Hey, Millennials — the generation that grew up with the internet and smartphones — do you ever feel like you’re the forgotten children of history? We were once told to work hard, study diligently, and the world would be ours. But reality seems to have a different script for us. From financial crises to high inflation, Millennials have experienced a series of “missing era dividends,” as if the world owes us a check that never gets cashed.
The Baptism of the Financial Crisis
The 2008 financial crisis was a major setback. Just as we were gearing up to make our mark, the economic wave crashed over us. The job market turned into a post-apocalyptic scene, with unemployment rates soaring and newly minted graduates taking any job they could find. Picture someone with a master’s degree working at a coffee shop — sounds inspiring, right? Actually, we’d prefer stable career paths over “starting from the bottom” motivational stories.
The Cutthroat Job Market
The job market is like a giant gladiatorial arena, where a high degree is the bare minimum. Our generation not only competes with peers but also with overqualified “gods” in the job market. Internships, gig work, and temp jobs have become the norm. Job stability? What’s that? Sometimes, it feels like we’re starring in a workplace version of “The Hunger Games.”
The Pandemic “Assist”
Remember the COVID-19 pandemic? That really added insult to injury. Remote work sounded like a dream at first, but we ended up as 24/7 on-call “work machines.” Those once-clear career plans were turned upside down. Mental health? In this “work frenzy,” anxiety and stress became our new normal. Plans and goals seemed to vanish overnight.
The Squeeze of High Inflation and Rising Interest Rates
Next, welcome to the era of high inflation and rising interest rates. House prices skyrocketed, leaving us staring at our dream homes from afar. The constant rise in student loans and living costs made it hard to breathe. Financial security became the top priority, and major life decisions? They had to wait. More and more Millennials are delaying buying homes and starting families, simply because their wallets can’t keep up.
Work hard to make money, but the wallet stays empty
In this environment, financial security became paramount. According to a global survey by payroll services company ADP, only 25% of Millennials (ages 24–34) prioritize enjoyment in their daily work when choosing a job, compared to 45% of Baby Boomers aged 55 and over. Instead, 56% of Millennials prioritize salary, a higher percentage than the 44% of younger employees aged 18–24. Millennials also value career development opportunities more than other age groups. We’ve turned into realists because dreams don’t pay the bills.
Despite working hard, many Millennials feel they’re not getting the returns they deserve. Job satisfaction surveys reveal that many Millennials are dissatisfied with their salaries, work environment, and career development opportunities. Stagnant wage growth and career bottlenecks make it difficult to find a sense of achievement and satisfaction at work. This not only affects personal career happiness but also has a negative impact on the economic vitality of society as a whole.
This is the same sort of story that every single generation has been through and is nothing new. Everyone's parents and grandparents apparently had a free ride, an easy life where money was plentiful and nobody worked hard. It's not that true though, each generation had it's own issues to overcome - there was massive inflation rampant in the 1980's, the 1960's were still dealing with the overhang from the biggest war on the planet, etc. I disagree with the "Pandemic assist" analysis as well, as lots of people were given hand outs during that era and working from home is a luxury compared to previous generations, plus - you don't have to be on call 24/7 if you push back on it.
