Career Development For Generation Y

Career Development for Generation Y Jenni Proctor http://careerclarity.com.au

The more things change……….
“ People resemble their times more than they resemble their parents”

Respect your elders!
“ Interviewed” by friend’s son
Daughter – Gym membership negotiated for everyone within the corporate office within a week of being in her first professional job

What is a generation?
Traditionally – parent to offspring and considered around 20 years.
Gap between parent and offspring has become more than three decades
Too many changes happening too quickly for this to be valid now

How are generations determined?
Now determined by
Sex! “Cohort of people born within a span of time in which the trends, technologies and events have significantly shaped them.”
Cycles in birth rates ( eg 223,000 births in Australia in 1965, big rise and fall then 223,000 births in 1979.)
Seem to be relatively consistent across the Western World.
Globalisation means differences between countries are diminished.

Australia's Generations - The Definitive Classification McCrindle Research based on ABS Population 2006 Description Born Age Pop’n % of Pop Builders Before 1946 63+ 3.5 m 17% Boomers 1946 - 1964 44 - 62 5.3m 26% Generation X 1965 - 1979 29 - 43 4.4m 21.5% Generation Y 1980 – 1994 14 - 28 4.2m 20.5% Generation Z 1995 - 2009 Under 14 3.1m 15%

Disputes about Generation Y
Also called Millenials
Some studies cut them off at 1990, others at 1994, and others use the change of century as the marker.
Are these categories just another form of stereotyping? Perhaps generationalising
Mosaic generation – mosaic of cultures, genders and ages

Are they the same as we were?
Similarities of age and stage
Live in a different culture of mass marketing, interactive technology, pop-culture with completely different generational influences.
Global youth culture
Diversity within that youth culture

Generational influences – Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964)
Emerging freedom of the 60s and 70s
TV (even in colour!); Portable music
“ Sit down and shut up” education.......One way flow
Free education - Scholarships for teachers
Often first generation in family to have a tertiary education.
Teaching was generally very respected by society and was a “good secure job”.
Adaptive and flexible as we coped with all the changes in technology.
Single parent families were not common.

Generational Influences – Generation X (1965 – 1979)
Brought up in time of growth within Australia but influenced by extremes:
Experienced the excesses of the 80s but commenced work during the recession of the 90s.
Witnessed Cold War finish but also instability of Stock Market crash and Newcastle earthquake
Hey Hey It’s Saturday and MTV – Popular culture was paramount but passive.
Education was freer, more creative, more discussion based.

Do these generational fads pass?
Generation X –
Changing jobs
High disposable income
Friendship networks
High priority on entertainment
Has remained valid for many years.

Generational Influences – Generation Y (1980 – 1994)
KIPPERS – Kids in Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings!
Fickle and self-focused or responding to the economic realities?
Brought up during unprecedented period of growth with aspirational parents.
Communication easy, international, private – Mobile phones and SMS, Internet, “15 minutes of fame”, interactive media
Insecurity of terrorism and US school shootings
Learning with many sensory inputs – music, TV, computer, MSN

What are the main Generational Influences on Generation Y?
Communication
Lifestyle
Life issues
Family issues
Financial demands including work
World issues

Features of their lives
Helicopter parents
Busy, busy, busy – Before school, at school, after school
Personal chauffeurs
Special and catered for - TV shows, products, magazines aimed directly at them
Shuffled between parents
Personal achievement at almost any cost – tutors, coaches, braces.

Choose your own adventure
Choice
Viral marketing – Deeply connected
Interactive media – vote on, vote off
Everyone is a critic – constructive or just plain nasty

Generational Problems
Financial pressure – home ownership, casual workforce
Education debt
Terrorism
Cost of sustaining a high consumption lifestyle

Generation Y skills
Leadership skills (not out-front leadership)
Technology skills
Access new trends and movements
Team work
Multi-tasking, multiple stimuli

Technology Impacts
Constantly connected 24/7
What’s privacy? Living out Andy Warhol’s prediction: MSN, MySpace, Bebo, Gossip Girl, Idol etc. Photos, intimate details shared with many.
Impatient and expect instantaneous results

What do they value?
Input, feedback and mentoring
Flexibility and social environment
Lifestyle and work/life balance
Diversity and transparency
Freshness in content and style
Creativity valued and remembered
Experiencing, participation, interaction - Kinesthetic learners (52%),
- Visual learners (48%)
“ Post-literate” generation (perhaps multi-literate) who best learn from activities, stories, humour, roleplay, music, visual aids.
Peer opinions
McCrindle Research

What do they respond badly to?
Micromanagement
Being expected to conform to old styles
Marketing that is slick, glossy and insincere
Sterility, lifelessness
Theory, data and statistics
Out of date practices or rules

What do they want?
Leadership with integrity and honesty
Challenge and growth
Working with friends
Fun
Respect
Flexibility
(Claire Raines, Managing Millenials – www.generationsatwork.com)

Hays Recruitment Survey
Generation Y
Risk takers in work environment -60%
Career No. 1 priority
Career means freedom to achieve a fulfilled and meaningful work life
2% - job for life
Other generations
40% will take career risk
Health No. 1 priority
Career is their investment in their financial future.
12% - job for life

What is being done at work?
Fun! Fun Fridays - Funky Fridays - Free dress Fridays – Celebrations – Team social activities eg bare foot bowls
Team challenges / Shared goals
Mentoring programs
Team valued, supported, given recognition
Holistic - Competence + culture & character
Benefits for their private life (eg gym membership)

Implications for career development
Willing to do shorter courses to save money, time and gain flexibility and advantages of smaller institutions eg mentoring
Willing to research courses to get what they want
Work-life balance is highly valued
May be aware of skills shortages

Your challenge……………
How can we tailor our approach to Career Development to meet the needs of Generation Y?
Brand image
Marketing
Technology
Interactions and expectations
Content

Career Development for Generation Y Jenni Proctor http://careerclarity.com.au

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Career Development For Generation Y

by Jenni Proctor on Oct 16, 2009

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