As a marketer and a child of the eighties I have a personal vendetta against the term “Millennials,” and I’ll tell you why. In short I understand that my younger counterparts fit within a certain profile or persona that get a bad wrap for their supposed self-centered and non-conforming lifestyles. In fact every eighties child who came into themselves in the era of punk and grunge music can relate to that. But there are very specific examples and reasons why we, kids of the early-to-mid eighties are NOT do not fit within this scope and here are the simple reasons to prove it.

1. We grew up AS technology grew up.
   What does this mean? We understand the joys of a payphone, still hear the AOL sign-on tune in our heads, and most importantly, we did not grow up with a smart phone in our hand. In fact we had some of the first personal computers which were tanks with green screens that gave us the enjoyment of the Oregon Trail. This means we had to call the movie theaters to listen to the recordings of show times or take typing classes just to understand the technology. That’s a huge difference that most marketers and people don’t realize. As our technology grew up we did so right beside it. This translates to some of the highest regard for adapting to new technologies in the workplace and problem-solving that employers hunt daily for.
2. Our work ethic leans more toward gen X.
   Some of the best Generation Xers I know are my mentors and good friends. Millenials are often known for their self-righteous  job searching and moving from one job to the next. Generation Xers and their predecessors, our parents, were devoutly dedicated to their employers and we are a happy medium between the two. I for example, have been at my current job for nearly a decade. That is unheard of for Millennial who I’m sure look at me like I’m crazy. Sure everyone has challenges in their job, but we know how to appropriately evaluate the pros and cons which include the wonderful benefits of being loyal to an employer like 401Ks and extra vacation time. What employer wouldn’t appreciate the same investment that they give to you coming right back to them?
3. We have the best blend of communication skills on the planet.
   What does this mean? Well it goes back to my first point that we grew up with technology as it grew up. This means that we had to memorize phone numbers to communicate with those we wanted to. We value relationships and the nurturing that comes along with that. We respect hours of operation because you just don’t call your friend past eight and we’re not afraid to pick up the phone to get ish done. One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen for my Millennial counterparts in the workplace is their dependency on text and email. It’s almost as if their social skills are devoted to emojis and abbreviated messages. Although these channels serve highly effective purposes at times, a professional has to be well rounded and able to communicate in a variety of different ways. That’s what us early-to-mid eighties kids can do. Don’t ever underestimate the power of this.
4. We believe travel is a privilege not a right
   Now, I’m a travel blogger so this is a fine line for me to cross. But have you noticed just how many Instagram accounts have been created for the mere purpose of traveling? An insurmountable number. That’s because many Millennials have seen others strike it rich by simply powering through the map to conquer as many countries on the risk board as possible. There is a certain intangible benefit to traveling that employers overlook, but at the same time when you see a candidate with a year or two absence in work just to travel the world, is that really benefiting the employer or the employee? Likely not. It’s almost as if the conquest is more important than the journey for many, a position that I balance between each time i evaluate where I want to spend my money at on my next vacation. Also, they tend to overlook the beauty that our home country has to offer, preferring the farthest destinations over paradise in our own back yard.
5. We appreciate quality over quantity
   This can be seen as an extension of number four but it goes deeper than traveling. Consider the online universe as ever-expanding with content. There is so much click bait, terrible videos, and yes Instagram accounts with useless information that gets bypassed with a quick scroll. Quality means breaking through the clutter and as a marketer and yes, content marketer, I have come to hate content for that specific reason, even while I sit here and create it. It’s so difficult for a brand to overcome the quantity war that good quality content is often not found or overlooked. That is a sad day for me personally but a positive perspective to have when you are a creative trying to break through the noise. Marketers – hire #ElderMillennials I promise you we won’t disappoint.

*Asterisk! I do have Millennial friends so I apologize for what modern society is in an uproar about – cultural misappropriation, profiling, generalizations – whatever your term for it may be. The point I’m making is not against Melinnials but instead is intended to learn that we are all unique with our own perspectives and if you were to create a persona about me, at least get it right!