OT: Millennial employment

[BigBlockR]

I think problems with communication between the generations has a lot to do with technology. Millennials learned to communicate via text message and IM with quick blurbs and their learned they never have to actually know anything (anything you need to know, you can read on the internet). So it's a series of one liners with little information or context.

Again, small sample, but I am trying to coach two millennials now. My number 1 pet peeve is: You give them a project and a week later they forward a 10 page email thread with they question: "Hey BigBlockR, Is this okay?" Even if you can't be bothered actually summarizing the project for me (which you should), at least state the question at hand in your email.

I have also started rescheduling meetings when we are all there, but it is apparent no one is prepared. Oh! Pet peeve #1A is when they schedule a meeting with a topic like "Accounting" and just show up ready to take notes.

I recently participated in a managing generations training session that tried to provide some background on where millennials are coming from. At the end, they combined the class with a group of millennials who were training on the same topic but from the opposite perspective. It seemed the biggest eye opener for the millennials was how there actions are construed as not taking interest or accountability for the work they are responsible for and that they need to make an effort to be seen as capable and on top of things and to communicate results.

Their whole lives someone has been hovering over them, directing them. They never built the skill of communicating up. Think about when you were a kid. Your parents would ask, "What did you learn in school today? How was your day?" Millennials' parents received a summary each week of what was going to be covered in school, a daily behavior sheet explaining how the child performed, and would sit down and help their kids do homework. There whole life, their parents just knew what was going on. It's a process in learning self-awareness for them to comprehend that managers don't just magically know everything they do.

 

[rutgersdave]

About 20 years ago, my sister hired a new employee, a professional position, and the employee didn't show up for work the first week. She called his home and found out he was working at another job but didn't even have the courtesy to tell them he found another job. It doesn't just happen to Millennials.

I don't like to generalize about groups, most of the Millennials I know are relatives and most are doing better than the previous generation and they are only in their early 30's. I think their may be less opportunities which means more unemployed younger people but there are opportunities for the individuals on the fast track.

 

[RUevolution36]

I think problems with communication between the generations has a lot to do with technology. Millennials learned to communicate via text message and IM with quick blurbs and their learned they never have to actually know anything (anything you need to know, you can read on the internet). So it's a series of one liners with little information or context.

Again, small sample, but I am trying to coach two millennials now. My number 1 pet peeve is: You give them a project and a week later they forward a 10 page email thread with they question: "Hey BigBlockR, Is this okay?" Even if you can't be bothered actually summarizing the project for me (which you should), at least state the question at hand in your email.

I have also started rescheduling meetings when we are all there, but it is apparent no one is prepared. Oh! Pet peeve #1A is when they schedule a meeting with a topic like "Accounting" and just show up ready to take notes.

I recently participated in a managing generations training session that tried to provide some background on where millennials are coming from. At the end, they combined the class with a group of millennials who were training on the same topic but from the opposite perspective. It seemed the biggest eye opener for the millennials was how there actions are construed as not taking interest or accountability for the work they are responsible for and that they need to make an effort to be seen as capable and on top of things and to communicate results.

Their whole lives someone has been hovering over them, directing them. They never built the skill of communicating up. Think about when you were a kid. Your parents would ask, "What did you learn in school today? How was your day?" Millennials' parents received a summary each week of what was going to be covered in school, a daily behavior sheet explaining how the child performed, and would sit down and help their kids do homework. There whole life, their parents just knew what was going on. It's a process in learning self-awareness for them to comprehend that managers don't just magically know everything they do.

I completely agree. I also have a couple of millennials who I am mentoring and/or managing at work. It definitely seems like they want/need more hand holding. If you tell them to do something, they'll do it. And they do a great job at it. However, if they aren't given direction, whether step by step, or even just semi-detailed, they will twiddle their thumbs until they are guided thru. I'm not sure if this is because they are lazy, or that they have been told they are so great and wonderful all their lives that they are afraid of failing or doing something wrong.

