What Do Millennials Want In The Work Place?

The other week I sat in on a Dell Think Tank moderated by Lauren Berger, the CEO of the InternQueen.com who recently released her second book, Welcome to the Real World. The purpose of the Think Tank is to connect students, employers, educators, recruiters and Gen Y job seekers. The mission was to create a dialogue around a broken system.

The Art of Email: If you're a fellow member of Gen Y, you grew up on the computer and used email, AOL Instant Messenger, and text as a way of correspondence to friends and family. The workplace also caught on to this technology and implemented it at great lengths. Except, transitioning to using email from personal to professional should really require a handbook. Learning to craft a perfect professional email is an art. Unfortunately too many graduates enter the working world not realizing how to write an effective formal email.

The Dell panel agreed that universities should create programs that help their graduates navigate communicating with their co-workers and clients via a computer. Rakia Reynolds from Skai Blue Media said a new hire sent her a message reading, "Hey, dude, it's finished!" This casual tone was not how Reynolds wanted her employee to interact with her. There are also times when we're too connected to emails. In such a socially connected world we're oddly isolated. Natalie Zfat the co-founder of Social Co., mentioned, "Technology can make us anti-social. Show that you have communication skills."

To Text or Not to Text: Do not text your boss if he or she has never reached out to you via that medium. However, what do you do if your boss texts you? Text them back but keep it formal. Your boss isn't "Your girl" as panelist Rakia Reynolds explained how she received a text like this from an employee. Mirror your boss's language and texting skills. If they are using a relaxed vocab – you can too, but don't over do it. Always proofread and avoid texting slang like, "OMG", "TTYL", and "IRT." Stay away from emoticons – especially if you are new on the job. These designs unfortunately only remind your boss that you are new to the workforce and might not be as professional as they would like.

The Busy Chronicles: One topic that Lauren Berger brought up was the, "I'm so busy" tagline used by professionals industry-wide. My fellow panelists agreed that we all need to stop one upping one another on our "busy" professional lifestyle. We don't need to compete with each other. We actually all need to relax. John Gottfried of Major League Hacking explained the discussion might be less about finding a work/life balance and more about finding a place where that blurred line doesn't matter. Although, how do you create a work/life balance when we live in a digital 24/7 world? There's no easy answer to this question, which is why it's been debated for years.

As a new hire, especially when you're holding your first job – you need to put in face time. Be the first one there and last one to leave for the first several months. Understand what is expected of you and learn what your hours are. Do you work with clients on the west coast and need to rake in three additional hours to coordinate schedules? Or worse, do you have clients in Asia and need to be on call when the rest of your office is in bed? The last thing any good boss wants is a burned out employee. No boss should expect you to burn the midnight oil, night after night after night. They'd end up with a sleep-deprived employee that could be a risk to their business.

If you are feeling over-extended, approach your boss. Ask for a work smartphone and laptop to answer emails, take calls or complete assignments at home. Most importantly, learn what their priorities are and what can truly wait until tomorrow. Ask to alter your hours several days a week if you need to work odd hours to meet deadlines, work late night events, or conference with clients overseas.

Fix the System: The Dell panel was in full agreement that the university system needs to make changes when it comes to preparing graduates for the real world. Opal Vadham, one of the student panelists, said "Universities need to have a strong social media presence so students can see how social media can be utilized professionally." If a university isn't readily using LinkedIn, Twitter or other platforms to their advantage, how would a student know they could use social media to enhance their job search?

People learn best through leading by example. Universities need to create classes, panels, events that arm students with the tools they need in the real world. While taking History of Central Europe is fascinating it might be equally advantageous to learn how to create a business plan, pitch a client, cold call, devise an elevator speech, lead a meeting or conduct a conference call.

Tackling an Internship: You need an internship to get a job but you need a job to afford your internship – what gives? How does a financially strapped student survive on an internships stipend of lunch and metro fare? Student panelist, Eva Shang from Harvard shared how she had to work a second job while she had an internship. As a student who can't rely on the bank of mom and dad – how do you make it work?

