Our class reunions are usually the Thanksgiving weekend. I didn’t get an invitation to one this year so I assume we didn’t have one. Or, my classmates couldn’t find me. After all this would have been our 35th.
Wait a second! Did I say 35th???? Could it possibly be 35 years since I walked the halls of Rockford West High School???? I still remember Mrs. Ahlgren – our journalism teach and newspaper advisor. Jeez, I haven’t even thought about her for over 30 years.
It can’t be 35 years. Yet the mirror tells me that it is so. I don’t have to worry about parting my hair anymore (I can dry it with a wash cloth – QUICKLY!) I still have the bowling bag and bowling shoes from high school. I probably embarrass my kids when I wear them on our annual bowling excursion.
35 years. What was it like for us when we were looking for jobs? What did our parents expect/demand out of us? What verbal and non-verbal messages did they send us?
The recent 60 Minutes segment on Generation Y entitled: “The Millennials are Coming” has spurred a great deal of discussion. I sent the link to one of our “Generation Wise Advisory Team Members” (successful Valpak reps who are Gen Why) and here are some excerpts of what they had to say:
The parents of our generation are definitely the ones to blame for how this generations' work ethic is. I think its all in how you are brought up. Yes, work hard. Yes, have high goals and expectations for yourself. But do have realistic goals for yourself and listen to your boss and respect them.
What makes this generation think they can act a certain way? I've heard from many employers/executives that many times when my peers are hired at an internship or entry level job, they show up late or not at all, don't do the work they are asked to do, use their cell at work (texting/talking to friends on the clock, etc) and have no respect for their boss or colleagues. But that's not all of the gen Y's...just a handful of them giving the rest of us a bad rep. There are a lot of hardworking gen Y's out there too in the workforce.
It's true though...my peers want the best job, making great money and want it right away out of college. I'm the same way!! I graduated with emphasis on Advertising and Public Relations and was hired at one of the top five ad agencies here in town. I wasn't making the money I wanted to be making at almost two years out of college. With a college degree, I shouldn't have to work a full-time job and a part-time job to live the lifestyle I would like to be living. So, I decided to look around and see what was out there. My friend is the Director of Operations at this company, I met with the President and I started three weeks later.
This generation is tricky to figure out - that is for sure. I have a handful of friends that work really hard at their jobs and know they have to stick it out to make money and be able to move around from job to job. Then I have a handful of friends that are still sitting around waiting for that perfect job opportunity that is just going to miraculously fall into their lap without them doing any work to get it.
I know more people than I would like to admit that went to college, moved back home and live with their parents. The funny thing is, is that most of them have pretty decent jobs and could live on their own?! I don't get it?? Is it the fear of having so many responsibilities? Or better yet...not having to worry about finances living at home - being able to have the extra income to live that lifestyle everyone wants.
Huh. Did that sound like anyone of us in our early/mid 50’s could have written most of this 35 years ago? The only differences that I see is that none of us wanted to move back home! We might live 8 to an apartment instead of coming back to mom or dads.
Look at the first paragraph. How much did our parents have to do with our work ethic. I think the word is “everything”. I might have rebelled about 99% of what my parents told me – but when it came to work ethic I simply did what I watched being done. By the time I was 30 I virtually had become my dad (from a work ethic point of view).
I remember my mom calling me a “job skipper” because I wanted to change jobs after 7 years. Now I see my friends, who are my age, encouraging their kids to change jobs if things aren’t going well for their kids at that company.
My point? As my Generation Wise person so eloquently said, “I think it is all how your are brought up.”
I agree. Just a different way of looking at genetics!
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