Guest Post – Generation Y in the Workplace Explained

December 7, 2008 · Comments

Y This is a guest post by Teresa Wu

As Gen Y enters the professional world, we bring a whole new set of rules. We’re often criticized for our restless job-jumping or our sense of entitlement. The truth is, we might play the game differently, but that doesn’t mean we’re not every bit as bright, innovative, and hardworking. Here’s why.


We crave personal development

We’re a generation that spends our days on the internet. Unlike time spent front of the television, much of our spent online makes us learn valuable information and engage in meaningful conversation. As a result, we’re always learning more about our specific interests and picking up new skills. If we aren’t being challenged, if we’re not constantly learning from the projects we take on, if we’re not allowed to test new waters — you can bet we’ll seek out new jobs.


We pursue unconventional paths

In a time of low job security, rather than taking the single corporate job path, many of us will explore our options, whether that means taking on multiple jobs or starting our own businesses. One of my friends is a lab research assistant, fashion designer, corsage maker, and a pilates instructor. Others hold regular day jobs and are bloggers, freelance writers, web developers, or designers by night. By branching into different professional territories, we’re taking opportunities to strengthen our abilities and expand our networks.

We value company culture

No longer is a company just a place to toil away at a desk from 9-5 — we’re looking for a vibrant community in which our coworkers are our friends and our bosses are our mentors. We want a company that’ll provide structure without hovering over our lunch breaks or dictating the way in which we get things done.


We’re not afraid to ask

We’ve been taught the importance of asking for exactly what we want. We’re not afraid to raise difficult questions in the workplace. Especially now that the channels of communication are wide open, we have fewer reservations than ever about taking our ideas to top-level management. Moreover, we recognize the value of great career mentors — because we can literally contact anyone in our dream profession, we will seek these people out, ask for opportunities, and strive to build relationships with them.

We embrace transparency

While Generation X continues to emphasize the importance of maintaining a professional online image, we who grew up using Facebook and MySpace as places to share our photos and lives with our friends don’t want to turn it into a purely professional arena. I’ve found that the most meaningful connections I’ve made were when I’ve exposed the more personal aspects of my life. Plus, the next generations will literally grow up documenting their entire lives online. It’s unrealistic to expect them to erase their histories off the internet once they reach a certain age. Employers must learn to judge job applicants not by their past but by what they can bring to the company.


We just want to do what we love

It’s true; we do have a sense of entitlement. Our parents raised us to think we could do anything — and as a result, we’re determined to have exactly our dream jobs. We’ll keep searching until we find something we can do that’s personally fulfilling. However, as long as our careers provide both the opportunities and rewards we thirst for, we’ll be more than willing to invest serious time and energy into our work. If you can give us that, we’ll be star performers.

Written by Teresa Wu

Photo credit takomabibelot

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  • JJT
    This is bloody hilarious. What a sense of entitlement!

    Get some real skills and experience beyond your ADD-drenched instant gratification style of thinking and maybe you'll be rewarded. Thinking that everyone owes you the world just because you exist means you're going to get your butt handed to you by the folks who were there before who know how to play the game.

    You have to earn the "opportunities and rewards we thirst for" first, Ms. Wu. Otherwise you'll find out that nobody owes you a damn thing and you're just going to have to put your money (or is that your parents' money?) where your mouth is and do it all yourself.
  • lifeofjenn
    i bookmarked this over a month ago and re-read it just now.

    *sigh* it's so frustrating to get jobs when you fit this demographic!
  • I was reading through and thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's me! There is a lot of positive potential in the individuals of my generation---the key is learning to fit with a multi-generational team and take advantages of the strengths that we all bring. One of the challenges I sometimes face is helping my teammates understand where I am coming from--thanks for the great summary!
  • That's exactly true... 100%
  • Generations interestingly arent just limited by the years in which they were born, they can take on characterisitcs from other generations too. There's much more on this on our company blog site if anyone's interested >> www.nakedgenerations.com/blog
  • Weighing in on said subject again. No generation can be understood in a vacuum. Capacities that one generation has in spades come about because of capacities and weaknesses of other generations. For example, GenXers are profoundly capable of functioning inside of chaos and fragmented systems. Millennials (Gen Y) aren't. Millennials orient toward peer-based activities and collective efforts; GenX couldn't be farther away from that. Just as well, Millennials' hubris will bring about, in the generation that follows them, an orientation toward nuance and sensitivity. Just as the generation behind them (the next wave of Boomer-like people), will orient toward big vision and principle-based messaging. And so on.

    So, yes, Millennials are great. In the ways that they are great. But so is every other generation, in the way that they are great. Would Theresa be willing to write a piece about the profound "weaknesses" of her generation? I doubt it. But people in other generations could come up with a laundry list of "weaknesses." Again, are they weaknesses, or just a balancing? After GenXers, a following generation that was fragmented would undermine societal strength. But the Millennials would be lost and dysfunctional without following behind GenXers who have tended to technical efficiencies, entrepreneurial knowledge and do-more-with-less than any generation in 80 years.

    So, let's be happy for the newest generation to enter into young adulthood. Equally,j let's remember that they are but one of four generations. They gotz some good stuff to offer. As well, they will cause their own specific pain as a generation. And so the cycle continues.
  • Terry
    Thanks for your insights, Teresa, and the comments of your peers suggest you've struck a chord. I truly laud most of what you said, but as a senior healthcare manager responsible for guest relations and safety, I have found that unchecked, many of the characteristics you describe are a recipe for conflict.

