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Where 'The Facebook Generation' works, according to Facebook

By Kaitlin Madden for CareerBuilder

Millennials have been nicknamed "The Facebook Generation." So what better way to gain insight on the youngest members of the workforce than through the social media technology they've become synonymous with?

Millennial Branding, a Boston-based personal branding agency, has released a study of more than 50 million Facebook data points from Identified.com in the hopes of uncovering more about where Millennials work, what their job titles are and the role that social media play in their careers

Here are some of the more interesting findings:

They're well-educated

Millennials - also known as Generation Y - are a well-educated group: According to a survey from the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of Millennials are in school pursuing college degrees, while 19 percent already possess them.

Millennials also are proud of their educations: While "80 percent of Gen Y lists at least one school entry on their Facebook profiles, only 36 percent list a job entry," the Millennial Branding survey reports.

So what do they do with these educations? While many go on to hold good jobs in areas such as technology, education and finance - all among the top 10 fields listed on Millennials' Facebook profiles - a large number are employed in jobs that don't require college degrees. The hospitality industry was the largest employer of Millennials, while "server" was the most frequently listed job title, for example.

Although the recession is a big reason that a disproportionate number of well-educated Millennials hold jobs that don't require degrees, many 18- to 29-year-olds are still in school and may be holding retail or restaurant jobs on the side.

They're entrepreneurial

Millennials' need for fun, flexibility and appreciation at work has been well-documented, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that many of them aren't attracted to the perceived rigidity of corporate America. In fact, just 7 percent listed a Fortune 500 employer on their Facebook profiles.

Instead of following a more traditional career path, many Millennials are paving their own way and becoming entrepreneurs. "Owner" was the fifth-most-popular job title among Gen Y workers. Of those who did list a corporate job, the largest number were employed by accounting firm Deloitte.

They mix their personal and professional lives

A study conducted by consumer research company Frank N. Magid Associates found that 44 percent of Millennials use Facebook during work hours. While most Millennials use Facebook for personal reasons, they could be getting down to business, too. The average Gen Y worker has about 16 co-workers in his friend group on Facebook.

Other interesting points made in the survey?

Millennials are job-hoppers. They average only two years at their first job.
Overall, the U.S. military is the largest employer of Millennials.
By 2025, Millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce.