The millennial generation comprises people who were born between 1981 and 1996. They are also commonly referred to as ‘Generation Y.’ This section of the population is now becoming the age group that represents the highest proportion of the modern workforce. It is important to note that the values, goals, and aspirations of millennials may be markedly different from those of previous generations.
While every person is unique, the millennial generation does commonly share some key features that help define them as an age group. They tend to be extremely adept with most forms of technology, often having highly developed coding and IT skills, which they can exploit to create well-paid and rewarding careers for themselves.
In addition, they tend not to enjoy a regimented working routine and may avoid jobs that have a structured 9-5 working week and more conventional forms of employment (such as routine office work). The millennial generation does not view a job as something that they will continue for decades without thinking of changing careers. They are happy to undertake a wide variety of roles and will switch jobs or sectors of work without hesitation if they view the move as something that can improve their lifestyle or work-life balance.
In this article, some of the key types of work that are popular with the millennial generation will be explored in detail. These cover a wide range of professions, from the gig economy to carving out careers as self-made entrepreneurs.
Freelance Driving Work
In 2024, all millennials are old enough to hold a full driving license, and many seek to use driving to generate income. This can include working as a self-employed taxi driver to driving coaches that transport tourists around the country.
One of the most popular forms of driving work is in the freelance sector, working as a freelance shipping delivery driver. In this line of work, the shipping company will list a large volume of shipping jobs on its online job boards, which freelancers sign up to.
The shipping work is then subject to a bidding process which you can learn more about.
Generally, the lowest submitted bid wins the shipping work, and the driver is then required to fulfill the order by picking up the shipment and delivering it to the destination in an agreed period. Millennials tend to enjoy this type of work if they love driving and want to create a working week that is completely unique to their personal circumstances.
The freelance nature of the work means that they are free to bid on work that fits with their personal commitments and desired level of income. All that is required for work in this role is having access to your own large vehicle (such as a van or truck that can carry large and heavy items) and a full driving license that allows the driving of such vehicles.
The Gig Economy
According to weforum.org, the “gig economy” is defined as work that “uses digital platforms to connect freelancers with customers to provide short-term services or asset-sharing.” Put simply, this means that work is commonly accessed online from apps, and services such as taxi driving, food delivery, and casual catering work are provided on a temporary basis.
The gig economy tends to be popular with younger millennials who wish to earn a small income to support other ventures or help them as they undertake higher education (such as gaining a master’s degree). This sector of industry provides a substantial contribution to the economy in America.
According to research compiled, the gig economy contributed an impressive $1.21 trillion to the US economy in 2020, accounting for over 5% of the country’s total GDP. As with freelance driving work, millennials find that gig work enables them to create their own working schedules and generate income as and when they need it.
Remote Work Enabling a Digital Nomad Lifestyle
For the uninitiated, a digital nomad is a person who combines a love of traveling to faraway destinations while paying for their lifestyle by working remotely, often just with a laptop, smartphone, and access to a reliable internet connection.
You can read more about what the life of a digital nomad typically entails online. This type of lifestyle is incredibly popular with the millennial generation, especially those who wish to travel to the far east and sample different cultures and learn new languages.
Millennials comprise 44% of the total number of people who identify as digital nomads. There are a variety of reasons for this, most notably that this type of work is more likely to be enjoyed by younger generations of adults and the fact that many millennials strive to create a unique career path that is a world away from traditional office-based employment.
Common roles for the digital nomad include working remotely as tech experts, graphics designers, and freelance SEO experts. These types of work often attract high salaries that can allow digital nomads to lead a more luxurious lifestyle while they travel the world.
Self-Employed Entrepreneurs
As a final key example of work undertaken by the millennial generation, many find themselves creating careers as self-employed entrepreneurs. In fact, 13% of all entrepreneurs in the US are from the millennial generation.
For some, being an entrepreneur is simply a way to generate additional streams of income that support a primary form of employment. In these circumstances, small enterprises, such as creating drop shipping websites or developing small smartphone apps, provide extra money.
For others, being an entrepreneur is a full-time job, and they will look to create a viable business that can provide sufficient income to allow them to live a lavish lifestyle. Start-up firms that are created by millennials are often crowdfunded by pitching ideas and proposals to dedicated online crowdfunding sites.
Investing angels are a reliable source of outside finance for projects that are deemed to be economically viable and create a product or service that has tangible benefits to consumers and/or society in general.
