Meghan McGarry, ACSR; account executive at Marshall & Sterling
Years at company: 4 years
College: SUNY Ulster, '98
Organizations: IIABNY, IIABA

Do your top carriers recruit young workers?
Not specifically. Our industry is facing a major workforce shortage in the next few years. It's becoming increasingly hard to locate motivated people to enter our industry. I think that by default, the majority are younger. However, I don't think that the carriers are targeting the way they should.

What do Gen Ys struggle with in a professional environment?
Gen Ys like to move really fast. They tend to be quicker to pick things up and are very quick to suggest a better way to do things, at least as they see it. The struggle comes when their ideas are met with cautious veterans who are wary of risking profit and growth on unproven new tactics. My advice would be to exercise patience and be prepared for a "no" answer. Do your research, be persistent and try not to get frustrated.