    Most of the problems I deal with are communications related, and it’s almost never about what words are spoken. Rather, it’s the 23 year old white therapist who can’t understand why the 65 year old African-American preacher is too embarassed to tell her he’s not comfortable with her helping him re-learn how to bathe after his stroke. Or it’s the 25 year old African-American manager who doesn’t respect her 40 year African-American old workers because they can’t create a Powerpoint presentation—though their jobs are about providing patient care!

    These real conflicts aren’t about whether someone has grey hair: it’s about setting aside personal objectives and perspectives to understand what’s important to the others around us, so that we can work and live together effectively. Hundreds of years ago, John Donne wrote "No man is an island." Until people no longer have to interact directly with others, without the anonymity of the Internet, this will always be true in the workplace and any other venue.
  • Hasn't this little credit crunch bitch slapped most of these Gen Y-ner's back to reality a little bit.

    I notice that Teresa hasn't exactly held down a job in the real world yet - What were the jobless numbers in the US for November? 500,000? while technically not the worst on record if you put things in proportion (actually about the 41st worse), but the absolute magnitude is large....and will be getting larger?

    This little downturn may be the cold bucket of water that wakes these wet behind the ears neophytes up and helps them put the concepts of "We crave personal development (until layoffs start)", "We pursue unconventional paths(while I have zero life responsibility)", "We’re not afraid to ask (who are you asking and when are you asking them - try asking for a raise about now)", "We embrace transparency (until you have competing interest that may force you to do something you might not be so proud of)", and "We just want to do what we love (Blinding flash of the obvious, you are the only person who wants to do what they love. Me and everyone else prefers drudgery)" in their proper perspective?

    What, does this chick think that her father always had a comb over and her mother always wore "mom jeans" At one point, everyone has dreams and aspiration, but guess what Teresa, you (and your siblings) came along and your parents had to get all responsible and stuff - I know, its totally uncool, but true, kids are the reason parents get all uptight, boring and conventional - I can say that as a risk taking 30 something with a young child.

    The self righteousness of a new cohort entering the workforce is nothing new, its just that at some point your shtick starts wearing thin - and that point was about a year ago. The holier than thou attitude is boring already

    I know, I know, I know, Gen Y'er work harder than anyone else, know how to use social networking "tools" and love to job hop. But can you turn a profit? Or is profit someone else's responsibility? Maybe its the guy with the combover's problem.

    How does the mark twain quote go.......something along the lines of "When I was twelve, I could not believe how stupid my parents were. When I turned 21, I was amazed at how much they had learned in nine years."

    Guess what, when I was in my early 20's, I was a moron too - and then you get a little older and realize how backwards and little you knew at the time
  • Marc Edwards
    Now if only we could stop the whining, their need for immediate gratification for mediocre job done and sense of 'what's in it for me' then they would be a welcome cohort into my department.
    (coming from someone someone born in 1975)
  • Teresa,

    Reading this post, and all of the great comments, got me thinking back wondering how I viewed the world 25 years ago (gasp!) when I was at the age Gen Y is now. The things you mention are not unique to Gen Y, they are (except for the transparency one) things that have guided much of my life, and many others as well. The big difference is that in my youth that kind of behavior was typically frowned upon and discouraged; today it is at worst tolerated and at best encouraged.

    I'm very interested to hear what Gen Y is saying about "Gen whatever" 25 years from now.
  • Teresa,

    Thank you for this post. It outlines so well the direction our work force is headed and what can be done to foster creativity and leadership. There will definitely be growing pains while we bridge the gap between conventional management practices and a mentorship mentality. I will say though that once you do find that balance and place where you can nurture your skills, it's a breathe of fresh air. I work more than I ever have, but I love (almost) every minute of it. Also, I posted the blog below on my Facebook profile and got a "What about Gen X?" request - would it be possible to discuss how they are shifting their management and work styles in order to remain competitive in this environment?

    I've written a complementary blog posting that discusses marketing to the Gen Yer that you might find interesting.

    Thanks and blog on!
    Annie
  • Teresa,

    Your write-up is wonderfully worded and I can't help but agree with it. It describes me perfectly. My only wish was that the older generations understood us better.

    Especially in regards to being challenged and testing new waters. Couldn't say better myself.
  • Reading this felt like Deja vu for me. The unconventional traits we see as "strengths" in Gen Y-ers are often looked upon as "areas of improvement" or as being "against the grain" in work environments who have not embraced these values or styles. I am hopeful that the workplaces of some established companies and non-profits will begin to shift and "lighten up" and learn that you can get a lot done and done well without having to adhere to "conventional" rules.
  • Great post! As a Gen Y'er myself, I couldn't agree more with everything you wrote.
  • I'm a Cusper. I was born in the tail end of Generation X/beginning of Gen Y,depending on which sources you use. While I've noticed that Gen Y tends to be very savvy with networking, they've literally changed the workplace environment and how they interact with superiors. They are more casual, and somehow expect us to be casual as well (some seriously think flip flops count as "business casual." Sorry, it isn't, and I'm only 29!). Some believe that it's perfectly fine to call superiors by their first name before understanding the culture of the company they're working with. I just go with the flow. If my people call the CEO Catherine, then I'll call her Catherine too. If I'm not sure, I default to Ms. Lastname. Of course, this has nothing to do with social media, but I think the younger generation must be able to understand how older people, even people who're less than five years their senior think. It's amazing how my younger cousins, who are only five or six years younger than me, seem like a completely different generation at times. Often, I feel that I have more in common with my boomer parents than I do with a 24 year old!
  • Teresa, this is a great post and thank you for writing it.