As the InternQueen, Lauren Berger can attest, there's no better place to learn hand on job experience than being in an office environment. Which is why internships are so valuable. Christina Onori from Dell explained that interns (and employees) at the Dell campus participate in several career development workshops throughout their internship, including one about, "Primping their LinkedIn Profile." Many internships can be offered for part time which can offer the student time to find a job and complete course work. In fact, there's a limit to how many hours an employer can have an intern work. If your boss asks you to work longer hours, have your college counselor step in and talk to your supervisor.

To listen to the entire Think Tank Livestream, click here.

6 Job Tips for Recent Graduates

You have a few months to go before you say Sayonara to school and officially become a working professional. You might have taken Psych 101 but chances are you never took a class on how to get a job or what to do when you scored your dream gig.

What if you're applying for your first job...ever: If you've recently graduated from a Masters, MBA or undergraduate program your first thought will most likely be...I have NOTHING to put on my resume. I have never worked! Except, that isn't exactly true. List your hobbies, clubs, conferences, volunteer experiences and activities you are a part of. Have you ever had a leadership role (class president, yearbook editor, captain of JV Field hockey) list it! You should also include what you learned from your school courses; business, teamwork, computer programs, marketing skills, public speaking, etc. All of these items should be a part of your resume. You'll see how quickly your resume fills up after some analysis.

Conquering a job interview: Be prepared. You would never show up to class without reading an assignment and same goes for a good interview. Come armed with information about the company, your boss, and your role. Sign onto LinkedIn and study the Company Page and the career trajectory of your hiring manager.

Be wary of pushy parents: Your parents will always want the best for you but there is a professional line they should never cross. Under no circumstance should your mom and dad be at the interview with you or apply for you. Think I'm kidding? A parent at my firm did just that. He didn't see anything odd about asking me to hire his daughter to be an intern and tell me how great she would be, how he'd be involved and how much he'd be "checking in."

Your parents would never take a test for you or sit in your Spanish class...I hope... same rules apply for the office. You should ask your parents to reach out to their network of co-workers, clients, and friends to see if someone might know of a job opening up. After that, YOU need to be the first point of contact -- not your mom. You could also ask your parents to review your resume or help you with a mock interview. After that, though, you are on your own.

When the new boss is always M.I.A.: If you only have a  ask your questions the first few minutes of the day. Let them know you are interested in the business and want to be the best employee for them. Have an idea? Let them know that moving the straws next to the soda cups creates efficiency.

When the office is cliquey: High school cliques annoyingly also exist off campus. Often times these mean girls will at first see you as a threat. Be as friendly as you can to them and try to learn. Make them feel like they are the BMOC. However, if they are still icy – do your best to ignore them. Don't let it get to you and focus on the job at hand.

Ready for a promotion? Before you ask, make sure you deserve it. Here's a list of 4 questions you need to ask yourself:

• Are you helping the company's bottom line?
• Are you punctual and working overtime if you have last-minute client requests?
• Have you been there longer than six months?
• Have you felt that you've made your boss' life easier and are taking on more responsibilities?

If so -- go in for the ask. If not, be the best employee you can be and ask for a promotion 30 days down the line. If you are asking, make sure you come prepared with reasons why you have earned this. Have sales increased since you started? Are you able to get through your work much faster than other employers? Have you created a business website or helped with the social media strategy? Are you volunteering for projects outside your typical responsibilities?

Making a grand & graceful exit: Your employer knows that you won't be at their firm forever. Set up a meeting to chat privately. Start off the conversation by letting them know how amazing it has been to work there (even if it wasn't) and how much you have learned from them as a boss. Then let them know you'll be leaving and will give 2 weeks' notice so they have time to find someone to replace you.

Always end on good terms with a boss – you never know if you'll want the job again down the line or which business owners your boss is friends with in town. You'll also want to count on them for a reference.

