Don’t get caught with a broad brush
The editorial in a weekly business paper seemed to be rejoicing in the potentially weakened prospects for so-called Gen Yers in the softening labour market.
To me it seemed a bit crass to cast Gen Yers as the loser in the economic downturn, and take a ha, ha serves-you-right-view.
As a more senior labour market participant, I must say I value a mixed-age office and what each can contribute, and resent the implication that a “lack of ambition” might make me more employable right now. Phiffle. I remain ambitious, but not for the same thing as when I was younger.
More than ever the PR and communications industry requires the full mix of skills experience in order to meet the expectations of its clients and their communications challenges. After all we are looking for new solutions to new challenges, and the old hands simply do not hold all of the cards.
The danger of using a broad brush to paint your employment scene is that the client will commission a Bruegel.
Tags: Bruegel, employment, Gen Y, labour market
March 19th, 2009 at 10:09 am
You paint a great medieval picture Paul.
But it‘s not just the Gen Yers getting it in the neck. ‘Baby boomers’ falling on hard times seem to have some sectors quite gleeful too. I agree though, teamwork is the key in tough times and avoiding schadenfreude … in whatever dark corner it may lurk.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Why is Gen Y bashing now such a major phenomenon and who drives it? All I see are well educated, ambitious, tech-savvy and creative Gen Yers all around me who work hard. Businesses will die without Gen-Y because they will dry up and become boring.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I totally agree Paul. And surely there are more relevant topics related to the recession they could have written about such as job redundancies across media.