As far as the communication thing goes...I actually have this one staff who does his best to not use our corporate IM system. Because we are dispersed all over the country, everyone in my group uses the tool...it's just easier than email or having to schedule calls. He tells me that he doesn't like it because it interrupts his concentration. I asked him..."then why is it that when I text you, you respond immediately?" His response? "Oh, that's different...I actually want to talk to the people who have my number." I told him that's horseshit, and that if he's going to be "at work", he needs to be accessible to others during working hours. Then he called me old.

 

[eceres]

On the surface single payer seems like some great idea. In reality, it doesn't work that way. Would you want your Dr or hospital to function like the VA? Think about the waste, cost, and fraud associated with Medicare and Medicaid. Now make that your national system? It's easy to look at tiny little countries and say if they can do then why can't we? Because our country is huge and each state is filled with multiple cities with tens of thousand of people who don't. Contribute anything to the tax base. Go look up the percentage of Canada's HC costs are on their economy and its still a failed system. I read an article a few years ago that said the average Canadian family spends about 12k in taxes specifically for HC. That s probably more than many of us are spending on private insurance. Finally, as the spouse of a Canadian citizen I could give you dozens of examples about how poor their system is for people who are actually sick or in need of care. However, I don't want to awake that poster who poo poo's real life experiences in lieu of linking some blogger he considers an expert. One last tidbit, health care in Canada isn't free and most people with any money choose to go to private doctors, imagine centers, and clinics and simply pay out of pocket.

The problem with our medical system is not who is paying for it, it is how it is billed.

The problem with our medical system:

1. What other industry do you take a service with no idea of costs until after the service is complete?

2. Have you ever looked at an insurance handling of a bill? They all read as follows..
Doctor charges: 200
Insurance Adjusts: 100
Insurance Pays: 30
You Owe: 70

What this means is the insurance company called BS on 50% of the doctors bill. If you look at lab work or hospital bills its even worse. A quick story - I got 2 shots years ago before traveling to India the bill read as follow:
shot 1 - charged $70, adjusted $63, insurance pays $7, I pay nothing
shot 2 - charged $40, insurance does not cover, you pay $40

3. Have you ever looked at bankruptcy rates related to medical debt? Again, without insurance you pay 25-75% higher than the same work with insurance.

4. Prices vary incredibly for the same procedure even an emergency like handling a heart attack which your rushed to the nearest hospital.

What I wish congress was focused on to fix healthcare:

1. all true emergency services where the person can not reasonable opt out or shop around should be fixed prices (with some regional uptick)

2. there should be a maximum discount allowed for medical services, so that prices are actually reasonable for all users.

3. pricing needs to be clear before any work is done for non-emergency care, and ideally readily available so people can "shop" services.

This is an industry that needs more transparency and honesty...

 

[irishflu92]

Apparently, millennials have weaker grips than prior generations due to lack of physical labor . . .

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/06/13/481590997/millennials-may-be-losing-their-grip

 

[vkj91]

The problem with our medical system is not who is paying for it, it is how it is billed.

The problem with our medical system:

1. What other industry do you take a service with no idea of costs until after the service is complete?

2. Have you ever looked at an insurance handling of a bill? They all read as follows..
Doctor charges: 200
Insurance Adjusts: 100
Insurance Pays: 30
You Owe: 70

What this means is the insurance company called BS on 50% of the doctors bill. If you look at lab work or hospital bills its even worse. A quick story - I got 2 shots years ago before traveling to India the bill read as follow:
shot 1 - charged $70, adjusted $63, insurance pays $7, I pay nothing
shot 2 - charged $40, insurance does not cover, you pay $40

3. Have you ever looked at bankruptcy rates related to medical debt? Again, without insurance you pay 25-75% higher than the same work with insurance.

4. Prices vary incredibly for the same procedure even an emergency like handling a heart attack which your rushed to the nearest hospital.

What I wish congress was focused on to fix healthcare:

1. all true emergency services where the person can not reasonable opt out or shop around should be fixed prices (with some regional uptick)

2. there should be a maximum discount allowed for medical services, so that prices are actually reasonable for all users.

