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Career Advice for Job Seekers

Focus on the Future: The Best Jobs for Millennials

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
February 13, 2014


Magnifying glass over classified section of newspaper, searching dream job

Magnifying glass over classified section of newspaper, searching dream job. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The New Year has arrived, and optimism is in the air. The economy continues to struggle somewhat, but things are picking up, and young people countrywide are either in the midst of their first working years or getting prepped to start them. In either case, these millennials are eagerly striving for the elusive “dream job,” the one that will pay the bills without breaking their spirits, and keep them excited to go to work in the morning.

So what is the objective, hands-down best job for a millennial to have? The short answer is that there simply isn’t one—rather, your dream job depends entirely on your personal perspective and priorities, and so may be completely different from someone else’s. With this in mind, consider looking for positions that meet one or more of the following criteria, depending on what you feel is most important.

Money-Makers

Are you motivated by money, and aiming to make buckets of it shortly after entering the workforce? It’s more possible than you might think, provided you enter the right field. Engineering, finance, and high-level management careers are top money-making choices, and typically have been for many years; today’s job seekers can also potentially find a big salary in the IT field. Of course, high-paying jobs will likely be appropriately demanding and competitive, but if you can overcome these obstacles, your dreams of a sizeable income could come true.

Tech-Savvy Thinkers

Millennials enjoy the unique privilege of having grown up with unparalleled access to new technology, and are perhaps the best equipped to develop it further. If you’re interested in being on the cutting edge and contributing to its evolution, you may be a perfect fit for a career in programming, web development, or social media. Given the tech-savvy mindset of this generation, the average millennial is likely to be fairly familiar with at least one of these fields, making for a potentially smooth transition into a job.

Social Hubs

Sometimes, a dream job is only as good as its workplace environment. This generation puts a strong emphasis on social media and social interaction—why not strive for a job that fosters such things? Social media jobs and tech startups are logical choices for millennials looking to work with their peers. That said, studies have shown that retail is another especially popular field for twenty-something workers, making it an attractive prospect for those interested in making friends on the job.

World-Improvers

A big paycheck is nice, but for some, the greatest job satisfaction comes from knowing you’ve done some good for your community. If you’re more interested in making the world a better place than making money, or prefer social justice to social media, you might find happiness in a career that provides such opportunities. Non-profits and causes are good traditional choices, though many of today’s businesses are also adopting socially and environmentally conscious models. These “B Corps,” as they’re called, have seen plenty of success in recent years and attracted many younger workers to their causes.

Variety, the Spice of Life

Let’s reflect back on the concept that there is no one be-all and end-all millennial dream job. Earlier, this was used to mean that everyone would have their own unique preferences, but it could also be fair to interpret it more literally—young workers might not have a clearly defined dream job upon entering the workforce. This is totally normal and perfectly fine; according to the Department of Labor, by age 25, the average millennial has worked about six different jobs. If you’re having a hard time picking a career, it may be helpful to experience a variety of choices.

Ultimately, the best advice for those who are job hunting is to pursue something that will maximize one’s happiness. Also, make sure you’re networking and following people in your industry of choice.  They may be able to let you know the best times to apply for a job posting.  According to this research, applying for a job on Monday has a much better success rate at getting you through to the next step than any other day.   So the first step is asking yourself what you’re ideally looking to get out of a job, and what work satisfaction means to you then how do you do it. If you can effectively answer these questions, you’re well on your way to pinpointing your true dream job. Leave a comment below and let us know if you can think of other jobs for millennials!

Joe Fortunato is a freelance writer from Tampa, Florida. He enjoys learning about new subjects, following his Baltimore Orioles, and traveling the country for fishing. You can find Joe on Twitter at @joey_fort.

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