Recently, “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe told millennials in a Prager University video not to follow their passion because they will miss many opportunities when doing so. However, many millennials aren’t following Rowe’s advice.
An Accenture survey revealed that 70 percent of students from the class of 2016 said they’d take less money to work at a company that provides a positive social atmosphere. That’s up 10 percent compared to last year. Seventy-four percent of graduates from recent years want to work at an organization with an engaging and positive social atmosphere — even if it means accepting a lower salary.
The millennial desire to find a job they are passionate about stems from their college experience. When asked in the survey why they chose their college major, 69 percent of 2016 graduates said passion drove them. In contrast, 42 percent of 2016 graduates did not consider the abundance of job opportunities in their chosen major’s field, and only 23 percent said that the amount of money they could earn influenced their choice.
Other factors trump money for millennials when choosing a job. Ninety-two percent of 2016 graduates say it’s important to work for a company that demonstrates social responsibility, and 30 percent believe opportunities to do meaningful work and make a difference are important for a company to offer.
Interestingly, this Accenture survey also discovered that millennials are averse to large companies. Only 14 percent of graduates want to work for a large company, whereas 44 percent of graduates want to work for a medium-sized or small business.
“Our analysis suggests that the next generation of employees fear being lost in the dense forest of a large corporation. They are concerned their individual needs and talents will be neither noticed nor nurtured. They are looking for more of a ‘me’ experience where their passions will be acknowledged and their career path customized to their interests,” David Smith, Katherine LaVelle, Mary Lyons, and Yarrit Silverstone wrote.
Millennials, specifically recent college graduates, are prioritizing their goal of fulfilling their passion when looking for employment. Many graduates aren’t even considering the amount of money they can earn in their chosen field. With more graduates being burdened by student debt and rising living costs, it doesn’t seem very wise to prioritize other interests over the amount of money that can be earned.
