Why Gen Y yuppies are unhappy

[boogerz]

Originally Posted by polak

I'm curious how much of that work ethic is their fault and how much is it a lack of work?

Look at me, I'm a Gen-Y sitting on CP right now so you can assume I have poor work ethic, right? Except that I'm finished all of my work and there is no extra work to go around. Now is that because there is no work or too many baby boomers that are scared to give up responsibilities but realize they need to hire young people for some succession?

This is going to be a terrifying transition once the baby boomers are hitting 65 and retiring. That Baby Boomer corporate culture of mushroom management and keeping your cards hidden definitely isn't conducive to training and cooperation.

It's nice to see that a lot of modern companies are starting new grad rotations that emphasize skill development and mentoring, but there just aren't enough of those for people who don't take accounting, finance, or engineering at school.


Also, CaramonLS hit it right on the head. There's a huge different between working smart and working hard. Showing up to work and working hard 24/7 doesn't mean that you're working efficiently, and taking periodic breaks doesn't mean that you're slacking off. Baby Boomer "work ethic" is just a recipe for depression and fatigue

[Shin Pad]

Originally Posted by blankall

This is another thing I take issue with. Boomers claiming they did more work than we do know. As someone who relies heavily on e-mail and word processors, I simply cannot see how it would have been possible for the previous generation to do more work. I can instantly exchange documents and type documents as I go. If I had to wait for snail mail and secretaries to type up my documents, I would have a significant amount of down time.

Technology, while making work more efficient and less time consuming in some ways, also vastly increases my ability to multi-task and gain access to more work. I can sit at my computer for 8 hours a day and have an endless amount of work in front of me. This, as oppossed to dictating a letter, waiting for it to be types, sending it by snail mail, waiting for the reply, etc....

I agree with this for the most part. When I started working in an office back in 1974, the most technological things in the office were the electric typewriters and the Xerox machine that was the size of a small car. Now days, I'm self employed, working from my home, on the computer and generate my work without any help from secretaries, etc. I am able to do more work in one day than the whole department that I was in back in 1974.

The thing is, I have way more work these days than I used to have back then. So, even though my efficiency has gone up exponentially, I am still putting in lots of hours trying to keep up.

Anyway, I'm slowly cutting back my work load now, and I'm going to "semi-retire" soon.

[flylock shox]

I get the idea that Gen-Yers might be viewed as a bunch of naive, ADHD, twerking, tweeting, deluded morons, but I find the argument that they're lazy and entitled a bit offensive. Those last two belong to us: Generation X.

And in fairness to Yers, they've been raised by wealthy boomers (or that freaky generation between the boomers and Xers) and expect to have at least the same standard of living as their parents. But they're facing high education costs, low education value, high real estate prices, low employment opportunity, and generally can't be expected to grow up until they're in their 30s. So its not surprising their elders might perceive them as having unrealistic expectations: pretty basic expectations have simply become unrealistic.

[TheGrimm]

I'm just going to leave this here:
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=117479

[Erick Estrada]

Alberta post-secondary students expect a starting salary of $53,592 on graduation, according to a survey released Thursday by BMO Bank of Montreal.

Isn't it all relative? When I went to school there was a time previously that if you took out +$20,000 in student loans and did well in school the the government would repay more than half for some people via the remission program. When I graduated that completely changed and I got something like $1200 reduced off my +$25k student loan and I got some awards. I obviously had it tougher than the generation before me as my tuition was also considerably higher than the generation before me as I paid more and got less back. Also at the time minimum wage was around $5.50/hr so if I didn't get a job immediately after graduating I would be sol trying to pay rent in calgary and pay off $25k making $5.50/hr. Even when I started out in my field the wages were well under $20/hr. Now kids have bigger loans but wages are also higher as a lot of graduates today scoff at anything under $20/hr. Sure you paid more and you have more debt but you also expect a lot more salary. All relative.

[PsYcNeT]

I also wore an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. Give me five bees for a quarter, you'd say.

[valo403]

Double post. And a day later too. Whoops.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Isn't it all relative? When I went to school there was a time previously that if you took out +$20,000 in student loans and did well in school the the government would repay more than half for some people via the remission program. When I graduated that completely changed and I got something like $1200 reduced off my +$25k student loan and I got some awards. I obviously had it tougher than the generation before me as my tuition was also considerably higher than the generation before me as I paid more and got less back. Also at the time minimum wage was around $5.50/hr so if I didn't get a job immediately after graduating I would be sol trying to pay rent in calgary and pay off $25k making $5.50/hr. Even when I started out in my field the wages were well under $20/hr. Now kids have bigger loans but wages are also higher as a lot of graduates today scoff at anything under $20/hr. Sure you paid more and you have more debt but you also expect a lot more salary. All relative.

I make more than that and I'm still SOL trying to rent in Calgary.