3. pricing needs to be clear before any work is done for non-emergency care, and ideally readily available so people can "shop" services.

This is an industry that needs more transparency and honesty...

The bills look that way because the law states they must. If Aetna will pay a Dr 200 for a visit but Medicare will only pay 46$ the Dr still has to bill medicare the full amount. Law states you can't bill different insurance companies different fees. As a result, the Dr always bills at the rate of his best contracted insurance. Also, You are off on the no insurance/insurance prices though. Go for an MRI and the facility will bill anywhere from 900-5000 per scan. Walk in with no insurance and it's 300$. My BIL is probably going to have spine surgery done her because the utopia that is Canada can't even offer the procedure to him. It will probably cost him between 40-50k cash. No doubt that same surgery would be double with insurance.

 

[eceres]

The bills look that way because the law states they must. If Aetna will pay a Dr 200 for a visit but Medicare will only pay 46$ the Dr still has to bill medicare the full amount. Law states you can't bill different insurance companies different fees. As a result, the Dr always bills at the rate of his best contracted insurance. Also, You are off on the no insurance/insurance prices though. Go for an MRI and the facility will bill anywhere from 900-5000 per scan. Walk in with no insurance and it's 300$. My BIL is probably going to have spine surgery done her because the utopia that is Canada can't even offer the procedure to him. It will probably cost him between 40-50k cash. No doubt that same surgery would be double with insurance.

Really billed $300? Thats not my experience.
Yes, single payer like HMO can be good when the procedure you want is normal, but become a huge problem when you have a non-standard or special medical issues.

The billing part is more complicated than highest amount payed even. Kaiser which is an HMO (a true one) bills the same way, which made no sense to me since they are their own health care provider. I was told from someone who handles medical insurances this is because they take a tax write-off for the amount that is adjusted.

Your story all goes back to my point, that the medical pricing is so all over the place it is the biggest problem with our medical industry. A single payer system is not the only way to fix the billing ridiculousness that only exists in the medical industry.

 

[eceres]

And here is a huge infographic on millennial problems:
https://www.yellowbrickprogram.com/blog/millennials-and-debt-the-long-term-effect

I find any infographic or stats that don't compare to be highly questionable. A mortgage is long term debt and I'm sure many of the generation before also had long term debt.

The scary part for NJ: 1/2 way down shows % of 25 year olds living with parents and NJ is the only state in the 60-70% range.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Still waiting on you to accept my bet that Citizens United will not be overturned with Hillary as president.

https://theintercept.com/2016/04/14...r-on-their-own-core-citizens-united-argument/

What's the bet? Give me terms.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Not surprisingly, none of what NIRH said works like NIRH thinks. Yes, I realize you posted "this morning" ... at 11:49 a.m. So, I figure, you went to the local library to get Internet access on your lunch break. Then ... and here's the part where you should pay attention... you did exactly what I predicted: came back in the evening (admittedly a little later than expected, bad traffic?) and posted all your replies at once. Not sure if you'll be back again tonight (maybe a mid-commute library stop?), so if not, I'll see you around your lunchtime tomorrow!

Beyond that, the only thing that makes me dumb is wasting time with the likes of you. I'll paraphrase a saying that you should put over your door and read every day on your way out into the big, real world:

When one guy comes at you throwing insults, maybe that guy's an @$%hole. When an entire room of people who collectively agree about nothing else in the world, ever, comes at you at the same time, you're the @$%hole.

You might want to review your life choices. You were previously banned for being a creepy stalker, and your main argument is I eat lunch before noon? Good one. Thankfully, I don't know you, I just know you adopt the tactics of other banned posters to make your stalking points.

I worry about the insults from internet stalkers, crotchety old men, and the alt right like you worry about getting banned again- that is to say, I don't worry. I relish it. The fact that I tick off a delusional turd like you that has to recreate name after name to derail threads, is what keeps me going.

