• by Celeste Giampetro , Columnist, July 13, 2018

Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. workforce today, according to Pew. And yet they seem to be the ones who struggle most to find and keep the jobs they really want. 

As digital natives, Millennials have a lot going for them. With a little patience, discipline and some humility, Millennials can have the marketing careers they dream about — and be the star employees growing companies need them to be.

Here are few useful tips for Millennials hoping to break into the marketing world.

Want the job? Do your homework first.

Your contacts are more important than your resume, which is likely to be pretty light straight out of school. If you want to work at a big agency and know someone connected to that agency, make plans to meet up with them. Do your research first to learn everything you can about the company. Visit their social, read their press pages, About Us sections and any recent news. When you meet up with that contact, ask about their job, what the culture of the office is like, what skills they value and need most. In these informational interviews, you should do the least amount of talking and the most listening. 

Even if you don’t have any contacts, you can use LinkedIn wisely. You can learn a lot about a company – including the head of the department in which you’d like to work. Take the time to write a personalized cover letter to that manager and explain how your interests line up with the company’s mission and vision. If you’re from a creative field, use that imagination to help you stand out. Build an infographic or a microsite, record a video or a song, make something tangible to help you stand out and showcase your value. 

Don’t just answer questions at your interview.

Interviewing for jobs is a lot like dating — and no one enjoys a date that talks about themselves all evening. Ask original questions. Show the hiring manager you’re interested in the company and that you’ve taken the time to really learn about it. Even more important, listen and take notes. 

Always follow up with a thank-you note — within 48 hours. Whether you want the job or not. You never know when you’ll cross paths with this person again in your career so leave the best impression. Email is easy (i.e., lazy) so try putting an actual pen to paper and mailing that thank you. It might seem old school but guess what gets saved, passed around, and displayed on someone’s desk — and acts as a reminder of you? Not that formulaic email. 

Mind your online presence.

Your prospective employer will look you up on Google. What do you think they’ll learn about you? Take the time to build your personal brand. Make sure your profiles are up-to-date and that the values you reflect dovetail with your dream company. If you’re aiming for a role that’s focused on social media, your profiles had better reflect how savvy you are. 

Now that you’ve got the job, hold onto it for a while!

Millennials have a reputation for demanding promotions early on. Your job is an opportunity to learn what you don’t know. Be patient. You may feel ready to take on more, and the best way to demonstrate that to your manager is to end every one-on-one with “What can I help you with?” 

Stay hungry and don't be afraid to fail. Guess what? Everyone fails at some point. What's more important is learning from your failures and taking accountability for them. You’ll gain some of the best lessons of your career from missteps. Take it from a Gen X who’s been there.