[macker]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

^^^^^
What an annoying post...Post a video if you are going to do that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jne9t8sHpUc

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by polak

I make more than that and I'm still SOL trying to rent in Calgary.

More than what?

[Red]

Younger generations always know how to do things better than their older peers.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Red

Shyamalan twist:

I found out pretty quickly that my parents are in fact idiots, after my mom joined a healing crystal cult and my dad blew all his divorce money on a 4 year trip through South America and ended up borrowing 3 grand that he still has yet to pay back.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Isn't it all relative? When I went to school there was a time previously that if you took out +$20,000 in student loans and did well in school the the government would repay more than half for some people via the remission program. When I graduated that completely changed and I got something like $1200 reduced off my +$25k student loan and I got some awards. I obviously had it tougher than the generation before me as my tuition was also considerably higher than the generation before me as I paid more and got less back. Also at the time minimum wage was around $5.50/hr so if I didn't get a job immediately after graduating I would be sol trying to pay rent in calgary and pay off $25k making $5.50/hr. Even when I started out in my field the wages were well under $20/hr. Now kids have bigger loans but wages are also higher as a lot of graduates today scoff at anything under $20/hr. Sure you paid more and you have more debt but you also expect a lot more salary. All relative.

Conveniently leaving out that things now cost more as well. So, more debt, higher cost of living, higher salary.

Btw, most studies indicate that salaries have not kept up with inflation. So really, you have more debt, higher cost of living, the same salary (if not lower). All relative.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Shyamalan twist:

I found out pretty quickly that my parents are in fact idiots, after my mom joined a healing crystal cult and my dad blew all his divorce money on a 4 year trip through South America and ended up borrowing 3 grand that he still has yet to pay back.

Mine too, they are trying to remain young and energetic so they fell for one of those phony naturalpaths. He convinced them they were celiac and lightened their wallets by $20-30k, turns out they aren't celiac, just stupid.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by valo403

Conveniently leaving out that things now cost more as well. So, more debt, higher cost of living, higher salary.

Btw, most studies indicate that salaries have not kept up with inflation. So really, you have more debt, higher cost of living, the same salary (if not lower). All relative.

And how exactly does that only apply to GEN Y? Last I heard Gen X's are still working and it's actually worse for me as in the prime of my career earnings salaries have dropped behind inflation. At the end of the day it really is all relative as you will be as successful in your career as you choose to be. That's never changed in North America regardless of the economics around you. This is still the land of opportunity.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

And how exactly does that only apply to GEN Y? Last I heard Gen X's are still working and it's actually worse for me as in the prime of my career earnings salaries have dropped behind inflation. At the end of the day it really is all relative as you will be as successful in your career as you choose to be. That's never changed.

Umm, we're talking about the place that people find themselves in upon leaving school

I don't think you're following along. The discussion is around the fact that recent graduates are facing higher debt loads than ever before. It's not relative, it's a fact.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by valo403

Umm, we're talking about the place that people find themselves in upon leaving school

I don't think you're following along. The discussion is around the fact that recent graduates are facing higher debt loads than ever before. It's not relative, it's a fact.

You are bringing in an argument that affects everyone in the workforce so saying that inflation it makes things harder for grads students in the workforce doesn't fly as it's the current conditions of the workforce for everyone.

Recent graduates are expecting higher salaries. Is that also not a fact? I also had a higher debt load than the generation before me. I fail to see what's different outside of more complaining. I sympathize with what some of them are going through but at the end of the day the ones that put in the effort and hard work will do fine in the end. The ones that think it will fall into their lap may be disappointed.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You are bringing in an argument that affects everyone in the workforce so saying that inflation it makes things harder for grads students in the workforce doesn't fly as it's the current conditions of the workforce for everyone.

Recent graduates are expecting higher salaries. Is that also not a fact? I also had a higher debt load than the generation before me. I fail to see what's different outside of more complaining. I sympathize with what some of them are going through but at the end of the day the ones that put in the effort and hard work will do fine in the end. The ones that think it will fall into their lap may be disappointed.

Good lord. You brought up increasing salaries, they increase because of inflation but have not kept up with inflation. Yes that effects everyone, so why the heck did you bring it up as if it was some big benefit to recent graduates? Why wouldn't their salaries be higher, salaries have inflated for everyone. You brought it into the argument, not me.

And sorry, your debt load paled in comparison to what many people leave school with today.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

More than what?

The salary he quoted in his original post.

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Shyamalan twist:

I found out pretty quickly that my parents are in fact idiots, after my mom joined a healing crystal cult and my dad blew all his divorce money on a 4 year trip through South America and ended up borrowing 3 grand that he still has yet to pay back.

Yup, my parents are also clueless. Especially financially.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by valo403

And sorry, your debt load paled in comparison to what many people leave school with today.

Did my father's debt load after leaving school pale with mine? Why yes it did. The more things change the more they stay the same.