This Mother Daughter Business Bridges Gen Y Gap

What do health, wellness, philanthropy and professional and personal development have in common? They are all the foundation of Elevate Gen Y, a company that offers live events and programming to millennials. Elevate Gen Y is run by mother/daughter duo Sharon Ufberg and Alexis Sclamberg.

After graduating from college, Sclamberg (like many young women) was clueless about what she wanted and went to law school by default. She earned her law degree and found herself in the same unsure situation -- now with a ton of debt.

After reading self-help books, listening to personal development webinars and finding nothing relating to her quarter-life crisis, she talked to her mom about the generational issue of finding life direction at a particular phase of life.

"It was immediately obvious that this was our chance to work with one another to put our hearts and passions together to create something amazing," Sclamberg says. Her mom spent over 30 years as a health care practitioner guiding people to live more empowered and healthier lives.

"I wanted to learn how to make wise decisions (not just practical ones)," Sclamberg adds. "My generation needs community, inspiration, empowerment. We need to feel like we're not alone in this crazy time that is your 20's and 30's."

So Elevate Gen Y was born.

The company creates live events and online programming for women in their 20s and 30s to inspire and empower them to live happy, healthy, meaningful lives and back to their community and the world. They, in term, are inspired by the email they receive from women about connections they've made and how the program has changed their lives.

The mother and daughter seem to enjoy their work together and are ready to embark on "The Borrowed Wisdom World Summit, a 12-week interview series featuring self-help experts, world-renowned doctors, celebrities and more. "We've spent years searching and have found the very best experts to help listeners get a life they love," says Sclamberg

What's the biggest piece of wisdom they've borrowed so far?

"People are very generous and willing to help you if you are brave enough to ask for what you need," says her mom.

The Demise of the 9-5 Work Day

When does work stop? In truth, it doesn't. Email and smartphones have completely transformed the traditional 9-5 work model. Millennials entered the work world during this transition.

I'm not surprised that according to a recent survey by Bentley's PreparedU Project, 77 percent of millennials prefer a flex-work schedule. With Wi-Fi virtually everywhere, you can literally be online and 'accessible' anywhere. We've been able to flex-work during college, vacations, internships, and train with virtual classrooms. Email and internal instant messaging have greatly changed the typical workday.

Working 24/7 isn't the answer. There is a gray area when it comes to flexible work schedules. I believe that employees need to create an open dialogue with their bosses about their schedule. Be honest about what the hours are and what hours would work best for you. Would they mind if you started your day a bit later to hit a yoga class or left early to attend a networking event? The problem many managers face is knowing if they can trust their employee.

As for me, I put in the long hours, the face time, and my work shined. My boss completely trusts my instinct. She also works from her home and wouldn't easily be able to check in on my whereabouts without connecting with the internal office staff. My work, my work ethic, and my accountability are what allow me to have a flex-work schedule.

Understanding work needs. If you have a client on the West Coast, or worse, in Asia, you could be clocking in double or triple the hours of your coworkers. Arranging conference calls at 3:00 in the morning or constantly working on projects in the middle of the night can take a toll on anyone. If you become overworked and sleep deprived, you'll be more likely to start looking for positions elsewhere.

Speak up to your boss. Come up with a plan to ensure the work gets done, and you don't come into the office the next day looking like a zombie. Don't assume that your boss has thought of these alternative options already. Most likely, they are worried about so many things that, unfortunately, they aren't always thinking about you.

Millennials are always on. Millennials often get pegged as the generation with a terrible work ethic, but in fact, 89 percent of millennials regularly check work email after their regularly scheduled work hours, and 37 percent say they always check work email. Smartphones have truly changed the work landscape. As a community, we have a Pavlovian response when it comes to email. We see the blinking light, hear the ding of a bell and immediately need to check our messages – personal or professional. Time of day does not hinder this need to be "on."

The truth is, millennials work differently  than our older counterparts, as each generation did before them; Generation X worked differently than the Boomers. Technology and awareness played a big role in that. Millennials don't have a poor work ethic- it's simply a different approach to work.