    I'd like to point out, all the things YOU think make you different are the very things that make you the same as generations past. I am a boomer and when I was 20 I held the same ideals and I'm sure every generation past has as well. It's youthful optimism, along with high expectation for ourselves and the contribution we think we can make to the marketplace. We all think life will conform to us and if it doesn't, then things will have to change. And then the reality of a brutal marketplace teaches us that there are viewpoints other than our own and maybe, just maybe, someone ahead of us knows more than we do and maybe, just maybe, we have more learning to do (yeah, it's a harsh reality). Usually by the time we're 30 we figure out that change comes slowly and to survive, WE conform, not the world.

    Having said that, much change has occurred over the last 50 years because of the ideals each generation has embraced. Gen Y will make changes as well, it just won't happen as fast as you make think it will. And no, you are not entitled to having your ideals embraced by anyone, you'll have to earn that right. We all eventually learn that, it just takes time and some frustration along the way. And as we go, we grow up.

    The advent of the internet, 300 channels on TV, and instantaneous news, makes the younger generations think they are different. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not that the people are any different, it's the times that are different. And to be quite honest, I think this is absolutely the best time EVER to be young and just getting started. The fact that global communication is sooooo easy and creating yourself the way YOU want rather than conforming is so much easier than in times past, may just allow Gen Y to what they want rather than conforming. The ability to "do it your way" is easier than ever and I'm seeing ALL generations taking advantage of that, not just Gen Y.

    And lastly, I'd like to say and maybe some others want to weigh in, I don't think Gen Y is any louder than any generation in the past. In fact, you weren't alive but the boomers still remain in my mind as the loudest generation in recent history (I say recent history and you probably consider it ancient history LOL).

    Thanks again for the great discussion.

    Reba
  • Thanks for posting this article! Spot on! This all applies to so much more than just the work place. Very well spoken.

    Bookmarked and Feeded.
    -Chase
  • Great post! It seems to me that generation Y will be well sought after – and not just by start-ups – as more and more organizations see how much value they add as X-team members. I am currently reading “X-teams: How to Build Teams that Lead, Innovate, and Succeed” by Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman. The “X” stands for “externally oriented” (not generation X!). X teams build connections with people outside the team in order to learn about customer needs, technology, the market and competition. Generation Y are naturals at social networking and should make great X-team members.
  • Like this is so right on. People in my generation were very much a part of traditional authoritarian culture.

    We were so brainwashed to hold our elders in a kind of awe that we had no sense of deserving any kind of decent treatment and were ready to take whatever the bosses chose to dish out.

    Then I come to America and see that everything is different. People were free here. They didn't take that kind of dictatorial crap. Wait a second, I'm confused. That was 1968! Help me. Was that Gen Y in 1968?
  • Hey JessieX - Yep! Read that book in 1993 and just about fell over. Actually I started a generations listserv 1994-ish (ended in about 1997).
  • Dang, sorry about all the bolds. Yeesh. Jessica: You may enjoy Strauss and Howe's book, "13th Gen: Abort, Try, Fail, Ignore?" Theresa: You may enjoy Strauss and Howe's book, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. As well, The Fourth Turning will resonate, I do believe.
  • Theresa, Thanks for sharing your age.

    Jessica Margolin - I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Theresa is actually describing GenX culture more than Millennial. Big conversation also over at Geoff Livingston's Buzz Bin: http://is.gd/aMyj
  • You're describing GenX.
    To a TEE.
    What you're not including is the whole "slacker" brand, which is because it's not representative of GenX, actually - it's a fabrication.

    What do you have here?
    (1) Online learning - yes, good morning, we had intertubes in 1990's.
    (2) Valuing "company culture" - yes, that's why early cohorts of GenX left in droves to start startups with their friends. Those ranged from small boutiques to powerhouses like eBay, MySpace, Google, Amazon.
    (3) GenX pursues unconventional paths - please read MicroSerfs.
    (4) Transparency? See the above mentioned eBay. Many types of online reputation structures are specifically designed to facilitate transparency - by the GenX who designed them.
    (5) Since New Balance's famous "Just Do It" commercials, GenX has been about "life is too short, people will revile you no matter what, just find what you want to do and do that."

    The only difference is that you decide you need to distance yourself from GenX, call yourself GenY, and say that you'll listen to mentors. Well done. GenX, which obviously has such a heinous reputation you need to disavow yourself from your cultural heritage, has always been a group of people eager for some direction and help, and certainly business alliances and funding.

    You do no one any service by differentiating yourself on variables that are irrelevant. You're part of GenX. It's a great culture. You've laid out some of the strengths, here are others:
    - Leading without fanfare; understands the importance of responsibility
    - Very high degree of resilience
    - Ability to navigate complex and ambiguous situations
    - Willing to compromise and work for the greater good.
  • Thanks for some amazing insight from generations all across the board. You guys have definitely got me reevaluating how my generation's skills and attitudes translate in the modern work environment...

