Annoyed

I was asked to comment on the question: What do you feel is the most misunderstood about your generation in the workforce?
First of all, I feel this whole topic has been blown out of proportion. Each generation always has a adjustment period where old and new a like are overly critical of the other. But here was my response:

I don't feel there is much that is misunderstood about the Generation Y. Generally they are appreciated as: Tech savvy, highly motivated, highly informed, and intelligent.

The generation as a whole is one of the most educated yet.-meaning less of a resistance to learning and adapting new skills. With this education it also means also a highly inbred competitive nature, and a sense of self worth. It is a generation used to a high saturation of stimuli, and as a whole can juggle appropriately.

There are a few adjustment areas yet to be ironed out, as this group moves into the workplace:

Many Gen Y adults do expect fast results in the workplace. They are used to instant information/feedback at their finger tips, and workplace norms such as having only a yearly review and chance for advancement can be frustrating.

Gen Y also prefers problem solving communication on the digital arena as opposed to a phone call or face to face meeting. More traditional employees may find this intimidating or reeking of lack of respect.

Due to their ease with technology, and a great sense of selves: as a group they are not afraid to look elsewhere for a job if they feel our needs aren't met. Many consider self employment a highly attractive option.

Many also change careers often. This means companies have to woo their applicants with enticing packages and casual atmospheres. Older generations used to investing in one company and climbing the in house “ladder” may find this a sign of self entitlement.

But really Gen Y is not afraid to work hard and long hours. They would just rather do so on their terms with flexibility and perhaps in jeans. It is not a sense of self entitlement, but rather an attitude of if I am going to be 24 hour accessible by cell/email/internet, then shouldn’t I be allowed to be comfortable? Also due to growing up largely as latchkey/divorced parents/single parent children, a greater appreciation for family and time away from work has been instilled. There is a big demand for work from home flexibility, especially as technology provides the capabilities to do so.

Studies done by major companies and research firms have shown such trends. (ex: NAS Recruitment Communications). Also as a Gen Y member myself, I have observed much the same.

I got what 'ch need!

What happens when the things you thought were so horrible, that they were impossible; happen?

What do you do when every aspect of your life becomes affected by a series of shattering changes?

You listen. You absorb them… And hopefully you grow.

What I have learned as of late:

- It can be devastating when others choose to end what you thought was a good thing.

- It can be equally hard to be the one to end something that your heart just isn't in anymore.

- Just because someone gets sick, doesn't mean they can't work to challenge their body to excruciating limits and create a different and better physical self.

- Nothing is ever what it seems when you deal with humans.

- Accidents can happen. You have to trust that a person didn't know what they did to you, no matter how life changing the consequences.

- You can be self sustainable, but then you get to have very long heart to hearts with everyone, and I mean everyone, telling you how you have "walls".

- A good bar is hard to find, especially when: they put up with you drinking one beer and five waters one night… and humor you when you try your darndest to help them empty all their tequila bottles during a day from hell the next.

- When you find yourself on your hands and knees in your new suit cleaning up crap from someone else's dog, instead of waiting for the owner to come home and take care of it…and you do it without trying to calculate your Karma brownie points. You realize you might be a worthwhile person after all.

- Chatting with a five year old each day keeps me enlightened and very amused...and strangely emboldened and recharged.

- Learning how to take a deep breath can actually drive a person up the damn wall. Especially when everyone else seems to do it naturally.

- Nothing is so sacred that you can't make jokes about it…even divorce (ask me about paint ball guns), crying, etc.

El amor es tortura… No hay nada en mi vida que arrepiento, porque sin todo ello no seria la persona quien soy.

(Love is torture… There is nothing I regret in my life, because I wouldn't be the person that I am today without all of it.)

– A handy little thing a character in a story I wrote said once. Maybe I was projecting just a bit when I wrote it.