Career & Life Expectations for Female Millennials and Steps to Take Control of Our Futures   

I am a millennial – part of a population where gender distinctions are no longer set in stone. We are a group that is well-educated, skilled in technology, self-confident, have the ability to multitask, and ambitious, with plenty of energy. We are a generation with high expectations set upon us — which we have also set upon ourselves due to the limitless choices available. We are also considered one of the most stressed-out generations in America.

Being a Female and a Millennial

There seem to be more options that are more accessible to us than generations before us, but the flip side is that the world is more unpredictable now than ever before.  We have countless doors open, but the weight and fear of making the wrong choice can be suffocating. We have grown up being told we can do anything — follow our dreams, study our interests, and pursue what we want — but there is a conflict between doing what society values, versus what we enjoy.

Women are fighting an uphill battle, and, according to a new report, it will take us until 2085 to reach parity with men. I was born and raised in a state (Utah) where women on average earn less than women in the rest of the country and hold under one third of the management positions. So, after I graduated from university, I made the decision to live somewhere with more opportunities, to allow me to reach my professional goals. I had never moved away from home but decided it was time!

Within two weeks I made all the necessary arrangements and had relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area. I now work in Silicon Valley, for a company that has one of the most diverse Board of Directors in the IT industry. While one thinks of California being at the forefront, this is not common here; in fact, typically women only hold eleven percent of executive positions.

What do Female Millennials Want?

Consider the state of being a female millennial: we are regarded as the most highly educated group of women in history, and we lead our professional careers differently than the generations before us. Yet every female millennial has a varying definition of success.  Here is how some of those differences break down:

We Don’t Want It All
We actually don’t want it all; we realize we need to choose from the options we have to create our life plans. Female millennials are having children later in life than before. Some of us want to feel fulfilled professionally before we have a family — and some don’t want children at all.

We Want a Work-Life Balance
We need time to ourselves to grow personally, to help others, and do what we want to do. It is important to us that our job is fulfilling and enjoyable. It is also extremely important that we have a work-life balance, with time to enjoy our personal hobbies and interests. Being able to transition between work and our personal lives is important to our well-being.

We Don’t Understand the Gender Gap
We are fortunate to work in a professional world that has begun to prioritize gender equality in the workplace.  The women before us have paved the way and created more opportunity for us. We don’t know or understand a world that limits women. What other people think in this area does not affect our priorities or desires; we will do what we want, regardless of gender roles. We are capable of being independent and taking care of ourselves without relying on another. We also want professional success in our lives —  our careers are not less important in our minds than other considerations.

Women understand that society will underestimate us, and millennials understand that we are transforming the workplace — so what do female millennials understand? We understand that it is our right to challenge perceptions that are placed on us, to prove our abilities, and continue the progress for women in the professional world.

What Should Female Millennials Do to Advance Their Careers?

I’ve learned that success is based on a solid mindset that leads to actions that support it. When you want something, you work for it and prove you are capable. Actions always speak louder than words, and the actions we take to create milestones in our lives are the hardest and the most important ones. Creating these milestones requires constant action and stepping out of your comfort zone, because change simply doesn’t happen unless you are uncomfortable. Here are some specific suggestions: 

Find a Role Model as a Mentor
Female millennials are a lucky generation; we have opportunities that generations before us did not have, especially in going to college, having a full-time job, and climbing the corporate ladder. We want mentors who embody the advancement of women in the professional workplace. A great way for us to develop our skills and find the path that is right for us is finding a mentor to challenge us and the way we think. We want to be able to learn from your experiences so that we can advance and create opportunities for the next generation of women in the workforce.

Be Proud of Your Work
Self-promotion is critical in closing the gap between the achievement of men and women in the workplace. Challenging prescribed gender norms can be uncomfortable due to traditional thoughts on exhibiting “correct” behaviors to fit in. Often, women, in the past, have been reluctant to talk about themselves, have had difficulty speaking about accomplishments, or struggled to take credit where credit is due. Female millennials act in ways that are inconsistent with norms.

Female millennials communicate about the work we are doing because we are proud of it: we know we are recognized when we communicate with pride about the work we do. It creates recognition and visibility that we need to advance us in our career. When we show confidence in our work, others become confident in us, and our capabilities and skills are brought to attention.

Embody Your Personal Brand
Your personal brand represents the value that you want to deliver; it is not just a way of self-promotion, it is a way to create awareness of your brand by showcasing your achievements and success stories. Developing a personal brand is essential to advance your career and develop as a leader.

At job interviews, we are asked why we deserve the position over others. At that moment, we know we have thought about this non-stop, so we know exactly what differentiates us. That said, as people develop more skills in their careers, it becomes harder to differentiate the value you provide and contribute to growing your brand. It is important to consciously keep developing your personal brand, since if you can point out how you are unique throughout your career, you can capitalize on your differences.

Have a Plan with Goals
Nothing worth having is easy. Our dream job will not be handed to us; that  takes planning and hard work. Our goals need to be attainable, with well-thought out ways to achieve them, and they should move us to the next step in our career. It is hard to follow through with long-term goals to begin with, but it is even harder when you have to develop unique skills that set you apart from your peers.

It is not necessarily an easy, natural thing for people to stray from the norm or to quickly gain skills to become a valuable commodity. So as you complete tasks that increase your chances of success, your goals need to keep evolving. Having a future plan with a timeline is an effective way to ensure that no motivation is lost.

Where are aspects of our generation that are under scrutiny, we realize we are not perfect, but we are entering the workforce with high expectations: of being able to be innovative and make change, to be the voice of support for others, to transform the way things are done, and to bridge the professional gap still prevalent in the workforce.