    I had so much to say that I ended up writing another blog post about it. Hope that clears things up a little.

    @JessieX: I'm 20. :)
  • Very insightful post. Labels come and go for each generation so it would be great if all of us could move beyond trying to put people in categories and focus on the talents and gifts that we each have which develop and evolve with experience. Based upon what I read, I would speculate that Twenty-somethings now, 20 years ago (me) and 90 years ago (my grandmother) are probably very similar. My late grandmother was one of many independent-minded women (pre-WWI era) who went to college to have a career and pursue their dreams. She was one of the first teams of nurses (non-military) to go to Northern France to take care of our troops. She came from a very supportive family who told her that she could do and be anything. Ditto for me, too.
  • What's your birth year, Theresa? I'm curious where you stand among the "Gen Y"?
  • Coming from a boomer all I have to say is that the majority of Gen Y is as you described, I think the world may be in very good hands in the future. You're becoming a excellent role model, keep up the great work
  • Teresa -
    As a boomer and someone who has taken financial risk with start-up companies since the start of my career in technology, I hear you loud and clear and agree with you. The only area of concern I have is the potential fallback that might come from "the sense of entitlement" that you mentioned. In difficult times, it's often best to speak about your expertise and how the expertise of the generation can and will help xxx make $$$ but be careful about demands.
  • grrrreat post Teresa! I'm forwarding this to a few people in HR! as a pushing-40 something or rather, I'm not a gen y-er, but I reckon I was just born ahead of my time.

    Siobhan Bulfin, social media and interactive marking
    New Zealand
  • Laura
    This is more in response to the comments than to the article itself.

    I am a Gen-Xer. I now have a Master's degree and a professional job in my field, but I can honestly say that I've learned something from every job I've ever held, including those that were entry level and minimum wage at a time when minimum wage was $3.35/hour.

    Being able to find a job/career that fulfills you is a wonderful goal, but there is also nothing wrong with getting a job, paying your bills, having health insurance, setting up an IRA, while plotting your next move professionally.
  • Loving the guest post. Nice insight Theresa! Keep the guest posts coming Chris!
  • We are knee-deep in a dramatic worldwide socio-economic shift that is illustrated by this Gen-Y description but will go further and deeper than that. Gen-Y is equipped and eager to pursue passion...but so are knowledge workers in China, India, Russia and elsewhere. And they are hungry in a way that our pampered Gen Y, X and Boomers are not. As Thomas Friedman so eloquently illustrates in The World is Flat, the changes they are a comin' and a sense of entitlement from Americans of any generation may just prove a fatal flaw. I think it is time to spend less time differentiating between the generations and more time collaborating.
  • As a Generation Yer and post grad myself I agree with a lot of the points made. We have a different mindset on things than older generations. We want to work hard and be driven and successful, but we also want a more life-work balance. We want our time to be more efficient and don't necessarily believe the 9-5 mentality is the best way for that. We want time with friends, family, relaxation time because those are important to us.

    We do ask questions and want mentors to help answer them for us and to show us how to get to the next level. Anyone else agree?

    Craig
    www.budgeptulse.com
  • Meanwhile, in China and India, a generation without a catchy name is working long hours for low pay and not worrying that their creativity is being stifled by bosses who, like, "don't get it." OMYGAWD!
  • Fantastic post Teresa - thanks!

    I found this particularly interesting because I recently wrote a very similar article surrounding the challenges Gen Y is facing in the job market. I do think we are a very valuable group, though perhaps it's harder than ever for us to acclimate to the "real world." Like you mention, we have been raised with a sense of entitlement, and are used to having the opportunities to constantly pursue our interests. Committing to a single job becomes difficult since it's likely to box us in and eliminate that vast array of choice that we've grown up with.

    I worked at a PR agency in NYC for a year after college, and felt completely stifled sitting in a cubicle all day. Why was i creating Excel spreadsheets for 9 hours a day? Is that really what 20 years of education was preparing me for? I know that an entry level job is, well, an entry level job. However, I think Gen Y has trouble processing the fact that we have to work our way up the ladder, and initially settle for something less than perfection.

    We have been raised on the notion that we can do anything and everything we want, and suddenly, when we reach the "real world," we realize that it's not as easy as we thought...
  • I definitely think that we all want to do what we love. If we can get paid for that then why wouldn't we want to do it.
  • Wow...this describes me perfectly. I recently took a significant pay cut within my company for a job I believe is going to be more challenging. There is nothing worse for me than coming in day after day, and having 4 hours where I don't have anything to do because what I needed to do took me only the first 4.

    Great Post!!!
  • elizabeth
    We all not all that different in how we all feel passionate about our goals, hopes, and ambitions - the Boomers, Xers and the Yers, or any other generations for that matter, except for the fact that the GenYs are, thank to the tools they have access to, simply more vocal about it.
    If I had cell phones when I was growing up... yes, cell phone wasn't even in the market when I was in my early twenties, and the internet was just brand new. Imagine the damage I could have caused if I had a cell too.

