MILLENNIALS OR MOMS

You hear and read a lot about Millennials these days. Honestly, I think they are getting a bad wrap. They have been called "sheltered," "narcissistic," and "entitled;" but, they also embody many positive character traits that make them attractive in the workforce. And...the more I think about it, they aren't entirely different from moms re-entering the job market.

Here are a list of characteristics that are shared by both Millennials and Re-Entering Moms:

HIGHLY EDUCATED

TECH SAVVY

CIVIC ORIENTED

CONSCIOUS

GLOBAL CITIZEN

ENTREPRENEURIAL

CRAVE FLEXIBILITY

AUTHENTIC

FRUGAL

COMPASSIONATE

DIVERSE

RESULTS ORIENTED

TEAM ORIENTED

However, there are many ways in which these two cohorts differ...

PRAGMATIC IDEALISTS vs. REALISTS

Millennials are said to be pragmatic idealists. They recognize the compromise between realism, which stresses the promotion of a state's "narrow" and amoral self-interest, and idealism, which aims to use the state's influence and power to promote higher liberal ideals such as peace, justice, and co-operation between nations

Moms tend to be more realistic. We are older and more jaded by what is going on in the world. We also want peace, justice and cooperation; but, we know when and with whom to pick out battles and expend our energy.

TRANSPARENT vs HONEST

Transparency was a trait I found listed for Millennials. Basically, they put the information out there for everyone to see. However, you have to know what you are looking for and where to find it. Honesty is different.

Honesty is defined as being "fair and truthful." It is an integrity in your dealings with people and situations. Moms are honest. We were taught to tell the truth and have tried to teach our children the same ideal.

Transparency means there’s stuff there to look at if you want to poke around. Honesty means saying, “Hey, there’s something I need to tell you,” before anyone even starts poking.

NOMADIC vs. STABLE

According to XYZ University.com, a Millennial nomad, someone who sees themselves as an explorer, a thinker, a person who embodies being wanderlust and doesn’t necessarily have one single place they call home. They would like to be able to work remotely, rather than be tied to an office. This has strong implications for employers. According to a recent survey done by LinkedIn, Millennials will jump jobs four times in their first decade out of college.

Moms, on the other hand, are a more stable group of employees. While we also desire some flexibility, such as work from home or flexible hours, we are less likely to up and move to another locale. When I was in management, we were told that a new employee was very expensive, because of the cost of time, energy and training. A new employee was an investment and it took years for the company to recoup it. It is expensive to keep training new people that hop from job to job.

IMPATIENT vs. PATIENT

Impatient is an adjective that has been used to describe Millennials. They want to work, they want to be successful, and they want it NOW. I have been helping a few recent college grads to embark on their career path. They have a hard time starting at the bottom and paying their dues. They want to enter the workforce as managers. Unfortunately, it usually doesn't work that way.

Moms inherently have to be patient. It starts with 40 weeks of pregnancy. That quickly makes you realize that you have to "wait" for important things. Who is more patient that a mom with a screaming 2 year old? Patience is a virtue that all moms have to learn and it serves us well as we go back to work--small hiccups aren't going to rattle us. We also realize we may have to take a step back to re-enter and work our way up.

You can't stereotype an entire generation with character traits. Not all Millennials embody the terms on this list; nor, do all mothers who are looking to jump back on the career bandwagon. For all those employers who toss a mom's resume in the bin because of a "break" or "lack of recent experience," know that you will get someone with EXPERIENCE, MATURITY and LOYALTY. Take a calculated risk and give us a chance!