Over the past few years, millennials have been complaining about the fact that they’re not offered jobs in the same way that their parents were once they had graduated from college. The reasons for this are many. They have to do with the stagnation of the economy, the fact that there are more graduates and the fact that globalization has meant that many of the best jobs have gone overseas. However, many Millennials are in denial about the fact that the generation itself is partly to blame.

The problem with millennials is that they are fundamentally anti-work. This isn’t their fault entirely: it comes from decades of public sector education which has taught them that people who run businesses are fundamentally evil. But this argument has kind of slipped into their unconscious and so even millennials who want to get a job with an employer are often difficult to manage.

This is good news, however, for millennials who get things right. The rest of the generation is essentially competing with a handicap, meaning that good candidates are often able to quickly rise to the top and get ahead in their careers.

Here are some of the ways millennials suck in the job market and what to do about it.

Failing To Show Gratitude

Did you know that gratitude is good for you? It turns out that the people who show the greatest gratitude are usually the happiest with their lives. It’s also good when it comes to your career. People want to work with individuals who are genuinely grateful for the help they receive in the office, even if it only seems like a minor thing. Make a habit of saying thank you for all the little ways in which people help you. Even sending a postcard can be a great way to get ahead.

Failing To Understand That Job Interviews Work Both Ways

Millennials have another problem: they’re taught from a young age that there always has to be somebody with authority in the room. But this isn’t the way the voluntary world of business works. As this post points out, jobs are a two-way street where both parties are finding out whether the job is a good deal. Employers want to know whether a candidate can really add value and candidates want to know whether this is the right employer or whether they should choose another. Millennials need to get used to the idea that the job interview is an opportunity to make sure that the company is the right place for them. After all, they’re going to be there for 35-plus hours a week.

Failing To Be Confident

There’s a crisis of confidence in the millennial generation: nobody can deny it. But to actually make it in the workplace, you have to be able to wing it at times. Often there will be situations where there is no obvious answer, and you have to improvise. Though these situations can be difficult, they’re a good way to make sure that other people have confidence in you.