By Omari Head
Strategic Relationships Manager, Hospitality and Tourism at American Public University
As a millennial I believe there are two significant things that my generation values most as we build our careers—quality of life and diversity. And I’ve found both are readily available in the hospitality industry, despite evidence of the contrary.
While majoring in hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I learned that the average graduate leaves the industry after two years. It surprised me to know that hospitality graduates, like marriages, have about a 50 percent failure rate after only two years. When I got into management in a full-time capacity I discovered why. After college I started my first job learning how to make beds and clean the ladies room. That was paired with a fluctuating schedule littered with 10 to 12 hour shifts, no overtime pay, and little to no time to visit friends or family. At the end of my shift I had barely enough energy to eat and lay out my suit for the next day.
The above scenario represents a typical day of this 24 hour, seven days a week industry. It takes hard work and sacrifice to be on the successful end of the industry’s bell curve.
Millennials have seen their parents give their all to companies only to be downsized or retire with too little. Ergo, we have realized that our work experience must also be enjoyable. Thus we tend to switch jobs frequently while seeking those experiences that provide work-life balance and diversity.
Diversity extends beyond what Dr. Joy Leary describes as the fruits and festival approach. Diversity to us means diversity in thought, age, gender, geography, religion, and sexual orientation. Best-selling journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell spoke at a human resources convention about millennials and how we make decisions in a community. He believes that we don’t just seek out professionals to get assistance—our information is mostly shared peer-to-peer. I also agree that we tend to digest information differently and we respect alternate perspectives, opinions, and experiences. This approach tends to clash with the established mindsets that we often encounter. While we believe that we’re prepared to lead and make a difference, others before us feel we don’t yet have enough experience because we may have recently graduated.
Whether true or not, we’re a motivated generation and managing us well will be crucial to any leader in any organization. Millennial require immediate, real-time feedback. I’m sure other generations will never forget where they were when Kennedy and King were assassinated. My generation will never forget where they were or how they found out about a celebrity’s death trending in social media. Increased speed of information has created this standard. Overall, we value being asked about our opinions and having them implemented in the workplace with sincerity.
About the Author
Omari Head is Corporate Strategic Relationships Manager, Hospitality & Tourism, at American Public University System. His education includes University of Nevada Las Vegas-Hospitality Administration and Cornell University-Certificate, Revenue Management. He is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Under 30 Council, a group of emerging leaders from all sectors of the diverse lodging industry.
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