Much has been said about millennials and what they want from their personal and professional lives. If popular notion is anything to go buy, it seems that they want travel, technology, and bean bags. We decided to find out what it is they really seek in their professional lives – and in the process dispel some rumors – and draw a comparison between what their more senior counterparts seek as well. Turns out, their aspirations are not always quite so different.

As part of the series, we interviewed a millennial and non-millennial from several leading agencies in the region. This article features:

The millennial: Ghassan Mikati (25), senior media executive

The non-millennial: Saad Sraj, associate director (30)

Most important factors in a job:

Mikati:

• Co-worker relationship: Building good relations helps create a comfortable team atmosphere
• Learning Potential: The range of experience and expertise I will be able to derive out of working in this company giving me wider choices in building my career path
• Work appreciation

Sraj:

• Career advancement
• Job and company security
• Overall remuneration

Best way for a company to retain you:

Mikati:

By making me feel valued and appreciated through recognition in the form of verbal praise and monetary rewards.

Sraj:

By providing a clear career path with room for advancement and development along with fair salary raises.

Your driving force in this job:

Mikati:

The competitive nature of the ad industry is what drives me to push forward and give my utmost. I am able to do so with this job, considering the fact that we work on top clients in the KSA market, which drives out top challenges throughout the year.

Sraj: 

The company, the team and the clients. The company has a great reputation in the industry, I’m managing one of the best and largest digital team in KSA, and dealing with top brands is a definite advantage.

Expected frequency of appraisals:

Mikati:

There’s no particular interval for receiving a promotion. However, I’d expect it whenever I start displaying potential that exceeds my current job requirements. I do expect appraisals on an annual basis, in order to keep track of my progress and development.

Sraj: 

Appraisals are usually done each year, so I expect to be considered on a yearly basis as long as I’m performing well. As for promotions, it’s about the right time when the company and I feel that I’m ready to move to the next level and handle more responsibilities, which would be every every couple of years.

Career goals:

Mikati:

Short term: Derive a new creative media opportunity that’s new to our market, but would create high impact.

Long term: To have infiltrated several branches of the ad industry broaden my career path

Sraj: 

Short term: Equip myself with the right skills and knowledge to advance my career.

Long term: Open my own business related to digital and technology.

Work-life balance:

Mikati:

Enjoying a healthy lifestyle would allow any employee to perform better at work. The working individual would need to make sure they are in a fit mental state that would allow them to come to work clear minded of any worries or negative moods that might conflict with their performance.
Yes, checking my email/work during weekends allows me to stay alert of any urgent updates that the client might be sharing during this period.

Sraj: 

Work-life balance is very important especially that I’m married and have a small family. However, working in an agency and dealing with clients with urgent requirements requires commitment and additional work after normal hours and occasionally during weekends, which I got used to since this is part of my job responsibilities.

What would motivate you to switch jobs:

Mikati:

Recognizing any career advancement opportunity, which might arrive in the form of a higher position title or an interesting opportunity that would widen my scope of knowledge/learning such as entering a new market or taking on another major client.

Sraj:

When I feel like I’ve reached the ceiling in terms of advancement as well as when I find a better opportunity that fulfills my career aspirations.