My 15-year old son informed me he is considering becoming a diplomat. He is right on trend. When times are tough, the government may be the job of first, rather than last, resort.
Last year, every single branch of the U.S. armed forces from Marines to National Guard hit or exceeded its recruiting goals. Now Yahoo reports that the hottest recruiting sessions at MBA schools are those sponsored by the government (MBA’s: Uncle Sam Wants You).
Career services directors predict that government and nonprofit hiring will increase this year, though it’s too early to say by how much. According to recently released data from the Career Services Council, 35% of schools reported an increase in recruiting activity for government and 12% reported an increase in the nonprofit sector, even as overall recruiting activity was level or down at 75% of schools.
The Federal job site, USAjobs.gov lists 39,500 jobs. A search for ‘marketing chicago’ yielded nearly 468 results, many of which pay $67K or more. While government and non-profit jobs may lack glamour or high salaries, they offer two things of value to Millennials: steady employment and the opportunity to make a difference. The yearning to make a difference in their job, not just volunteer work is a theme we hear repeatedly in our focus groups with young working Millennials. In an ideal world they would forgo the money for the chance to make an impact. Here’s a sample exchange from a group last summer:
Moderator: What is your IDEAL career?
Mike G: I want to be a Fireman, but I can’t benchpress enough.
Mary A: I would want a career where i made a real difference in someones life. Working for non profit maybe The barrier for me is experience in that area and a degree in non profit.
Mike G: Kidding.
Katie H: haha mike.. eventually i want to go non-profit but I want to get good business experience now to make the most of that job.
Mike G: The truth is almost just as silly. I work professionally as an actor, but it’s very difficult to devote myself full-time to it because I’ve got to eat and pay rent. In an ideal world, I’d perform and not have to worry about money.
Moderator: Do you all think a nonprofit is the best way to make a difference? or can you see yourself making a difference in the world through a corporation?
Katie H: I don’t think its the only way but its the way I want to do it
John C: The barrier to obtaining it is the need for a large income to provide for a family.
Katie H: there are many corporations that do a lot to make a difference.
Mike G: The last company I worked for went down to New Orleans to help with the Katrina clean-up effort.I know people really enjoyed that.
Katie H: the company I work for now does a lot with Habitat
Moderator Carolyn: do you see a trade off between making a difference in the world and making a lot of money?
John C: Yes. Plenty of non-for-profits that would be fun to work for that make a difference but you can’t earn the same there.
Mary A: I lead the company in a fund raiser for a battered women’s shelter, something small but makes a difference.
Mike G: In fairness, taking time out to do some good — while great — is a lot different than being in a career where each and every day you’re supporting a cause or a purpose you believe in.
Justin D: Making a ton of money should not go hand in hand with making a difference, most of the time.
With the choice increasingly between a job that makes a difference and no job, it’s not a surprise that Millennials may be turning their attention to what they perceive as ‘worthy’ pursuits.
