Career advice every millennial needs to hear

Millennials are quickly making up a huge chunk of the workforce. (One recent study even estimates that by 2025, Gen Y-ers will account for 75 percent of U.S. workers.) Today many millennials are still in entry-level roles, which makes now the perfect time to start strategizing future career growth.

“You’ve really got to be the CEO of your own career,” says millennial workplace expert Lindsey Pollak.

How exactly do you do that? Pollak, the New York Times bestselling author of “Becoming the Boss,” is here to tell you how.

Network, network, network

It may sound obvious, but the importance of networking cannot be overstated. This especially holds true for millennials – many of whom are opting for the freelance life as opposed to traditional 9-to-5s. (According to a 2013 Millennial Branding report, nearly half of all millennials value workplace flexibility over pay.) The truth is that freelancing/consulting/whatever you want to call it is a fast-growing trend among Gen Y-ers.

“I think the economy has changed, particularly since the Great Recession, and it’s harder to get a full-time job with benefits,” says Pollak. “I also think a lot of millennials aren’t as attracted to full-time, paid employment. They’re interested in side gigs, freelancing, and entrepreneurship in addition to, or instead of, what we’ve considered traditional employment.”

If you’re even partially self-employed, which many millennials are, networking is critical to drumming up business. Pollak says becoming active in professional associations and alumni groups can open the door for establishing new contacts. Make it part of your routine to reach out to potential leads via a cold email or by way of any sort of loose connection. If your best friend’s mother grew up with someone you’d love to connect with, don’t be afraid to use that link.

“A coffee date is my favorite [way to connect] because it’s quick and doesn’t take a lot of time,” says Pollak. “Offer to meet people near their office so that it’s very easy for them to say yes. Then write a very gracious follow-up thank you afterward.”

In other words, always be expanding your network. LinkedIn and Twitter can be a great avenue for this as well.

Seek creative leadership roles

Millennials are a confident bunch. According to Pollak, most members of this generation are itching to move up the ladder – sometimes way faster than their companies are willing (or able) to promote them. One 2014 millennial leadership survey from The Hartford found that 83 percent of millennials already feel like leaders, whether they’re in leadership positions or not.

If you’re currently employed within a company, Pollak advises getting as involved as you can. “It’s no longer enough to just put your head down and do the work,” she says. “You’ve also got to go to meetings, sign up for mentoring, join an internal network within your company, and volunteer for projects and internal assignments.”

Be sure to look for leadership roles outside of your company as well. This could include working with non-profits or local community groups. The good news is that these are things that’ll beef up your resume and LinkedIn profile. They’ll also satisfy your desire to lead.

Don’t blow off the value of insurance

Freelancing certainly doesn’t come with a cushy benefits package. And even if you work for a company, many employers are scaling back on the types of benefits they offer. Pollak advises all millennials to think ahead when it comes to disability and life insurance.

“Disability insurance will keep a paycheck coming in if you’re not able to work because of an off-the-job injury or illness,” she says. “And life insurance is something a lot of millennials just don’t think about. But if, for example, your parents co-signed your student loans that you’re still paying back and something happens to you, your parents would still be responsible for them.”

It’s really all about protecting your ability to earn, which is your most valuable asset. Investing in this peace of mind while you’re young and healthy is something your future self will thank you for.