    This is one thing I noticed with the GenYs that is particular strange to me, that is their constant needs to seek approval or some sort of recognition form their boss or their peers for every little accomplishment they are able to do. This strange phenomena of “Hey, look what neat things I, and only I can do, and aren’t you glad you hired me?” That just annoys the heck out to me.
    Look, the GenY thinks more highly of their self importance then any other age groups. If they aren’t thinking about it constant they are talking about it constantly. Man, the ego these kids have.
  • I will have to add the same comment as this string, great article.

    I've been writing and presenting lately about intergenerational workplaces and some of the fundamental differences with the next generation. One note I would like to make, is it seems as though more professionals from Gen X and Baby Boomers seem to also lean towards the "Gen Y" desires.

    I wonder, are we as professionals all taking a serious look at our lives and noticing the wants, desires, motivations of Gen Y are more in-tune with what we secretly all want? Is it easier to "blame it on those kids" than admit Gen Y is correct? Not sure.
  • Great post! I'm in my later 30's and have always craved (and provided) work environments like this. I'd love to know where to find places to work like this - especially because my 22 year old brother is graduating from Purdue University in the spring. He doesn't want an entry-level, entry-pay job, and hates the idea of going to work for 3-5 years as a 'scrub' just to gain the experience needed for some of the better jobs. My thought is that he needs to pay his dues like his big sis did, but ALL of his college friends feel this way. A college education is great, but in no way prepares you for a 'real' work environment, fuzzy-warm with friends as coworkers and mentors as bosses or not. So in the meantime, my brother and most of his friends feel that there is no job/company out there that understands their wants. My fear is that they will just go home to their parents and flip burgers until something 'perfect' comes along - the kids are already planning the next few years out this way - and a good number of them have MBA's!
  • Terrific post, Teresa. Gen Y does bring a different -- and, in my view, much needed -- point of view to work. Each generation has a slightly different "lens" on the world; members of older generations who criticize Ys (like the author of the WSJ article you mentioned) are often looking at your generation through their generation's lens. For example, for Boomers, the idea of "feedback" has a connotation of being judged or evaluated. So, when a Y asks a Boomer for "feedback," the Boomer is likely to say something like "you're doing fine -- I told you that last week!" In contrast, as you point out, Ys want to learn every day -- a Ys' request for feedback is really a request to be taught something new or offered ideas for improvement. I talk about these inter-generational issues on my blog (and would love to have you all join the discussion there: http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/erickson/) and in my latest book Plugged In: The Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work. It's great to have Gen Y in the workplace!
  • I both want to say I love the piece and it says a lot of good things about the contemporary mindset (and i know many 50 year olds who would describe themselves just as you have), and also share my doubts about GenY being all so different as you think - I have yet to see any evidence of that. Granted, I have been working with people only 15 years, and many always young, and all in entrepreneurial and tech companies, but I have yet to see any evidence that the current batch of 18 years old is much different than i was when i was 18, or any 18 year olds I have worked with in between. In a way I think it is a convenient commercial idea (you can sell articles, books, courses, talks about it), it suits the generation themselves, who like to think we are totally different from anyone that came before ("nobody had our perspective before" "we are new cause we grew up with cars/instant messenging/computers/birth control"), and it suits senior management who have forgotten both how it is to be young and how it is to work for others, and love to blame the fact that their employees hate working for them on some generational issues and easy labels so they can ignore it ("they dont want to work", "they want people to provide everything on a platter" "they have short attention spans").

    That or I was genY 18 years early.
  • This is a great post, thanks!
    Also of interest may be Generation WE, here's a post worth checking out:
    "Marketers, Managers and Media: Here’s Your Heads-up on Generation WE" http://tinyurl.com/5hfh5s
  • I thought this post was excellent! It is amazing how this generation in my mind is becoming incredibly disruptive in the education space. Many colleges and universities that are trying to attract these prospective students don't yet truly understand how to interact with them let alone how to excite them about their schools. Thanks for the insight!
  • Jim may be onto something as concerns gen Y and a spiral down of the economy. In many ways, based upon the gen Y folks I've had working for me, I think they likely will prosper under such conditions perhaps more so than other other generation (excluding those who lived through the great depression). The value sets and work ethic are different, and while its a bit of a long shot, I think they may prosper much more so than us older folks. Most anyone can be successful in a upturn, but it takes real skill and a different mindset when things are crashing down left and right. I hold great promise for gen Y.
  • "We’re a generation that spends our days on the internet. Unlike time spent front of the television, much of our spent online makes us learn valuable information and engage in meaningful conversation."

    Untrue. Most of my peers and younger (I'm 25 so I suppose that makes me part of gen Y) spends time on the internet purely in an entertainment/infotainment kind of way.

