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When I first started being alerted to the unique 'qualities' of Gen-Y I kind of thought the whole thing was bullshit. I mean, who are we to think that we are beautiful and unique snowflakes? Or, at least, a new breed of worker and society contributor? I thought that we really were just trying to emulate our superiors as best we could while figuring out how to navigate coming of age during a war and a pretty shitty economy. Only total numbskulls were going to work in irreverent tees and designer jeans, listening to iPods when we should they overhearing office conversations, and multitasking like crazy between business-related tasks.
Well, here is one of those rare times where Victoria Gutierrez is going to put her gnarly dancer's foot in her mouth. Here I am, sitting across my boyfriend at the kitchen table. Both of us are 23. Both of us are on our work computers, getting a huge amount of work done on a holiday... while blogging and catching up on personal emails, in between showing each other condo listings and getting a week's worth of laundry done. My chihuahua, Elvis, is sitting on my lap and trying to steal sips of organic green tea. Nick is in his pajamas, I am in an old Red Hot Chili Peppers tee. Pandora is blaring some sort of whiny-boy punk music, and this somehow feels like my ideal work environment.
Contrast this with Nick's dad, who is at this very minute (and most minutes while he is here) dressed in very polished business casual,with the door closed in his office, trying to get his next presentation put together on his huge desk full of laptops, monitors, and printers. Complete silence and a big cup of coffee generally gets the job done.
And here I see the fundamental differences between the generations. Nick's dad is a boomer, we are the definition of Gen Y. Gen X I feel, for the most part, is much better at the act that I thought I was playing: copying their boomer boss' moves, outfits, and mortgages to a tee until it comes naturally. My Gen X cousins and friends take a certain joy in getting to wear a tie to work, creeping into middle management, and planning for single family homes and babies. I want a timber loft and more chihuahuas (and a child only if it is a son who will play in the NFL and guarantee me a Campbells Chunky Soup commercial of my own), and to run my own start-up so that I can continue dressing like some sort of eccentric pseudo-hippie.
I'm sure I'll get accused of making assumptions based upon very generalized ideas. I don't really care. What I feel is most important about coming to this sort of realization is that it shows me that I am finally doing something right. My job search was a long and arduous one because I have two requirements for career paths in my life: one, it has to be one where you have something unique and valuable to contribute, and two, it has to be something that makes you excited to get out of bed 75% of the time. For me that means being creative, being extremely busy, and just getting to be myself while I'm at work.
I am there, but Nick is not. Neither are a lot of my friends...which makes me wonder, how many of you are unhappy? How many of you played the game to get the job, and are now struggling to just feel right in your own skin at work?
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Comments
09.02.08
Seems like you are no more out of place than any of us. We were born into a society where computers have taken control of our lives, where ADD and laziness find new routes to productivity and living in a city with too much traffic and headaches is more satisfying than living in the quiet 'burbs. This isn't everyone's views, but it is sure the view of many of the Gen-Y go-getters, one I am proud to be a member of as well.
09.02.08
@ Greg, I sure wasn't saying that I'm out of place. What I was trying to say was that I really never thought that I fit in with the view of Gen-Y but all of a sudden, it's more me than anything else. Part of me thinks that moving to San Francisco did it, and part of me just thinks that I stopped denying myself a comfortable, creative, slightly ADD environment.
09.02.08
Yes to both questions, that's why, I search for projects/jobs that interest me & shape the job/career to fit me.
Although I don't see gen X as to what you describe. Those points are probably age related. When reaching 30-40 comes the hope of a family...babies, with babies comes the search for job stability.
I do see Gen Ys being more ADD, open & entreprenuerial due the influence by the ease of blogging, starting a business & facebook.
09.02.08
I don't know a single Gen-Xer who's joyful about wearing a tie. And if we're better at "copying the act," maybe that's because (a) we're older and have had more practice, and (b) it's not "copying the act" anyhow--it's being at a different life stage.
09.02.08
@Ian, I guess we'll know in about ten years whether it's age related or not. And I'd like to think that Gen Ys are just good multitaskers, not ADD... or maybe that's just what I tell potential employers.
@Katenonymous, every GenX I know is baby-crazy and loves a traditional corporate setting. Maybe I just know a different subset. In response to your first reason, because you're older and have had more practice, I think you have to realize that you've had practice at something Gen Y isn't going to do.
09.02.08
I think that things are going to be different. But I don't think there's any way to know for sure that they'll be as different as you think they will be. What do you think Gen-Xers wanted when they were starting out in the workforce?
"Baby-crazy" is also a life-stage, BTW, regardless of generation. I know plenty of women who, in their early to mid-20s, weren't at all baby-crazy.
