The coming shocks faced by Gen Y'ers

[Cowperson]

Are you a Gen Y'er, part of the demographic bubble just entering the workplace?

Life will be full of shocks if you are.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-work28.html

Cowperson

[Ozy_Flame]

Yikes, that's not good encouragement. Mind you American college kids seem to have a more cutthroat business culture than Canadian grads, and, when talking about jobs, always seem to be talking about the pinnacle positions in the workplace. This is why they quickly get humbled when they finally get jobs - that great, high paying, picture-perfect position isn't always waiting for them at the end of the tunnel.

I am finishing two undergrad degrees in university right now. When I started post-secondary, I was expecting a similar opportunity. Now I realize that isn't the case, and I'll pretty much be making in April what I currently make right now.

Unfortunately alot of university and post-secondary students don't realize how humbling it all becomes when they hit the real world. I see all these freshmen running around telling their family and friends how they expect big things from their workplace and how it will adjust to their needs. Boy, are they in for a surprise...

[BaronInEdmonton]

I love Gen Y. A whole generation raised by parents to have artificially high self estemn. It's funny when a kid gets his first job, and gets that look in his eye. They realize getting less in wages then allowance to push broom and clean toilets sucks.

The 'you aren't special' phase for any new worker is funny.

[MRCboicgy]

Some of my classmates are like that, they talk about graduating and getting a great job, etc. Most of my good friends are from really well off families and are used to a good lifestyle, and, well I'm not and have to work just to stay in school, but with work and some scholarship money I've gotten--I guess good grades do pay off --I have more now than I ever did, I have a camera and a computer, two things I never had growing up, I still may be a young'un but anyone my age who thinks the working world and a good salary and job will just be handed them because they have a piece of paper with a 4 yr degree is seriously wrong, I just hope it gets me a better job after school, and hopefully work up to something good.

[Ironhorse]

Charles Sykes, the author of DUMBING DOWN OUR KIDS, provided a list of eleven things not taught in school. In his book, he talks about how the feel good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality, and set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1.
Life is not fair; get used to it.

Rule 2.
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect You to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3.
You will NOT make 60 grand a year right out of school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

Rule 4.
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

Rule 5.
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

Rule 6.
If you mess up, it's not your parents or your bosses fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7.
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So, before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8.
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9.
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10.
Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11.
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

[Table 5]

I dunno, as a recent grad who just entered the workforce, Im not really surprised with my circumstances. I pretty much figured they were feeding me bull**** halfway through undergrad anyway.

It's true though that I dont have as much (if any) loyalty to my employer compared to my parents, but I work much longer hours than they did at my age and have set aside much of my social life for my career. Working till 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays proves that I think.

The money's not too bad either. It could definitely be higher, but pretty much where i expected (as I said though, I have a pretty accurate bull**** meter, so I wasn't expecting instant riches as promised). So all in all, pretty even steven to where I thought I'd be.

[BaronInEdmonton]

Amen on the 11 rules of life. Love em. And I'm gonna steal em.

Swear to God. When I was growing up (upper middle class in the suburbs) I honestly believed that 50K, a nice house, and reliable car were my birthright.

Turns out I was wrong.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Yikes, that's not good encouragement. Mind you American college kids seem to have a more cutthroat business culture than Canadian grads, and, when talking about jobs, always seem to be talking about the pinnacle positions in the workplace. This is why they quickly get humbled when they finally get jobs - that great, high paying, picture-perfect position isn't always waiting for them at the end of the tunnel.

I am finishing two undergrad degrees in university right now. When I started post-secondary, I was expecting a similar opportunity. Now I realize that isn't the case, and I'll pretty much be making in April what I currently make right now.

Unfortunately alot of university and post-secondary students don't realize how humbling it all becomes when they hit the real world. I see all these freshmen running around telling their family and friends how they expect big things from their workplace and how it will adjust to their needs. Boy, are they in for a surprise...

God bless the HSB and the castles in the air they build.

[Agamemnon]

I read most of the article, but couldn't find anything referring to the glut of jobs, especially in middle/upper management, that are currently occupied by people 60+ years of age who are.. you know... looking to retire and die and all.

I found the workplace to be exactly what I thought it would be. I don't see Gen Y as 'special' or different. Maybe this applies to people who were born with silver spoons in their mouths? Was the entire generation spoiled? Seems like a pretty broad brush the author is painting with.

