, but it’s just business. Don’t be afraid, even in a new job, to say you aren’t available sometimes.

And remember this: you have the right to make real choices about your work-life balance!

Building relationships with female coworkers

You may be familiar with the workplace myth, “We’re not at work to make friends.” In other words, the office is a place for an employee to be an efficient worker, not a place for socializing or forming relationships. It’s the same tired concept, that professional and personal are like oil and vinegar.

In reality, the traditionalists who believe this couldn’t be more wrong. Making friends at work is one of the most important things we’ll ever do. When you work a minimum of eight hours per day, five days a week, it’s safe to say a majority of your waking time is spent at work. As a result, it makes sense to want relationships with your coworkers.

However, a huge number of employees see work as a transactional experience. Although productive conversations take place in the workplace, meaningful bonds are not as plentiful. There are many reasons for this: shortened job tenures, social media (and the ease of messaging friends outside of work), and the blur between work and personal lives.

I have been associated with companies that completely restrict relationships internally and externally with others in the same field of employment. This practice is less prevalent today. When I began my career, a prominent company discouraged any friendships outside of normal work hours. Their practices mandated employees not to participate in sports together outside of work teams, not engage in personal relationships with coworkers, and at times, even recommended not sharing lunch together, especially outside of the office.

Today, work culture is the complete opposite. Companies place a huge priority on team-building activities and exercises in order to create an environment capable of fostering friendships in the workplace. A perfect example of this is e-commerce giant Zappos, whose core values focus on embracing change, creating fun, pursuing growth, and building a positive environment, as well as a family spirit.

Being friends with someone in the workplace is more than having fun with each other. It’s not about having someone to watch YouTube videos, gossip about recent events, or take extended lunches with. It doesn’t even mean you’re required to share your deepest, darkest secrets with your colleague.

Workplace friendships are about establishing a common sense of purpose, and that all-for-one, one-for-all mentality amongst employees. It promotes a group loyalty that can result in a shared commitment towards common work.
I have developed friendships in the workplace that transcended both the job and the company. I have carried great friendships from the first company I worked for to my employment today.

Aside from increased job satisfaction and performance, you might be asking yourself what the benefits of being friends with your coworkers are. Studies have placed more emphasis on the benefits such relationships have for companies, and not enough on the benefits for the employees themselves. Friendship at work can lead to three very important things:

1. Productivity
In the workplace, there is no such thing as independence. Even if you have always considered yourself a strong and independent person, a time will eventually come where you feel the need to ask for a favor or help from a coworker.

This is when the need to be friends with your coworkers is most prominent.

Friends don’t mind lending a hand, even when they have their own hands full. In fact, they are even willing to set their own work aside (on the condition it’s not urgent) to help you make a presentation for your next meeting, or stay after-hours to help you make a report.

Although coworkers will still lend a hand—whether or not you are friends with them—when your boss tells them to, friends actually want to do it without being told, and will put their best foot forward to ensure you don’t lose out. In short, workplace friends will undoubtedly have your back when the going gets tough.

2. Happiness
As mentioned previously, we spend more time at work than we do anywhere else. Having good friends at work can increase happiness, because it instills a sense of belonging or appreciation. Having someone to crack jokes or share light-hearted stories with while working can also have a tremendous impact on reducing stress.

3. Sanity
Work can be a little (or a lot) crazy, either because of the work itself or the people around you. When craziness happens, the only thing that will keep you from tearing your hair out from the roots is having someone to run to, who can empathize and understand.

When you make friends at work, you create a vital support network. Rooting for each other on promotions, consoling each other during rough circumstances, giving advice, or simply providing empathy and support for personal situations—these do wonders for individuals in the workplace.

How to Decide Financial Goals

“A good financial plan is a road map that shows us exactly how the choices we make today will affect our future.” – Alexa Von Tobel

You decide your goals.

Not your mom. Not your dad. Not your boyfriend or girlfriend. You decide what kind of financial reward you want for the work you do.

According to Glenn Carter of Listen Money Matters, when you’re setting goals, it’s important to first figure out what it is you want. Carter writes, “You can’t do anything meaningful until you decide on some goals for the short term (this month), medium term (next 3-6 months) and long-term (1-2 years).” People should consider, “What stage are you at in life and where do you want to be?”

When you’re thinking about where you want to be, take these questions into consideration:

  • What kind of lifestyle do you want?
  • Do you want to have a family?
  • Where do you want to live?
  • What kind of food do you want to eat?
  • What kind of car do you want to drive?
  • Do you want to travel?
  • What kind of giver do you want to be?

Only you can decide how much money you will need to earn to consider yourself a “success,” but you need to determine that amount. Then, come up with a plan to achieve those financial goals.

Talk to a financial planner.

When I was first starting my career, I should have saved more of the money I spent. There was one winter a coworker and I went Christmas shopping together, and we literally blew through thousands of dollars. That’s the reason I advise every young person in business to hire a financial planner who can help you early on in your career to set and stay accountable to financial goals.

Having a financial planner can help you decide your saving strategies early on in your career, as well. When you get paid, you should put some of your income aside into savings, even if it is only a tiny bit. What’s important is for you to begin accumulating wealth and make it a habit.

