Deborah Jamison is in her early thirties and works in the political sector.

At 18, where did you envision yourself at this age and what career path most appealed to you? Did you study towards this goal?

At age 18 I had an intense interest in foreign relations and a shaky grasp on what that meant. I wanted to work in an embassy, preferably somewhere glamorous, and spend my days experiencing other cultures while supporting the mission of the embassy. I was fascinated by politics, wrote recreationally, and read voraciously. I majored in International Relations and Global Studies.

When did you enter the workforce full-time?

I began working full-time at age 20, answering phones on a helpline for the Florida Department of Financial Services. Within months I was a supervisor on the helpline. The following year I was moved to the communications team for the department and a little over a year after that I was asked to join the press office team for the CFO at the Florida capitol. My career in politics went on from there.

Do you feel your professional or academic life was impacted by the recession?

My academic life was impacted by the recession. Shortly after I began working for the State of Florida they ended a program that covered college tuition for employees. This was a direct result of financial duress at the state universities due to the recession. Because of this program being discontinued, the financial burden of tuition was overwhelming and I significantly reduced the number of classes I enrolled in.

What do you do now and what do you hope to do next?

I currently serve as Deputy Press Secretary, Digital Director, and speechwriter for the Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

If finances were of no importance, I would love to continue my academic journey. Since, however, they are quite important, I would like to transition from the political communications world to private sector communications.

What is your least favorite millennial stereotype/assumption? What do you find most accurate?

I take issue with the stereotype that millennials are lazy. Many millennials I know work long hours and excel in their workplace. Some satisfy obligations at a full-time job and then go home and pour themselves into a side hustle. I do know many millennials who saw their parents work themselves to death (some literally) and as a result they are striving to find a healthy work-life balance. But balance does not equate to laziness.

The stereotype that I find most accurate is that millennials are pretty inept when it comes to basic life skills. That seems to apply across the board — cooking, basic home maintenance, even being able to hang a picture on the wall.