Still, I think it's pretty clear that the baby-boomers leaving the workplace will mean more work (and taxes) for us 'young'uns'.

[BaronInEdmonton]

Gen Y was generally spoiler. Their are always exceptions, but the rule is there for a reason.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by BaronInEdmonton

Gen Y was generally spoiler. Their are always exceptions, but the rule is there for a reason.

What rule?

[BaronInEdmonton]

That Gen Y kids are spoiled.

I was making a metaphor to your 'broadbrush' comment, but it was kind of a reach.

[Footscray]

This sentiment is probably relevant anywhere the economy is not based on oil. When 40K is McDonalds money in McMurray for no education and they are begging people to come up there with any training it reads like sour grapes.

[mykalberta]

I dont know what Born in 1980 generation is, but I will say that you have to get used to less money, at least at the start.

You also begin to dread the beginning of the month when for me, automatic withdrawls of 1486 really put a damper on what used to be a nice looking balance, I am dreading the day with that is more than a 2 week cheque.

MYK

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by calf

God bless the HSB and the castles in the air they build.

Not the mention all the hot air the student body seems to breathe. Man, I can't wait until I'm done there....Four more months...

[Hakan]

Most undergrad students are complete idiots when it comes to actually using what university has to offer them once they inevitably leave campus.

I am not talking about hitting the books hard and getting the best grades, infact, quite the opposite. Classes compromise less than half of what university really has to offer you.

I'll take my own experience at University of Calgary as an example. My first year I did nothing but go to class, get good grades and get drunk with my friends. That's what most of my other friend's did too. Then in the second year, I became listless, started doing poorly in classes and eventually dropped out.

I worked for 2 years doing various menial jobs at the Royal Bank, the Planet Coffee shop, Sunnyside gardens etc. and realized that my only ticket out of these menial jobs was a university education combined with work and volunteer experience.

So I apply to UBC and the first thing I do is going the Arts undergrad society, the Alma Mater Society, get a job at Safewalk, get a job at the First Nations House of Learning and start volunteering with a anti-sexist men's group. My schedule was stacked with responsibilities. But it first enabled me to create and operate under a very busy schedule, something employers like to see. Then I acquired a lot of tangible skills, I made presentations, was the treasurer of a group for two years, organized events, liaised with other campus associations, went to meetings with University officials, these are all things that employers love to see. Eventually, as I got more experience, I was writing reports for my jobs, writing and administering budgets, doing training and orientations for students. Also, things that employers love to see. And what was the end result on my grades? Well they actually got better! Because I was so busy, I had no time to procrastinate. Because I had to be on campus all the time, I never missed class. Infact, class was welcome break from other jobs so I looked forward to class. (as a side note, in this day and age, if you go to every single class in an Arts degree at least, you're pretty much guaranteed a B)

So there you have it, I looked at the other students, fevourishly hitting the books in the library, contributing nothing to the campus community to get A+s and when they leave university they'll be about as employable as a Bre-X executive.

Myself, well, I'm doing a masters because all the really good government jobs require an MA, and I want to work for government or NGOs so when that's done. Look out!

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Myself, well, I'm doing a masters because all the really good government jobs require an MA, and I want to work for government or NGOs so when that's done. Look out!

Future leader of the NDP, perhaps?

That was actually pretty interesting, and I agree that the busier you keep yourself, the better you do things. I find that on days when I've only got a couple of things to do (like today), I slack off alot and really only get the things done to the minimumally acceptable point. On days that I've got more work than time to do it, somehow I get it all done, and get it all done right.

[Frank the Tank]

I am stunned at how many kids come out of college, thinking they will be hired as the head of an art department, doing layouts for national magazines and earning over 100K/year. I don't know who puts these delusions in their heads, but they need to stop.

[Hakan]

My point basically is this, don't let classes and grades ruin the REAL opportunities that university has to offer you. If you take advantage of those opportunities, your grades will be just fine.

So many students in my generation feel that they don't need to contribute anything to their own personal education. As if the university will force feed them something and low and behold by following that they'll be smarter and employable. Your educations is YOUR responsibility and no one elses. If you dolly along just attending classes and doing little else then you may come out book smarter but hardly life smarter.

That means getting out, meeting with people, interacting with people doing things, getting things done and yes writing the eventual paper or test will have the best most holistic impact on your education and employability. Not to mention that it's a great way to meet girls.

[Ozy_Flame]

Post-secondary is, by far, the best place to meet women! Good call Hakan, I was hoping someone would bring that up!