    Those that do that are truly in the minority, I wouldn't make a generalized statement like that because as much as I would *want* it to be true, it simply isn't. Most people even Gen Y still waste a lot of time in front of TV as well.
  • As someone who is slightly older than the Y category I find it very interesting how subtle the differences are between me and my slightly-younger colleague whom I'm certain was your muse for this article. While my parents taught me I could be and do anything I wanted, I didn't know how to get there and my respect (fear) of authority put me in a position where I didn't feel it was my place to ask. I have been mostly thankful for the opportunities I have received and perhaps not had such a strong sense of self as many coming up behind me. I have spent a long time pushing forward slowly - much slower than many 10 years younger than I are now doing. I am envious of the attitude of the gen Y set; what were seen as boundaries for me are simply not there for them.
  • Good essay. I'm from the first part of the "baby boom"--civil rights, anti-war, that sort of thing--and much of that post could have applied to me. It is true that much of this is attitude. There are too many Y-ers who can't show up for work consistently, but then I had friends that way in the 60s. Anyway, go for it.
  • This was a great, well written post, and has given me a lot to think about. As someone slightly older that the Y group, someone with children growing up as "millenials" this is an interesting perspective to consider.
    I see my Gen Y friends as still young and restless, not sure of "who" they want to be or "where" they want to go. They have not all found a focus yet for their lives, and thats fine. It's not like it used to be for my parents- you would work for one company after graduating from high school or college, and you could expect to be there until you decided to leave or died, your choice. That kind of stability, security an perhaps sense of sameness, leading to a sense of basically phoning it in after years of the same old thing was not exactly a panacea. Markets changed. Pensions and healthcare changed. That stability and security is no longer there the way it used to be, and has actually lead to some big problems for some big companies.
    Now people are expected to have many job over a lifetime- I have. But I do think you have to find some theme- your talents- things you can build on and maximize over time. If you believe the premise in Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, we really only get to be experts after about 10,000 worth of practice. That translates into 5- 10 years on a job for most people. If you keep job hopping, industry hopping and career hopping, you may not ever build up that serious expertise that makes you valuable to others. We never get to find out your unique contribution to a company or organization, because you are never around long enough to make it.
    I think we have to nurture all parts of our lives and our creativity, but I think we also have to expect that work is just one part of our lives, and may not be able to involve all our passions directly. For example, I can enjoy playing squash, knitting, cooking, and scuba diving, but I probably cannot expect my career to necessarily play to all of these interests, as well as my strengths in writing and communication. And that's really okay.
  • It's an insightful article. The irony is that my generation asked for exactly the same things... The insight stems from the reality that every generation likes to think it is unique and somehow different from the next - why burst the bubble?
    GB
  • Great report on the generation. Interesting to be part of it, feeling the same as described above, and having a hard time finding a job. Understandably, jobs are declining for everyone of every generation, but are Millennials different? No one should have to experience losing their job, especially when it's purely budgetary and out of your hands, but a number of recent college graduates are having trouble finding a first job, or keeping the support-level position they have with their struggling company. After all, what company needs support-level staff when there's less and less work to support?

    The good to come of all this is exemplified by your description of taking "unconventional paths;" by exploring our professional options and productive interests. Will your research assistant-friend break the latest scientific findings while tailoring the next big fashion wave? Perhaps. By pursuing several paths of interest, could a part-time professional work atmosphere arise?
  • I completely agree. Being a Gen-Y-er, I would also like to say, that we hate playing politics and bad games in colleges or workplaces or amongst our buddies. We say as we feel. Theres no back stabbing sort of thing.
  • Very well said. Somehow this message needs to be received by many companies and business owners who really don't understand your generation because they were taught to stay with a company until retirement no matter what. With that mindset, it is easy to see why they think your generation isn't loyal. Great post.
  • Some of us X'ers have more in common with you Y'ers than you might think. What a great post with excellent insight. I think both generations we are in tune with our worth and we don't see a company as "giving us a job." We know that we bring a lot to the table and that has value. Well said. I still maintain that you have to be a little careful with your online image though, particularly when it comes to photos. You can read between the lines on that one.
  • Liz
    Well said. I completely agree. I'm a generation Y-er and I absolutely look for new challenges at work and I'm not at all afraid to approach upper-level management. And I'm actually somewhat of a shy, reserved person in general. :) Thanks for the post!
  • From the first paragraph I knew I was going to like this article. I haven't checked out your site yet, but I can guess that I will like and subscribe to it.

    "Employers must learn to judge job applicants not by their past but by what they can bring to the company" --

    I have had no personal experience with these type of problems, but I can see where it can be an issue. I guess Y is a different breed, and that should be embraced, because there is much to be lost if it is not.
  • I get that there's a lot of enthusiasm by Gen Yers, but perhaps we can give them a few years to really accomplish something before we start worshiping their energy and desire to work? And startups sold for big cash to legacy companies don't count. We've seen that.

    I know it's not kosher to throw cold water on these guys, but after a few posts over at Penelope's site, I get the sense that self-esteem and generational boosterism is more important than actually making money for a company.

    I've worked with quite a few of these Gen Yer's - and their internet skills don't translate well, without the required experience. Job-hopping is fine, but there's something to be said for learning skill at a terrible job that rewards you later on. Job-hopping by itself isn't wrong, but doing so because you lack the ability to stick to a project and see it through isn't a good sign for employers.

    Some people say this is just typical Gen-Xer crankiness, but when I was in my 20's, I acted the same as all of the Gen Y folks do now. I wanted challenges, achievements, and responsibility. It isn't new. It's naivete. It's the bloom of youth. Eventually, I settled down, worked for the man, figured out what I needed, and now run my own firm. But it isn't cake, and there are real bills to pay.

    Add some kids and mortgage payments, and a maybe a recessionary economy and parents unable to subsidize and the vast majority will end up just as the generations before.

