Paying dues: time vs experiences

You think your entitled to a great job.  You don’t want to pay your dues.

I think these are two of the biggest misconceptions of our generation. Last week I participated in a training for Assistant VPs. One of the topics was “Millennials in the Workforce” and, as usual, these topics came up.

Personally, I feel this whole “entitlement” thing is blown completely out of proportion. It’s crap. Our generation doesn’t feel entitled to having a great job…

We feel entitled to having the opportunity to get a great job. We WANT to prove ourselves, but we’ll never do that if we’re not given an opportunity…

Which brings me to “paying our dues.”  I’m all for paying dues.  You get to the top by learning a lot at the bottom (and by making a lot of mistakes.)  But people need to understand one thing…

There is a big difference between paying dues in time, and paying dues in experiences.

If I’m sitting doing data entry, what am I learning?  Nothing!  Paying dues isn’t reflected in time any longer. It’s not “If you spend X amount of time in this position, your dues are paid and you can now move up.”

Dues are now paid in experiences.  It’s not about the time you’ve spent, it’s about what you’ve accomplished.  I don’t care if you give me a small, crappy task… As long as it’s a small, crappy task that I can learn from.

On a side note - here are some more of the topics that came up at the training:

Gen X’s view of Millennials

• They aren’t patient enough to give corporations time to respond to technology
• They think they’re entitled to something
• They have helicopter parents… and that’s weird
• I feel like I have to apologize when giving constructive criticism
• Have the Whats In It For ME mentality
• Don’t want to pay their dues

Millennials’ view of Gen X

• They don’t understand technology
• They see us as a problem… as opposed to an opportunity
• Resistant to change
• They compartmentalize their lives
• Work just to work… instead of enjoying what they do

Any more stuff to add the list?

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