09.02.08
I have to agree with the life stage responses. I'm an Xer and 10 years ago I was completely different than I am now. And Xers were very entreprenuerial in their 20s. Remember Google. And Amazon.com. And the dot com bust. That was all X. Oh,and I hate working in an office and that's why I am now the happiest telecommuter in America.
And the tie thing, I'm kind of thinking that you have just stumbled upon an unusual group of Xer guys there. My husband and his co-workers are required to wear ties to work and none of them will stop bitching about it. Now wearing expensive dress shoes, that's another story.
09.02.08
@GenerationXpert- I am finding all of this pretty interesting, actually. All the Gen X-ers are defending themselves by saying that its generational: you're entrepreneurial in your 20's, and then in your 30's you want to have kids and end up in jobs where you have dress codes and environments you hate. What happened?
I'm venturing to say that the difference with Gen Y is that we're going to stay entrepreneurial, 'different', even ADD. What is happening now in the workplace (I'm a little bit biased as a business manager for a Bay Area startup) is much more than a generational thing.
Of course, these are generalizations. I have suit-and-tie 24 year old friends, 23 year old friends with babies and minivans, and a 54 year old father who is going through the so-called 20's generational career phase right now. But in general, I really do think that Gen Y is going to make this workstyle permanent.
09.02.08
See how ADD I'm with the comments, I can't type a coherent sentence without thinking of something else. (That's just me)
I meant to say 'the influence of the internet allowing the ease of blogging, starting a business & facebook.'
To me it's both ADD & multitasking when I have 10-20 applications opened at my work computer ... I do tell others that I'm just multitasking too.
09.02.08
@Ian, I'll definitely echo that. Sometimes I feel like its really a lack of or inability to focus, but on a meta-scale I'm happiest and most productive when I've got either a broadly reaching job description, several part time jobs, or a million things going on at once. Right now, it's a job that is 3 jobs in one plus writing a book, plus my blog, plus getting back into dancing...
09.02.08
For starters, we don't all have environments and dress codes that we hate. Many workplace dress codes are much laxer than they used to be, and a great deal of this is because of the influence of Generation X.
I suspect that this will continue. But while my generation made additional steps on this path, we didn't carve it out of the wilderness.
Maybe you will make this "workstyle" permanent. But there simply isn't any way to know that at this point. The true answer is that some of you will and some of you won't. Neither one of us can predict the distribution of those patterns today, though.
(BTW, the Gen-Xers who have posted on this have specifically said that these differences in outlook are NOT generational.)
09.02.08
@katenonymous, I agree that there is no way to tell for sure, aside from waiting ten years. Eek, I used the word 'generational' when I meant to say 'related to life stage'. Sorry. That being said, I stand by the idea that GenY's in ten years will have lives and careers decidedly different-looking than GenX's, by our own making (although we certainly do owe a great deal of thanks to Gen X for what you guys have done, i.e. hiring us, among other things)
09.02.08
@Victoria
I think it's a little early to say that we're going to stay entrepreneurial regardless of the changes we undergo as we age.
What we want now and what we'll want in our 30's+ can (and probably will) be different. Saying that we'll always want exactly the same things from anything, including our work environment, isn't necessarily realistic.
I'm 27, and I've noticed that what I want in employment is somewhat different than when I first got out of school 5 years ago. And I can see how I might want it to change in the next few years as well.
Does this mean that I want to get to a place where I'm in the traditional role? Maybe or maybe not. All I'm saying is that things change as we do, and thinking that they never will can make adjusting to the changing environment that much harder.
09.02.08
I'm dating a Gen X, and I can definitely see the differences! He doesn't necessarily delight at the tie & suit, but he doesn't balk at it either. He's very matter-of-fact about it. Besides, he's a lawyer & it just sort of has to be that way.
Me, I'm sitting here at my desk during work reading blogs, wearing a t-shirt tunic over pin-striped pants, considering when I'll have my Yogi tea. I guess that makes me "Gen Y."
I don't buy that we're that different from other generations. To pit one against the other is to not see us for what generations are - a set of people who grow up under certain economic, political & social circumstances. I think a historical perspective should always be kept. Who are we in relation to previous generations? Does it even really matter?
09.02.08
@Holly and Victoria - I'm married to a Gen X, and I too see differences. He's a bit more cynical than I am (I know, can you believe it??) and he enjoys his free time far more than I do.
Today is my birthday, and yet it was unthinkable to cancel my voice lessons today, not because I'm a workaholic, but because I actually enjoy teaching and didn't want to give up something I like just because it's called "work."
09.02.08
@Holly Hoffman, I don't think pitting generations against each other is the answer either. But the differences are definitely there and are much more marked than I previously thought.
