On Being Respected When You’re The Youngest At Work

Ahhh the weekend is FINALLY here! What’s everyone doing?

I gotta tell ya, on most days, I love what I do! Digital marketing is an exciting world and I meet wonderful, creative people on a daily basis.

But last week – man, it was rough. I’ve had one of the most difficult clients I’ve ever had to deal with (and it isn’t over yet *crie*). I don’t want to delve into the ugly intricacies, but it had me thinking about my experiences working as a young professional.

I hadn’t realized this before – but right until now, I’ve always had the knack for being the youngest person in the room. I’ve thankfully just crossed over from the phase of being “young and inexperienced.” But for a while, I felt insecure about it, especially since the professional world puts so much emphasis on age.

Take this difficult client I had, for example. He’d be impatient, have unreasonable deadlines, converse rudely, ask for my suggestions and then do the exact opposite  – things he wouldn’t have dared doing with someone over 30.

Young professionals are perceived as the infants of the working world, our ideas and opinions may often be dismissed without a second thought. When we talk about stereotypes, we focus on race, ethnicity, religion… but what about age? Why is it permissible for young professionals to receive less respect than we deserve?

Think about it.

Many of us are intelligent, self-driven, talented and hungry for an opportunity to do great work. So, we don’t know everything – who does?

For the most part, I’ve been fortunate to be around people who share knowledge and nurture growth. But there are also people who feel that we’re beneath them and no matter how much we try, the label of “young and inexperienced” will stick.

There’s this old saying that goes, “better to keep your mouth shut and let others think you’re an idiot, than to open your mouth and prove it.” Everytime I’ve been under pressure to say something smart just because everyone else is contributing, I remember that line. And it works – if used sparingly.

So, if you’re the youngest in the room, there are ways to make others take you seriously:

Listen – Even if you think you know what’s right, listen to everyone’s ideas. Get a feel of how others think. If you speak up and throw your ideas in the open, older employees feel insecure and dismiss your suggestions as being silly. Allow them a chance to show you how much they know. This is your chance to be like an invisible sponge – so listen and learn.

Get to the point, fast – There are two types of people – those that go on talking about nothing, and the other kind who talks slowly around the point with no idea where they’re going. Since you don’t have the luxury of speaking while having all eyes on you, yet, you have a few seconds to speak up and say something worth listening to. If you can sum up what you want to say in a couple of sentences, go ahead. Or else, just keep listening.

Use your strengths to your advantage – There are certain advantages of being young in the workplace. For example, we have above average knowledge of social media. This powerful medium that elders don’t have much insight into, comes naturally to us because we’re surrounded by it. We look for challenges over comfort, we think outside the box, we multitask well – these are things that employers and clients look for. Remember not to let the less admirable traits of our generation get in the way!

Ask – Show interest in others and ask genuine questions. Asking intelligent questions will make people see your desire to learn and grow. Conversely, asking dumb questions will have the opposite effect and you’ll thought of as ‘annoying.’

I hope to see a day when skill and ability aren’t necessary defined by age. It’s experience, and not age, that counts. Most people dismiss this.

If you’re faced with a similar situation, don’t let people underestimate your ability and talent. Don’t let them be mean just because they can.

Know your worth. Be professional. Do great work.

And always make sure to stand up for yourself.

Because if you don’t demand that respect for yourself, no one else will.

Ever had a client who tested your patience because of something that’s not in your control? Let’s chat in the comments!

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Bye!