Millennials often bear the brunt of hiring managers’ frustrations, and LinkedIn is full of posts and comments lambasting them as ‘mollycoddled’, ‘lazy’ and ‘entitled’. In January, Douglas Robb, the head of Gresham’s, an elite private school, got a great deal of attention for a blog post slamming millennials for their lack of grit and sense of entitlement. He wrote that the younger “generation has come of age where many more individuals perceive themselves to be ‘one in a million’.” He went on to write “Some expect to be given a ‘one-in-a-million’ job, despite being one of millions of applicants, many of whom are not yet fit for the work place!”

Harsh words, but is this fair criticism? Millennials are the most financially squeezed generation, but they are also in line to receive an inheritance boom, which will eventually make them the richest generation. A contradiction in terms. Adding to this, the definition is pretty broad too, lumping together people aged 21 to 40, people whose perspectives would be quite broad ranging. We asked the Millennials in the office for their thoughts.

Andy:

“Having read the head teacher’s blog post, I have four points to make:

1. He works in an elite private school, where he is more likely to meet children that are more entitled than most (that being said it won’t be the case for all).
2. With fees of £34k that is no where near the norm, so therefore one school doesn’t act as a representation for an entire generation.
3. Work experience is important, as he states – but I didn’t have the luxury of being able to pick relevant internships and unpaid work experience. All my jobs were taken to earn money to afford going back to university, as it is expensive.
4. As a whole, previous generations always comment on ones that come after; but in a rapidly changing world, approaches to jobs and life never remain a constant. If the process changes due to environment, this doesn’t automatically make one better or worse. It is merely different.”

Emily:

“There are people in all generations that think of themselves as ‘one in a million.’ I have friends who think they are going to finish their masters and walk straight into a £50k job just because they have qualifications, even though they have no experience and aren’t willing to start from the bottom and work their way up. This is because of parental influence and teachers who have made them feel special and important along the way. However, I also know a lot of people my age who are working in whatever jobs they can get in order to earn money and live.

When applying for jobs, it can be a challenge because a lot of employers demand high volumes of experience but this hasn’t been relayed to applicants throughout school and university. The majority of teachers stress the importance of GCSE’s, A-Levels and Degrees, but rarely do they mention experience. Also, if you are a student that has gone straight from school to university, it can be hard to find the time to find work experience when you have to hold down a part-time job alongside studying and socialising, which I believe is a big part of the experience.

I think that some millennials can be entitled, but people from all generations can be this way. However, any additional support from employers and educators would definitely be valuable.”

Chloe:

“Actually, I agree.

I think since working and interviewing younger generation candidates, it is clear that there is a generational issue where they have been ‘mollycoddled’ too much.

Tough love seems to be a thing of the past, and I believe many graduates think they are entitled to walk into a first rate job earning £40k a year. I’m not sure if more realism is needed, though graduates come out of university with the view that they are owed a job because they have studied a degree.”

Mia:

“I both agree and disagree. I agree that too much confidence in an interview situation, more often than not, will end with the job being given to someone else; however having no confidence at all may end in the same way. For some people a job interview is extremely daunting, so letting them think they’re ‘one-in-a-million’ may be the confidence boost they need.

Every candidate is different, so I think it’s wrong to say they’re all the same. Making yourself stand out is what will get you noticed, although of course there is a level of arrogance that would get you noticed for the wrong reasons. For this reason, I think it’s important that the younger generation learn how to get a healthy balance, as it’s not something that comes naturally to everyone. Some may benefit from advice on the subject instead of just being classified as a generation who expect opportunities to come to them.”

Jack:

“I think the head teacher raises some interesting points, but it certainly doesn’t represent the majority.

I agree that there are some who expect to be granted that one in a million job and have it almost handed to them on a plate, when, in reality, it doesn’t necessarily work like that. I appreciate that there are a small number of individuals who expect an easy ride, but I think if you’re young, hungry and determined to make something of yourself, then you will go out there and earn that degree/ relevant work experience to get your foot in the door at that one in a million firm who has the job that you so desperately want to secure.

I am a big believer in that you yourself are very much in control of your destiny, and the direction your career will take. Grit, hard work, determination and plenty of failure play a huge role in determining your success. I think this Millennial laziness argument is obvious, but it is certainly not representative of the entire generation.”