Memoir writing makes one reflect on youth. My latest thoughts have been on what I call my "adult youth," the twenties, and specifically my journey through the workplace at this age. In 2012, I will leave my twenties behind. While it was an interesting age, it is one that I am eager to transition out of. I'm not certain if this happens to everyone that gets older, but now all the mistakes of youth become more clear and vivid. Just as I scoffed at adults when they told me inevitable truths, now I am scoffed at when I try to give young people a heads up. It is particularly disheartening when I offer advice about behavior in and about the workplace, because young people nowadays think that none of it matters. But it does. It totally does matter and anyone that tells you otherwise is a clown.
The inspiration for this post was an episode of Louie, the comedian Louie C. K.'s show. This was the episode that Louie's sister dropped off her niece and ducked out to Philly. The show began with a bit about 20-year-olds and how they have nothing to offer and yet they think they should be entitled to more than they've earned. It was so funny and so true. It really made me understand the perspective on the millennial generation in terms of work. My generation has been infested with rampant laziness, misplaced entitlement, and, frankly, a lack of simple tact and respect for their elder colleagues.
This is not to say that this generation is void of greatness. There are multiple groups I've come across that give me belief in young people - my memoir group and young librarians primarily. These are keen observers and sharp thinkers. They do not fall into the millennial mold and after a single conversation with any one of them you realize that you are speaking to someone amazing. However, those are but tiny segments of a larger group with all sorts of problems.
The problem I'm focusing on here is understanding why young people spout off online about their employment or lack thereof when it's an employers market. Employers get to pick from the best nowadays and they're not going to pick the arrogant little shit with a big mouth, tiny resume and online profile riddled with employer-bashing and "woe is me" junk. No employer wants to see that you are lazy, entitled and have a bad attitude. Speaking as an employer myself, I'm thankful for those that shoot their mouth off and make the bad apples easy to spot and weed from the candidate pool. So, if you are a young person, do yourself a favor and keep your sniveling in the privacy of your own home. If you post that nonsense all over the internet, you are just digging yourself a deeper hole in a situation that was already bad for you to start. What do I mean?
According to a November 2010 Foreign Policy article, there are 81 million people worldwide under the age of 24 without work. In the United States alone, the article says, 19.1% of people under 24 are unemployed - the highest percentage since the US started tracking this information. In Europe, that number is higher, except in Germany, cause they're awesome. The young are last to get hired and first to get fired because they do not have the experience and skills that make them indispensable to an employer. Even now companies have openings, but the youth coming out of college do not have what it takes to get the job done.
Based on these grim facts, you would think that young people were more diligent at hiding their weaker characteristics. They are not. They love to broadcast their shortcomings loudly, without shame and to anyone that will listen. And that won't help them get hired.
The sad reality is that my advice nor the advice of any other adult will be heeded. Young people will continue their whiney rhetoric and continue destroying their chance of being taken seriously by employers. When you are young, you think you are invincible. Unfortunately, that attitude will only lead down the road of irrelevance. Life's tough. Grow up and stop publicizing that you are a bad hire.
Related story: “I Thought We Were Friends!” Can Nonprofits Terminate Employees for
Their Social Media Posts? Nonprofit Quarterly, December 22, 2011.
Showing posts with label Adulthood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adulthood. Show all posts
1/9/12
10/4/08
Not ready for one job
Writing is all about rewriting and this instance is no exception. When I got a new full time job, I decided that I would keep all of my jobs. I currently have five. Next week I'll be working well over 60 hours.
When I told people that this was what I was intending to do this, they all looked at me like I was crazy. I now know that I was. Before I realized that, though, I got defensive. You should have read this post about a week ago. It was: "Why don't people get me?" "Why do people doubt me?" Boo, hoo, hoo.
My problem is this: I think I know everything well before I actually experience it. What I thought this time around was that working a full time job and four part time gigs was manageable. In fact, it is, but not without some sacrifice and a side of blood, sweat and tears. Slight exaggeration, pardon, but you get my drift.
In the original post, I complained that explaining myself was tedious and I was getting tired of it. Now I understand the strange glances and confused questions. What I'm doing right now is bananas. It's very, very difficult. I'm not the one to admit I'm having a hard time with anything, but this experience has really made me take a step back and give my lifestyle a nice long look.
Nonetheless, I have an explanation for my mad behavior. I am going to alter my work schedule as I need to. For the time being, though, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and finish what I have begun.
So, to help some people understand my decision making:
- Career A.D.D. I haven't had just one job since I was 18 years old; I'm 26. I've juggled at least two since then and have only gained as I went along.
- Challenge. If it's too easy, I tend to lose interest quick. I find that be keeping multiple jobs, well of challenge never runs dry.
- Variety. This bullet point could combined with the one prior, but I really like my workday to be a diverse experience. I like to connect with people on a variety of levels, whether it be about their library experience, the writing craft or hockey.
- Yes I can! Another reason that I work so many jobs is, well, because I can. I'm good at time management and I like my work - all of it. I love libraries, researching, writing, hockey...the whole nine yards. Why would I give up so many good things? It's like giving up cheese - no thanks!
- Money is awesome. This goes without saying, really. I don't work for free. Volunteering stopped a few years back. And I gots to get paid. I have bills, ok? I'm looking to get my behind out of debt and FAST! Hanging out with friends and relaxing sounds absolutely delightful, however friends don't pay the bills and neither does relaxing. I like having a roof over my head. I want to start traveling again, buy running shoes, and pay off my student loans. And I love the work I do, which gives me money to accomplish these grown-up feats. It's quite simple.
This is not easy, but I'll be damned if I end up a quitter. There's people out there that bust their humps for less and would think that I'm not only a crybaby for not embracing all this work, but plain stupid for not taking the opportunities when financial doom and gloom surrounds us.
12/21/07
Two podcasts - the story of my 2007!
So I heard these two podcasts simultaneously and they just hit home on this day. One is about my generation and the other is, well, it allows you to see what makes me laugh. Laugh out loud, in fact.
'Generation Next' in the Slow Lane to Adulthood Morning Edition, December 20, 2007 · Recent studies find interesting differences among today's young people compared with those of decades past. There's even a new term for the generation age 18 to 25: Generation Next. And a new label for this period of development: "emerging adulthood."
Onion Radio News
My recommendation: just click on the links and prepare for laughter. Check out these headlines:
Former President George H.W. Bush Announces Plan To Hunt, Kill Blue Whale Evel Knievel's Rocket-Coffin Launched Over 17 School Buses Into Grave National Beard Growers Association Claims Entire '08 Crop Lost To Hot Day White House Paintball Team Not The Same Without Rove
'Generation Next' in the Slow Lane to Adulthood Morning Edition, December 20, 2007 · Recent studies find interesting differences among today's young people compared with those of decades past. There's even a new term for the generation age 18 to 25: Generation Next. And a new label for this period of development: "emerging adulthood."
Onion Radio News
My recommendation: just click on the links and prepare for laughter. Check out these headlines:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)