    Just because there are a lot of them, doesn't mean that the nature of work will change. There were lots of lemmings, after all, at least until they ran off cliffs. Gen Y has never seen an economic downturn while working. Let's see what they're made of, and then start the fetes.

    Now get off my lawn!
  • I love Jim Durbin
  • It's exciting times indeed. The mix of Gen X pioneers and Gen Y leaders can only mean improved times ahead.
  • Rebecca
    LOL I have to tell you a story about what recently happened in my governmental, strictly regulated workplace. A new training class was in their 9th week of their 10 week training class, and there is one individual who on a couple of occasions got bored and roamed the halls. The last time he had gotten with some people in the IT department was trying to convince them to go ahead and get him set up in his cubicle ahead of time because he was ready to get to work.

    Literally unheard of in my workplace. I was arguing that somehow we need to harness this energy and enthusiasm while the powers that be were probably taking bets on whether this individual would be the first one to go out of the training class.
  • Yes, it's definitely changed alot since I entered the workplace some 25 years ago.

    These ideals are open to all of us and it's great to see the tide turning as there have been so many who've endured so much to enable this change to take place.
  • KSL
    Great summary. I agree with her in so many ways; it's what I've been preaching for years now. Only I'm not a gen Y'er, but I guess even that "gen thang" can be a state of mind if not a birthright.

    I wonder how many of these minded individuals understand that the way they work, the way they think, and how they evaluate, are in essence what great managers and leaders have been trying to teach and instill in their pupils for years.

    Use your powers for good, Gen Y, and great things are bound to happen.
  • Teresa,

    Excellent article, Imagine what happens if Generation Y gets into decision making positions! I really believe that we are at a point in time with a lot of upcoming changes... and really more and more into your direction.
    When I was in my early 20's I dreamed of changing the world (punk rock), but today those in their early 20's can change the world..
  • Whenever anyone asks me what is up with Gen-Y, I am going to refer them to this post. It was spot on how most of the under 30s that I talk with think, act, and do in the workplace.
  • While a lot of this article is true, it has nothing to do with any generation that you are born into, but has everything to do with how you look at the world.

    There are a lot of successful persons like your self that you can fine in history. All worked by thinking and acting outside the box, doing something different or radical. These are all individuals, not a group. I am an X-er but do not state that all other X-er's are like me. They are not, nor am I like them. I am myself, a person with ADD that has persevered and by luck, karma, and hard work found my place in society and the workforce that has allowed me to use the abilities I have to rise to the upper levels of my profession.

    Be proud of who you are, what it is you do, any why you do it, but there are those is every generation that unfortunately make the rest of us look bad. We can not get away from them and it is guilt by association. We are the ones that must rise above and show others that we are not a group and that we do not all think or act alike.

    Keep doing what you do and strive for more. You are the kind of person that makes America great and why America is the best country in the world to be sucessful on your own terms.
  • @Harvey: I think Gen Y functions in a very different mindset from previous generations, and it’s so important to bridge that gap. If you ever have any questions about our perspective… I’d love to answer them!

    Also — Brazencareerist.com (for which I’m a syndicated blogger) is an awesome place to hear more Gen Y voices.

    @Matthew: I’m glad you can relate! This WSJ article really painted “millennials” in a harsher light than I thought we deserved. It’s not that we’re lazy or that we think we’re always entitled — we just have a different outlook. I hoped to clarify that.

    @Chris Kenton: I’m very grateful (and honored!) that Chris agreed to let me guest post! He is always so welcoming to hearing from different perspectives that I thought, hey — wouldn’t it be valuable for all of these people in social media to read about a young person’s take on the professional world?

    Even though we’re the generation that grew up on the internet, I find that the Gen Y voice isn’t as prominent in the blogosphere as it should be. I hope to help change that. :)

    @Nannette: Good to hear — that means you operate most efficiently and creatively!

    @Kevn & Marcia: I agree, it’s not a revolutionary way of thought — it’s simply our generation pushing for the professional world to accept that work/play/life can all converge in a happy medium.

    @Matt: I’ve done plenty of unpaid internships in my time. I’m currently embarking on number five! But you are absolutely right — working with great people, exploring your passions, and picking up skills from within a more intimate work environment will ultimately be far more worthwhile.

    Everyone else: Ahh, I can’t keep up with you! :) But thank you for your great feedback.
  • Wow, nailed it. I often get criticized at work for having some of these qualities. It usually stops when co-workers realize I've got the same skills and experience as they do....and I'm 10 years younger.
  • Well done Teresa...your explanation delivers. This is awesome news actually! Everything our parents and grandparents struggled to achieve for us is now beginning to be the 'norm' for the the GenY crowd. Embrace integrity, knowledge, compassion and dedication and we can all play in the pool together.
  • I think this post is dead-on.

