I am going to attempt to give our Millennial advisors some advice on how they should navigate a career in travel. This advice can also be used by owners and managers who have young professionals on staff. These comments are meant to be constructive. Any negative comment is meant as more of a general statement; it’s not personal.
First off, Millennial advisors are determined and focused. They know what they want and are highly educated. They are determined to transform the work place and create a business lifestyle that suits their needs. And most of all, they are not afraid to speak up.
When I first started out, young professionals just sat in on meetings and listened. If they had a thought to share, they went to the manager afterward with their comments. As the saying goes, “speak when you’re spoken to.”
My first Millennial staff member sat in one of her first client meetings, and she wouldn’t stop talking. For a moment, I was taken aback and wanted to give her a kick under the table, and then I realized she was making a lot of sense. This trait is common among all my younger staff. So my first suggestion for Millennials is to find an employer that lets you have a seat at the table, takes your input and lets you take action on molding the business for the next generation. If you are not in such an environment, you will be itching to leave.
Now, a comment on leaving; many Millennials become too anxious to move up the corporate ladder, and they jump from job to job too often. In job interviews, this is perceived as a negative as most employers detest being used as a stepping stone by you before you move on. At least try to stay with the same company for three to four years. Anything less and you will be seen as a “jumper.”
Also, I always say, you either grow in a company or you grow out of a company. Be wary of frequent moves; relax, you have 40-plus years of your career ahead of you. The Millennial generation has just out-populated the Baby Boomers, so your generation has arrived in full force.
I recently spent the day at the Young Travel Professionals FutureLab, held at Park Hyatt New York. (I’m shown here, center, with Tristan Dowell of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Karen Magee, Marisa Costa and Wazha Dube of YTP). Hyatt has been a great partner in listening and responding to the needs of Millennials. Congratulations to Tristan and YTP for a very successful event. Here’s to your future.