The Birmingham News - 20-somethings' expectations oftentimes clash with realities of the workplace
1 year, 5 months agoThe Birmingham News
Saturday, September 08, 2007, LISA OSBURN- News staff writer
Sporting their "princess" T-shirts and $100 sneakers, members of Generation Y grew up hearing they could conquer the world. Many of their parents started them on that journey with laptop computers, vehicles, cell phones, high-speed Internet connections and MP3 players.
But the next step of life - entering the workforce - can be a tricky one for the babies of the 1980s and 1990s, career experts say.
"They come in with very high expectations," said Tim Irwin, a corporate psychologist and author. "Their parents have told them from the moment they were born that they were special. These Gen Y'ers believe it. The thought of having to pay dues for a long time to get into a corner office is kind of jarring to them."
That sense of entitlement needs to be left at home, said Nicholas Aretakis, a career coach specializing in college students, recent grads and twenty-somethings. He wrote "No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide."
"They don't like having normal hours and meetings. They get frustrated with getting the less glamorous assignments and more menial tasks," he said. "Most of them are really surprised that you don't get much vacation time."
That attitude has led some Birmingham managers to start looking elsewhere. Gregory Jones, CEO of Hubbard Systems Inc., in Inverness, hires college graduates from the United States and from India for his software development company.
The differences between the two groups concern him.
"The students here definitely do not have the drive," Jones said. "They have never been held to a standard. When they enter the workforce, there is surprise that deadlines must be met. They think we are going to be an extended family. We are not. That is a very hard issue for them to get over."
Their coworkers from India are another story, he said.
"There is a great hunger from Indian programmers," he said. "There is a very strong desire to do well. They are very competitive."
Jones said he blames parents and a flawed educational system for producing workers without a sense of responsibility, accountability or commitment.
"Companies who can, like ours, will choose not to manage them and bring in people from another country," he said. "I feel sorry for the retail end of the country because they have to hire them."
Bridgett Jones Short, owner of Jucos, an Aveda lifestyle salon in Inverness, falls into that category. Although she could pass for a member of Generation Y, she has been in the business 24 years and has concerns about younger employees.
Me, me, more me:
"This generation is all about `me.' Money is not a huge problem because it seems like parents subsidize their income," Short said. "They don't feel like they have to work very hard. They think the grass is always greener. It is not about dedication.
If they were to get off at six, they get off at six."
Parents have the ability to change that, Short said. She uses Jordan Corley, a 20-year-old stylist, as an example of what happens when the talent of Gen Y combines with good attitude and good upbringing.
"Jordan is the exception. She is very accommodating," Short said. "She goes the extra mile, and she has an excellent work ethic."
Corley said many people her age are still in school and hop from one job to another for extra money. She's different.
"Eventually I want to own my own salon," she said. "I am staying in one place for the experience. I want to learn the business."
That's the catch of this generation. They can be extremely bright with self-confidence and energy, said Irwin, who wrote "Run With The Bulls Without Getting Trampled".
Technology is like breathing to them, he said.
"I think they are going to be one of the most creative and productive generations in history," Irwin said. "I am predicting great things and smart companies are going to be hiring the best of them."
Gen Yers will stay at a company if they are getting the challenges and opportunities for growth. That is why Anthony Oni, a 27-year-old community development specialist for Alabama Power Co., said he has had one job since college.
But he has watched other friends switch from job to job.
"They want to build multiple experiences to move forward. They think a broad base is important," Oni said. "Another reason they leave is lifestyle. I have a couple of friends who moved to different places because the city offered a different lifestyle."
His friend Brandon Wilson, 27, is on his fourth job since graduation. He now works at O2 Ideas, a Birmingham public relations and advertising agency.
"For the 76 million or so Gen Yers in the world, we are trying to find our place in the business community. Sometimes it doesn't always happen the first time," he said. "Young people are graduating college and exploring and finding their niche in a community and taking advantage of great opportunities. This may be confused with impatience."
Jay Carr, 27, knows people his age are not always perceived as dedicated and self-motivated. But the Alabama Power Co. engineer believes they do have the opportunity to advance faster than previous generations because technology allows them to process a job quicker. They just need to be aware that everybody graduating college with them will have the same resources, he said.
"I definitely think parents need to be positive and encouraging because there is so much opportunity out there," he said. "But it still comes down to hard work and perseverance."
E-mail: losburn@bhamnews.com
GEN Y AT A GLANCE:
What employers need to know to manage Gen Y, those born after 1980: -RT
They value a good balance between work and personal life. They will not stay and talk to co-workers for 30 minutes after their shift ends.
They don't understand sitting through rush-hour traffic when they can just as easily work from home.
They want to be evaluated on productivity, not how many hours they worked.
They want flexibility. Technology allows them to work untraditional hours; they can have a great idea at 2 a.m.
They want purpose and meaning in their work. They will leave if they don't find it.
GEN Y SURVIVAL GUIDE:
What Gen Yers need to know to survive in the workplace:
Keep emotions in check. It is not always suitable to express them at work.
Be dependable and meet deadlines.
Understand and succeed in self-management. These are not parents and teachers, but employers.
Seek out a mentor.
Develop short and long-term objectives for your career. Make sure short-term behavior does not hinder long-term objectives.
The cubicle is not a dorm room. Clean it up.
Sources: "Run With The Bulls Without Getting Trampled" and "No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide".
