It seems only yesterday the trendspotters were introducing us to a ground breaking Generation they called Y. So called, apparently, because they came after Generation X (these 'trendspotters' truly were visionaries – pity they didn’t see the credit crunch coming).
Anyway - back to the Y'ers... you know the ones – the globetrotting, job-hopping, post modern, ad-savvy digital natives who were going to hold the whip hand when it came to employment.
Use conventional methods of communication - and they would plain refuse to buy anything from us, work for us or even talk to us.
If you did manage to hire these gadflies - you were lucky to have their talent loaned to you - however temporarily that night be.
Or so the received wisdom told us. In fact, much of "Gen Y" was an invention of the wittering classes. Student loans and McJobs remained the norm - as graduate supply outstripped demand like never before. City living as lifestyle choice? Most would still have swapped their call centre bonuses for a 2 bed terrace and a career.
Sadly, too many of Gen Y did believe the hype, consuming too many artificial supplements via the weekend papers - and living beyond their means in what it now transpires were indeed the good times. Now they’re scouring the job sites, honing their frankly bare CV’s – and feeling slightly ashamed for spending a year’s gas bill on an easyjet stag weekend only 12 months ago.
The moral of the story? Spend less time trying to fulfil a lifestyle someone else invented for you. Or better still - listen to your mother – she really is the only such thing as a free lunch.
Anyway - back to the Y'ers... you know the ones – the globetrotting, job-hopping, post modern, ad-savvy digital natives who were going to hold the whip hand when it came to employment.
Use conventional methods of communication - and they would plain refuse to buy anything from us, work for us or even talk to us.
If you did manage to hire these gadflies - you were lucky to have their talent loaned to you - however temporarily that night be.
Or so the received wisdom told us. In fact, much of "Gen Y" was an invention of the wittering classes. Student loans and McJobs remained the norm - as graduate supply outstripped demand like never before. City living as lifestyle choice? Most would still have swapped their call centre bonuses for a 2 bed terrace and a career.
Sadly, too many of Gen Y did believe the hype, consuming too many artificial supplements via the weekend papers - and living beyond their means in what it now transpires were indeed the good times. Now they’re scouring the job sites, honing their frankly bare CV’s – and feeling slightly ashamed for spending a year’s gas bill on an easyjet stag weekend only 12 months ago.
The moral of the story? Spend less time trying to fulfil a lifestyle someone else invented for you. Or better still - listen to your mother – she really is the only such thing as a free lunch.
Great post, Mike. Great blog, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's nice to see another ex-Riley man blogging. (Go on - see if you can work out who I am).
FK
Mark Owen by any chance??
ReplyDeleteCorrect!
ReplyDeleteFK