We are profiling ‘Millennials' in this, our first issue for 2018. What exactly is a Millennial you might ask? The answer is they are Teenagers, 20 and 30 year olds who were born in the 80s and 90s. They’ve also been called 'Generation Y’.
Millennials are generally regarded as being more open-minded, accepting, confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and receptive to new ideas and ways of living. Millennials are often cited as being more self-assured than past generations, they will also have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a healthy work-life balance and have socially liberal views. The generation is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies.
On the downside they've been described as lazy, narcissistic and prone to jump from job to job. Portrayed as wanting flexible work schedules, more 'me time’ on the job and seek nonstop feedback and career advice. The have also been called the ‘Generation Me', with more of an emphasis on extrinsic values such as money, fame, and image, and less emphasis on intrinsic values such as self-acceptance, group affiliation and community.
The Channel Magazine team set out to find some answers and talked to six local North Shore people who span the Millennial range. From a teenager at school through to a business person running his own firm. Also in our Millennial mix is an Olympic gold medalist, an actor, a marketer and politician and young lawyer.
Mark Fisher is owner and managing director of Eighty4 Recruitment, a recruitment company based at Smales Farm.
Channel Magazine: Please share your story so far. What are the highlights for you ?
Mark Fisher: I was born into the mighty Rothesay Bay Mafia (six mates who all attended Browns Bay School, still friends today and half of us living back there with our own kids). Highlight was being asked to leave Rangitoto College half way through 6th form; best thing that ever happened to me. I then joined Henley’s Propellers at 16 and learnt quickly what the real world was all about.
I left New Zealand for London at 22, for what we thought would be a year which turned into six. I began my recruitment career in the UK, and returned in 2011. Incredible times, and I was ready to start my own recruitment business.
My highlights have been starting Eighty4 Recruitment in September 2013, to now having 10 staff; marrying my stunning wife at the Duke in Russell last year and having the best 18 month old daughter a dad could ask for. Proud to have the best team of legends in recruitment; we recently snuck into the Delloitte Fastest 50 growing companies in New Zealand.
CM: What is your passion and where do you hope it will take you in 2018 and beyond?
MF: I’m passionate about growing people and seeing them succeed in business, and making the most of every minute in this short time we have above ground! I’m super excited about the opportunities in front of us, and with a bit of thought and disruption, we’ll be achieving things we never thought possible. It challenges and inspires me every day to think what’s next and how we can be ahead of the curve. I’m also passionate about anything on, under or over the water and finding crayfish in the Hauraki Gulf; they are there!
CM: What do you think will be important trends in 2018 and beyond and how will they impact on you?
MF: The technological advancement and disruption to the way we ALL do business; 2018 will be the year this truly becomes mainstream. Half the world is under 30 and by 2020 more than 50% of the workforce globally will be millennials, so if you’re not focused on what the future will look like and making changes, then you or your business will be left behind. I see this as an enormous opportunity, and although it is challenging, it’s incredibly exciting!
CM: Valentine’s Day is this month. Will you celebrate this and if so, how?
MF: A walk with the family around the cliff tops of Rothesay Bay to Mairangi Bay would be nice in the evening, quietly chuckling at all the other couples canoodling, followed by a nice dinner cooked by yours truly.
CM: What would be your dream North Shore day out and who would you share it with?
MF: We had one recently actually. Over the break we took the boat and extended family to Tiritiri Matangi for the day: blue skies, crystal clear waters, snorkling, scallops and cold Heineken, followed by a slow motor home as the sun set. Don’t think it gets much better than that?
CM: Being a millennial means….
MF: Let’s get this straight – I only snuck in to being one, HA! I believe being a millennial means we’re in the “age of change” and we’re the ones who will drive that change. I think we lucked in with the perfect balance of the old school versus the new world of disruption and the technological/digital revolution.
CM: What’s the best and worst thing about being a millennial?
MF: The worst has to be we are the ones who MUST adapt and change the most throughout our career (which will be wayyyy longer than our parents’). We’re the ones having to navigate our way through this transition. There’s no longer a job for life – it’s expected that millennials will have as many 15-20 jobs in their lifetime and we need to continually upskill to stay relevant. Interesting fact: 100 years ago the average life expectancy was 47, for me it’s 83 and for my daughter it’s 103!
However, the best bit is that the world is changing faster than it ever has before, meaning we are more inclined to try different things, different careers, become entrepreneurs and look at other avenues for a successful and happy life – in most cases, getting more flexibility in our day to day life than perhaps our parents were used to. I think we’re so very fortunate to have pretty much anything we want at our finger tips – from cheap travel to the sharing economy of AirBnB, to Amazon delivering goods now within two hours…. possibly by drone. This is a world that sounds pretty damn exciting and I’m stoked to be part of this epic change. Bring it on!
