A recent article in Business Insider (via Yahoo) details the biggest reason why Millennials are quitting their jobs. The big reason: Insufficient opportunities to develop their leadership skills.
The article points out the recent trend of flattening organizations – meaning the corporate ladder that once mapped the path to career advancement is disappearing. This trend is causing Millennials to jump ship to another company rather than spend years in an entry-level job. So is this trend a positive or negative sign for job seekers?
For many Millennials, who tend to be creative, project-oriented, adaptive, and interested in many aspects of business, the idea of “climbing the corporate ladder” or “joining the corporate rat-race” used to be daunting enough. Now they’re seeing that opportunity disappear as well, and jumping from one entry-level position to another surely doesn’t do much to accelerate your professional growth.
The bottom line: if you’re looking to develop your skills and become a business leader, starting at the bottom of a large corporation may not be the best option.
Fortunately Millennials are coming into the job market at a time when technology is booming. For entry-level candidates who are looking to jumpstart a career, tech startups are the place to look. Will you have to cut your teeth for a year or so at one of these companies? Absolutely. But the upside is much higher.
Starting in an entry-level Sales or Business Development role gives you the fundamental business skills that often transfer to other roles in an organization. As a company that focuses solely on placing and developing entry-level candidates at high growth startups, LaunchSource has seen first hand how quickly new hires can make an impact and advance in an organization.
Many candidates who start in a Business Development Role eventually grow into more senior roles like Account Executives, Customer Success Representatives, Product Delivery Experts, or Team Managers within 2-3 years at a high-growth startup.
Additionally, these startups often embody the culture that’s so important to Millennial workers including open floor desk configurations, background music, games, and beer taps. The idea is to create a work-hard, play-hard culture that encourages employees to stay at work, collaborate, and not feel trapped in a dead-end job.
If you’re considering jumping ship or just entering the workforce, make sure to check out a couple startups in your area. And if you’re looking to accelerate your career, apply to LaunchSource, where we can connect you with our client portfolio of over 30+ high growth tech startups!