We are definitely a product of previous generations... more so than we like to admit, I think. Does it matter? Probably not. But it's an interesting topic to consider.
09.02.08
@Milena, happy birthday! The 'free time' concept is definitely an interesting one. I know you've had your 'relaxation challenge' and I think that the need for that is intrinsically tied to the fact that Gen Y's aren't workaholics but actually enjoy what we do so much that we'll do it all the time. Yesterday (a holiday) I spent the day doing work. Did I need to? Nope, I just wanted to because I love what I'm doing right now.
09.02.08
@Victoria
I agree that Gen Y will stay more entreprenuerial - but so will everyone else. I think that's the way the tides are turning, you know? 100 years ago I'm sure there were parallels with people who grew up on farms. Eventually most of the farmers went to work in the factories. Now we're experiencing the long tail effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Tail). Being an entreprenuer will continue to be more prevalent until it's the norm.
09.03.08
@Holly-"Me, I’m sitting here at my desk during work reading blogs, wearing a t-shirt tunic over pin-striped pants, considering when I’ll have my Yogi tea. I guess that makes me 'Gen Y.'"
And I'm reading blogs at work, too, wearing a t-shirt over jeans. And I feel that one's work should be fulfilling and part of one's self instead of a place you go to get rent money.
Although, I'm not thinking of Yogi tea. That's so girly :) (j/k)
The catch is, that I feel more a connection to Gen Y than X. I was born in the middle ('75--according to Wiki,etc--I'm the Doom/MTV generation).
And I used a computer since I was 6 years old (albeit with floppy disks and all).
Although, it creeps me out to be pigeon-hold into any category. Feels like USDA beef grating. That's the GenX in me. So, on one side I'm extremely optimistic and on the other I could give two sh*ts!
Guess that makes me Rich (my name), not #16,554,443 GenX(Y) bot.
09.03.08
@radtimes, I feel the same way. Let's be honest, we're all spending the majority of our awake time either at work, thinking about work, or commuting to/from work. It's gotta be worth it, not just rent. You can always find a cheaper living situation.
Yogi tea, coffee, a liter of Belgian beer... it's all the same.
The fact that you feel a 'connection' to one rather than the other really plays up the argument that there really truly are differences between the generations NOT just age differences. Thanks... and enjoy :)
09.03.08
@victoria--Thanks, Victoria. You are rad.
I live in NYC--upper Manhattan (Washington Heghts--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Heights,_Manhattan), and can walk to work within 30 minutes. Although, it's in the South Bronx (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Bronx).
The thing is--life is very short. You really do have to make your own way to feel "fulfilled". Our modern way of living has been around for only--let's say--50 years. Many of us in America have NO idea what it's like outside, because many of us don't see it!
For instance, for me to grumble about work (which is actually not so bad) and then have the luxury to come to my private home and open a fridge for sustenance? While families in Myanmar have hard times finding clean water? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifrc/2633798558/)
Give me a f*ckin break!
My suggestion for anyone (generation aside): If at all possible--even for just a week and if you have the $$--go outside of the country. The world is large, beautiful, complex. People struggle, fight, make love, dance. They see the exact same moon and move around in the same sun. Don't take your sh*t for granted.
Give up your seat on the subway for someone and see how if feels. Have dinner with someone 20 years older than you--not a relative, either. Talk with someone 10 years younger--and listen.
At the end of the day, be yourself.
09.03.08
@victoria
P.S.--I'll go for a Belgian. What's your poison?
09.04.08
Yeah, I am definitely not there yet. I feel like a try-hard 85% of the time at work just to be able to do my job.
I look at careerbuilder and monster & things all the time and there's not really any good jobs out there. Besides ones no one else wants.
How are people finding jobs they like?! Or are people finding jobs they like? How am I missing all these opportunities?
09.04.08
@theleftovers, it'll come. It all depends upon what makes you happy. Personally I found zero jobs that interested me on Careerbuilder and Monster, but covered a ton of ground and found a bunch of interesting things via Craigslist, networking, and plain old luck.
I got lucky. My take on it all (whatever it's worth) is that a lot of people are NOT happy with their jobs.
@radtimes... personally I love a good San Francisco microbrew. Thankfully I work in an office where a beer at the desk is the norm!
09.04.08
@Victoria: Beer at the desk? Awesome! Where's that??
New York sucks for micros. But it's a damned good town.
09.05.08
@radtimes, I wholeheartedly agree with all your comments. And, as an employee of a travel startup, I too encourage people to get out side the country ;)
But really, we do end up having a skewed sense of the world if we don't get out of this crazy little bubble every once and a while.
And yes, beer at the desk. Startups, baby. Once again, I love my job.
09.08.08
@victoria - what is the startup url?
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