    It will be interesting to see how corporate culture adapts to the needs and wants of generation Y. I see a lot of friends get extremely frustrated with workplaces that operate the "old fashioned" way. I fear that there will be a lot of head-butting for a while, but Gen Y is already getting old to be managers/owners of companies. I think we'll see the most significant changes as more Gen Y'ers start their own ventures or take over.
  • Ah I just saw your tweet about the guest post. Nice work dude :) I'm impressed, as always.
  • Very nice article. Also I should be generation X, I feel like Y.
  • Glad to see comments like Mark's, Nannette's, and Kevin's here, too. I agree that these are work ideals that previous generations wanted, too. So, in a way, I don't think GenYers are that different. Though, these day, I do think there are more environments out there that have adopted this new kind of culture, not necessarily to embrace the younger Generation, but because it's more motivating for most people. I do believe that GenYers will find what they are looking for in newer companies, but I don't think that some of the established company cultures are going to necessarily change just to accomodate this younger Generations ideals....just based on my experiences.
  • Being a millennial, or member of Gen Y myself I can validate much of what you mentioned. I would also add that as a generation we're very driven and pressured to achieve. This drive or pressure could come from parent's expectations, the high measuring stick set by celebrities, or just personal expectations. This is the root cause of our crave for personal development in my opinion. Even though we're very driven to achieve, we're also very team oriented and excel at collaborating with one another both online and off. Armed with the power of technology and the drive to succeed, our generation will lead the push in the global economy for years to come.

    Good post Teresa
  • This article is so true. I am Gen Y and I work for a tech Start-up, it's hard work and I'm not yet paid fully what I deserve, but the reason I stay there is precisely because of the great people I work with and because I've got the freedom to be unconventional, pursue what I enjoy doing and develop myself personally in ways that would otherwise not be open to me in a conventional corporate environment. I actually know people who are being paid far more than I am, but are stuck in a flat and stagnant work environment and are unhappy.
  • Michael Fidler
    I just sent Chris atweet before I read this, answering his question, ever wonder what Gen Y thought about work. My tweet back was, My understanding is they can take it or leave it, but they love charity work. This should be interesting!

    Hey, I only had 140 characters. You sum it nicely. I love the fact that your generation thinks it's important to do what they love. That's smart, and a great way of avoiding a mid life crisis. Although you don't mention it, there are a lot of people your age that would rather work for a charity or a cause, rather than other type of work. I think it gets back to doing something worthwhile, and it's non-conventional. Your generation has so much to offer, but I've heard it's taking management quite a bit of adjusting to make sure your happy.They better modify the way they interact with their co-workers, or they will find themselves out of a job. After all, your the future, and a good one at that. Nice post!
  • Deb
    wow, I'm a boomer (sad I don't have just a letter) and you talked about ALL the things we, as boomers, now have to focus on in order to get what we want. Our good luck is that we (hopefully) have the good sense to go after those things we want. Most of us are close to retirement, and feel like kids just learning all this "computer stuff". We have the time, money and experience to make this second half of our lives more valuable, productive and enjoyable.

    You rock little sister!
  • Teresa - I'm a so-called "boomer" and feel as you do about work. I've been looking for the ideal job for years. You may, indeed, be an entrepreneur. Much is made of generational differences, but entrepreneurs are very much alike regardless of age. Good luck to you!
  • bill p;ater
    please spare me!
  • I can relate to a lot of this also. It's great that you've put this in perspective and I also agree with what Mark said. The things you mention are not revolutionary perspectives on work ethic; it's more of a realization that "work" does not have to be so formal. It coincides with how everyone has been exposed to the web 2.0 phenomenon - everyone connecting, contributing and learning with/from each other.
  • I must have been born before my time. I have been operating as a Y-er for nearly 40 years and did not realize it. Now it is more clear why I didn't fit in before :-)
  • Great Article, Being a Gen Y'er myself, I often find myself in these situations, to where if My creativity is limited, or I feel I can better myself, I move to something fresh and new, always striving for greatness and the opportunity to make a difference! I am expecting great things from myself and Fellow Gen Y'ers!
  • Thanks for your thoughts Teresa--and thanks, Chris for lending your podium. I think the dialog between generations is growing more and more critical. There's a gap in understanding that is less well-served by mainstream media articles "profiling" the generations into neat little boxes, than by hearing dialog directly from real people. Senior managers have a wealth of experience to share, and young people entering the workforce can break many of the limiting barriers that prevent innovation. But without a bridge between them, so much is opportunity is lost.
  • And... I digg it!
  • I LOVED this - as a Y I felt all this entering the working world and how! I know what a valuable resource we are but conveying a new set of focusses to employers our employers (and our employees) as well as our customers is a little tricky. Our culture isn't quite understood, and this is important, because as you say - our culture is distinctive. It really is fantastic to have it outlined so clearly here - trust me - I'll be sending people to this post.

    Because we are here - we've arrived. Welcome to a new world. Better get on board.

    Thanks Teresa, love your style!
  • Excellent Post, Teresa! As a Recruiter I have a lot to learn about the Gen Y candidates I am working with these days! It is imperative for Hiring Managers and for Recruiters to understand Gen Y if we are to succeed in building high performance teams in the future. Thanks for sharing!
    ~Harvey
  • Wow, thats an amazing description of the realities of the modern work environment. Good job capturing that.

    I think the main thing is really that we embrace the fact that the only thing that matters is a good idea. If you have a good idea, no job, no market, no anything can take that way.

    It's with you no matter what environment and conditions you are under. So with that in mind, I think it is the driving force for your interview.
  • What you write rings true for me, too, as an X-er myself. I think what's interesting is that what you describe are core human needs that have been alive for thousands of years in us. I'm refreshed to find those needs so achingly present as our culture shifts to accept them. Thanks for voicing it.
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