Partner with a financial planner or advisor as soon as you get your first job. It doesn’t matter whether it pays $20,000 a year or $200,000. Not only can they advise on how to save for retirement, they may also provide insight on how to maximize your employer’s benefits package, or numerous other advantages.

Reevaluate.

As your career continues, you have to decide if the financial reward is worth the effort you are putting into your career, at every stage. This reevaluation can impact where, when, and how much you work.

If you like what you are doing and your employer gives many additional benefits, you may also determine you can work for less money and still consider yourself financially successful.

Don’t confuse money with fulfillment.

People often want to do something because it’s well paid. That doesn’t pose a problem, as long as the work involved is something you actually want to do and could see yourself enjoying.

If not, you may discover financial reward is not enough to make you happy. More money does not necessarily equate to more happiness. If you make $300k/year, but are working 70+ hours a week, constantly traveling, and have no time leftover to spend with your family or friends, let alone yourself, you may want to reconsider if the money is worth it.

According to Eric Roberge of Forbes, “When we look at more money as the ultimate goal, we will never feel satisfied that we have enough.” Money, therefore, shouldn’t be the primary objective. It’s merely the tool we use to obtain our goals, goals I believe should be centered around enhancing relationships and creating memories.

There is one question that will come up no matter what you end up doing: How much is enough?

This is a judgment only you can make.

Tips for Networking

Have you ever heard the phrase, “It’s all about who you know, not what you know”? Almost everyone has heard one variation or another. Today, networking is more critical than ever; not just for finding jobs, but for surrounding yourself with supportive and valuable teammates, friends, and mentors. Throughout my career, I have found the best resources are the people you know, or people they may know, who can lead you to the right position or give you the best perspective.

But how many of us have been taught how to network professionally?

I’e spent decades learning how to build valuable relationships. I know the importance of knowing the right people, especially at the start of your career. Here are my tips for learning how to network:

Work your existing network.

Networking can sound intimidating, especially if you think it means introducing yourself to strangers, CEOs, and industry leaders. Many times, we don’t even know where to start looking for these elusive “whos”. What you need to realize is, you already belong to many networks (family, friend groups, colleagues, church or civic club, etc.) and it can be a natural outgrowth of these primary contacts.

Each network connects to another network (e.g., your child’s teacher can connect you with other parents). What’s more, each member of a network may know of an available job—or any other need you might have—or at least have a connection to someone who knows of one.

When you’re getting started, you don’t need to begin from scratch. Investigate your current relationships. You’ll be surprised by who you’re already connected to.

Talk to people.

Talk to your parents. Talk to your friends. Talk to your coworkers. Talk to parents’ friends. Talk to your Uber driver. Talk to the stranger sitting next to you on the bus.

I talk to everyone; on planes and in restaurants, at my daughter’s school, at the gym, at the grocery store—basically anywhere and everywhere I am.

I ask people what they do, who they work for, if they like it, and if they would recommend it to others. You never know where a connection might lead. According to a survey conducted by LinkedIn and the Adler Group, “85% of critical jobs are filled via networking of some sort.”

I got my first job because I knew someone who worked in a company looking for multiple new graduates to whom they could teach their sales methodology to. A friend of mine got her first job because her dad worked for a data processing company, and he knew of an open entry-level position in his company. Many others I know got their first job almost by accident. So it’s important to keep talking. More than anything else, that will help you find the people you need to meet.

Connect on social media.

Most people today have some presence on social media, for the purpose of connecting with people—it is called the social network after all. If you want to network online, though, I recommend you establish a professional presence on social media.

The key word here is professional. If you want to use social media in a workplace environment, to build your work network, or to build your brand, your profiles need to have more depth than selfies. Put conscious thought into what you post, and think through how that reflects you, your brand, and your employer or business. This is a space for your digital resume. Take it seriously.

That being said, LinkedIn is a great place to share your work experience, credentials, honors, and awards. Facebook and Instagram are platforms to share appropriate photos and links. You can also use social media to connect with individuals or groups in the same workspace or industry as you, and communicate and collaborate digitally.

It’s ok to be picky. When it comes to social media, we can be tempted to think because we are able to connect with anyone, we should connect with everyone. We need to be choosy about who we let in our network, though, so we don’t risk our own credibility or image. By connecting with someone on social media, in a way you are saying you know this person and you vouch for them. Don’t put your professional credibility on the line for just anyone.

Build the right relationships.

What kind of people do you need to surround yourself with? Networking isn’t just about job connections. As you begin your career, you want to surround yourself with the right people who will highlight your strengths, support you in your weaknesses, and open doors for you that never would have been possible otherwise. These are the people you can go to for advice, perspective, feedback, and collaboration.

In several of my past posts, I’ve explored in depth some of the most essential people you should have in your network, including: a ghostwriter, a mentor, an attorney, and a financial planner. I also highly recommend building relationships with a key female executive and a recruiter. Whether you already have a job or not, recruiters are a valuable part of your team and can help you expand your network more than you can alone.

Start now.

Don’t wait to start growing your network. The sooner you start meeting the right people and establishing your professional social media presence, the better. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in high school, getting ready to graduate from college, or a mom of five. Connect now. Reach out and talk to people now.

You don’t need to do everything on your own. Partner with people who can give you guidance outside of your areas of expertise, and you can do the same for others in return.