Speaking of Work - The Millennium Generation has begun to Arrive

[donheff]

+1 to Laurencewill. It isn't really a matter of working usurious hours - move on if that is what they expect. But if you want to advance in a company you need to take the extra step and you darn well better be there for the "crunch time" as LW put it.

 

[Caoineag]

I am part of this generation y the newspapers are talking about. I have never had a problem with someone criticizing my work ethic (in fact, I am usually complimented on it) but I can assure you people are equally aware that I won't let myself be taken advantage of. I do think the media hype is well overblown since most of the things people complain about have been around since long before our generation (even the infamous helicopter parents, back in the old days it was called an introduction, lol).

 

[laurence]

Heck I've already worked for some generation y's here as my technical lead on a project. These guys and gals are working harder than me and are already my pay grade, and will pass me up and leave me in the dust shortly, and I'm glad to know them. They don't have kids yet, so it's worth it to them to burn the midnight oil.

 

[Nords]

Yet as Laurence put it, "unlike school, there isn't an outline to follow for success." That's primary source of the disconnect. Generation Y was told to jump through certain hoops to get ahead while still in school. You reach a point in your life, usually after you graduate college and land your first job, when there is no outline that will guaranty success.

I think that's why our kid, a high school sophomore, is attracted to the military. She knows what she'll be doing for the next four years of college and for the first couple years after that. She also knows that she'll get the training & mentoring to help her handle the leadership & responsibility.

The local community college had a trades career day last month, though, and she saw the construction industry heavily recruiting kids who can actually do math, use hand/power tools, and read a blueprint. These guys don't even have driver's licenses yet and they're being offered summer internships.