The Entitlement Generation

No, that's not a term that I made up, it's been used lately to describe today's 20's generation.  Other descriptions have been arrogant, lazy, ego-centric, etc.  

One has to wonder why all this name-calling, and how true it is.  Well, name-calling is not good and doesn't help, but sometimes you have to call things the way you see them, however painful that may be.

What brought the subject to mind was a report that there are 25% less jobs available than college graduates looking for jobs.  And, how college graduates are disappointed, some of them have to still live at home with their parents, etc.

This is the generation that has grown up being congratulated and given accolades for things like learning how to read, or passing a class in college.  Mind you, we are not talking about excelling in a class, just passing it.  Something that they are *expected* to do, if they are in college.  That's like congratulating someone for telling the truth!  *You are supposed to tell the truth!*, why do you need to be congratulated for doing what you are supposed to do?  I don't get it.

This is the same generation that grew up playing youth baseball and youth soccer in games where they didn't keep track of the score, so us not to upset the losing team.  Come on, if there are no winners and losers, what is the reason for a kid to try to excel?  And how does that prepare them for life, later on?  So, an employer should give everyone the same raises, so as no to upset those who don't pull their eight?  Isn't that punishing those who really work hard?  And how does all this pampering and cajoling help kids prepare for what to expect, and what they are expected to do, in real life?

We can't, however, put all the blame on the young generation.  Parents are also to blame for bringing up their kids teaching them that they are indeed *entitled* to things.  No, I don't know why, I don't know how it started, but I know it's happening.  I see it every day.  In addition to that, you have parents that has spent $100,000+ (sometimes closer to $200,000) for their kid's education, and they expect them to have a job, a good paying one at that, with a degree from such a high cost institution.  There goes the entitlement, again... "expect them to have...".  This rubs off on the kid who now goes to the interview with the attitude... "I spent 4 years and $150,000 to get a degree from Harvard, what can you do for me?"

People, you got it all wrong.  The prospective employers do not have to do anything for you.  They don't owe you anything. Snap out of it!  If they think you are good and you can help their company and *their* goals, they may offer you a job.  And then, you have to show that you are worth that job to keep it.  They shouldn't hire you *simply* to help someone out of school.  Nine times out of them, if that's the reason they hired someone, they will sorely regret it. You should be hired on merit, attitude and future promise.

I think that major mistake most youngsters make is they set a college degree as their final goal.  Wrong, the college degree should not be a final goal, it should be the starting point of one's career, which one has to work at hard, in order to realize it.

Give failing students an "F", tell the losing team of youngsters the score they lost by, don't give everyone a part in he Christmas school play - use the kids that have some talent and more important, show an interest to work on producing a good play, don't reward youngsters for things "they are supposed" to do - no "atta boys" for barely passing a college class.  May be this way the next generation will not feel as entitled. 

USA Worker Base

"We're having trouble finding the numbers that we need with the skills that are required to do these jobs," AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson told a business group in San Antonio"

Having been in management for years, I hear similar statements from colleagues at various gatherings. And, it's nor restricted to high-tech fields, either.

So, what is happening? Is the US workforce base really deteriorating, or are these managers making excuses, so they can ship jobs abroad?

I am not an expert on these issues, but it sure sounds to me that this may be the old "what came first, the chicken or the egg" question. A very simplified ed version is this. Labor base deteriorates, companies ship jobs abroad (or import workers), potential employees become discouraged and stop trying to acquire expertise, job pool becomes even thinner, so employers have to look elsewhere, and so on...

We, need, however, to ask ourselves, what really started this downhill run, and is there anything that can be done to stop it, or better reverse it?

Again not claiming and sort of guru expertise, my observations seem to tell me that the two issues that have driven us to where we are today, are education and feeling of entitlement.

There is question that our education system has been deteriorating. As Betsy Brown Ruzzi presented in her study, "International Education Tests: An Overview 2005", the US did not even rank in the top 12 in either reading, mathematics, or science in testing 8-th graders and above. There is something wrong! We want to claim the title of the most technologically advanced country, yet our students are being outperformed even in basic skills! Guess, what, if that's the case, then the only way to *retain* that title would be by bringing some of those out-performing us, so the can help us. It makes sense. Of course, the better, but tougher, solution would be to fix our educational system, so that our students, who become our eventual workers, once again become competitive, but who wants to hear that, really. Everyone is looking for the *quick fix* - send the jobs abroad, or bring others to this country to help us. Well, if that keeps happening, we are going to run into another problem, we are going to run out of jobs at McDonald's and Wendy's, to absorb all the student graduating with a very limited set of skills. Now, don't get me wrong. There is *nothing* wrong with working at McDonald's and Wendy's. Those employees serve as important a function in our economy and society as anyone else. But, as mentioned earlier, not everyone can work there.

And before feathers get ruffled, let me make sure I state, when I am talking about the "educational system deteriorating", I am *NOT* criticizing the teachers! This is truly a systemic problem. If anything, given today's climate, I admire anyone who decides to become a teacher. May be that's where we should start. Let's start giving teachers the recognition of the important role they play in society. Yes, teachers are the ones that form the character of the next generation, the next CEOs, the next president of the United States. Being a teacher was something to be proud of. Let's get back to that. Let's give them the recognition and authority they deserve. Parents, you can keep an eye on what is going on, but stay out of the way and let teachers do their job!

I kind-of lost my train of thought... Oh, yeah, the second issue, feeling of entitlement. Well, in today's society, there is a feeling that once someone finishes school, and decides to look for a job, they are entitled to it. They don't think that a company is "giving them a chance" to do something with their life, albeit not necessarily for altruistic reasons. No, they are entitled to a job, and benefits, and vacation, and holidays, and... I have seen it with my own eyes, while interviewing candidates for entry-level jobs. Many (not all) came to the interview with the attitude, "well, I'll listen to you, see what you have to offer me, and if I feel like I am getting what I want, I'll take the job". That attitude, coupled with the fact that their education and preparedness for the job is sub-par, results in, you guessed it, "Next candidate, please...". Again, I am not saying that employees should settled for whatever they can get, or be taken advantage of, or anything like that. But, they are *NOT* entitled to a job, just because they finished school! They have to show that they need the job, they want the job! They have to show that they are interested in participating in the growth of the company/business that wants to hire them, which in turn guarantees their own growth. But, they'll argue, what guarantee do they have that company growth will not mean their job being outsourced and their being out to pasture. Which brings me back to "the chicken and the egg" problem.

We've come full circle.