This is Not Your Father's Oldsmobile

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You probably remember the commercial from not so long ago-General Motors was trying to increase sales of that dependable car to a younger generation of drivers. Well, my father drove an Oldsmobile and so did I. I bought into the concept of a safe and dependable car. I also bought into the concept of a safe and dependable career: getting a job with a big company, getting trained and moving up the ranks. I'm not sure they are still making Oldsmobiles but I am sure that General Motors would not be able to sell them to this generation. This generation has different motivations and will do things their way.

The dean of a local college was recently quoted as saying "my own kids are a mystery to me. I have no idea what they want to do or why."

As job coaches for this new generation, let me share with you what we have seen in our practice with respect to what motivates young professionals today as they approach the working world.

They want personal fulfillment and growth potential from their jobs. So did we. How is it different? Personal fulfillment to us was a dependable paycheck, a good training program and opportunity for advancement and more pay. We fit our work lives around our personal lives.

Personal fulfillment to this generation means making an impact quickly, expressing their ideas and being heard. This generation of workers is very achievement oriented and will work hard, provided they can see the results of their work. Money is not a motivating factor to them; it simply represents achievement and respect. In fact, if a young professional today is given a pay raise without any new challenging responsibilities, the raise means nothing. They may even jump ship.

They want to select a career where they can continually learn and be given more challenging responsibilities along the way (ie, every 6 months). Young professionals today want to maintain their social networks and it's the job that needs to accommodate their personal lives. They want to love what they do.

So, what is a parent to do?

Recognize that this generation of workers has a lot to offer. (After all-- who programmed your ipod?) They will work hard if they are passionate about it. The trick is to help them identify their passions. Some of us may find it difficult that our children may want to design video games or pursue a fellowship for a non profit organization. However, they are motivated by different things than we were and motivation is what leads to success. Talk to them about their interests and encourage them to explore them. This is the one time in their lives when they can take a risk.

Understand that personal fulfillment is different for everyone. What motivates one person may not motivate the next. Although corporate loyalty is a thing of the past, even for us boomers (and near boomers), most of our clients do not want to depend on the business world in the traditional sense. Instead, they are building their careers by developing skills that they are getting from a number of different sources including paid work, volunteer work and other interests. Applaud their efforts. Help them recognize the skills they have developed throughout their experiences. After all, those skills can be used in many different jobs and in many different industries.

Right now your children have most likely just graduated or have been out of school for a few years. As they progress through adulthood and want to start a family or buy a house, their needs and priorities will most likely change. They may end up in a more traditional career path or they may find success in ways we have yet to imagine.

Hybrid, anyone?

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Source by Susan Kennedy