 

[Upstream]

And here is a huge infographic on millennial problems:
https://www.yellowbrickprogram.com/blog/millennials-and-debt-the-long-term-effect

I find any infographic or stats that don't compare to be highly questionable. A mortgage is long term debt and I'm sure many of the generation before also had long term debt.

The scary part for NJ: 1/2 way down shows % of 25 year olds living with parents and NJ is the only state in the 60-70% range.

I agree with you that the infographic seems highly questionable. Nonetheless, it seems to indicate that student debt is increasing. Certainly a cause of that is that more people are going to college.

Following is how the percentage of Americans aged 20-29 years with a 4-year college degree has increased over time (source: US Dept of Education, National Center for Education Statistics):

1940 6%
1950 8%
1960 11%
1970 16%
1980 23%
1990 23%
2000 29%
2010 32%
2014 34%

At one time, a college degree indicated that someone was the cream of the crop in terms of inate intelligence and educational attainment. But with one-third of adults earning a college degree, the degree only indicates that you are slightly above average. It is a real shift in the value of a degree.

I really question whether a 4-year college degree is worthwhile for all the people who earn it. I don't know that a college degree is necessary for many of the jobs that these college graduates get, and I don't think there are enough jobs that truly require a degree. Rather than incur so much college debt to attend what is essentially 13th grade, I think most people would be better off either getting work experience, attending a 2-year college, or getting vocational training.

 

[FanuSanu52]

You might want to review your life choices. You were previously banned for being a creepy stalker, and your main argument is I eat lunch before noon? Good one. Thankfully, I don't know you, I just know you adopt the tactics of other banned posters to make your stalking points.

I worry about the insults from internet stalkers, crotchety old men, and the alt right like you worry about getting banned again- that is to say, I don't worry. I relish it. The fact that I tick off a delusional turd like you that has to recreate name after name to derail threads, is what keeps me going.

And he posts right around the same time again! Early lunch at the library, ftw!

No, I never had another SN. Stalking? It's a public forum and I respond to public posts. I'd sort of like to know who you are IRL, just to make sure I never accidentally hire you or your law firm for anything, ever, since you're seriously the worst debater in the history of Internet debate, but I'm not putting any resources into that. I'm happy to know you as the over-emotional, uber-millennial douche that spits out the most asinine posts on the board and contradicts himself, over and over, every day, uniting people that otherwise agree on little to nothing. So rest easy, homie.

See you at 7-ish!

 

[rutgersdave]

And here is a huge infographic on millennial problems:
https://www.yellowbrickprogram.com/blog/millennials-and-debt-the-long-term-effect

I find any infographic or stats that don't compare to be highly questionable. A mortgage is long term debt and I'm sure many of the generation before also had long term debt.

The scary part for NJ: 1/2 way down shows % of 25 year olds living with parents and NJ is the only state in the 60-70% range.

The highest amount of debts are the For Profit colleges and most of the students should be going to community colleges. Most For Profit students are below average students that really shouldn't be going to school. They don't get jobs related to their studies and that's why they can not pay their debts. For Profit Colleges are scams and the government is now trying to crack down on them. Saw a show on PBS about For Profit school started by a High School graduate with no college degree going public to get rich.

Upstream post above show the tremendous growth of students going to college. Students that are D or C students are now attending college.

 

[NotInRHouse]

And he posts right around the same time again! Early lunch at the library, ftw!

No, I never had another SN. Stalking? It's a public forum and I respond to public posts. I'd sort of like to know who you are IRL, just to make sure I never accidentally hire you or your law firm for anything, ever, since you're seriously the worst debater in the history of Internet debate, but I'm not putting any resources into that. I'm happy to know you as the over-emotional, uber-millennial douche that spits out the most asinine posts on the board and contradicts himself, over and over, every day, uniting people that otherwise agree on little to nothing. So rest easy, homie.

See you at 7-ish!

Yawn. Don't worry, you don't have to hire a lawyer to file unemployment. Or to be a stalker.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Yawn. Don't worry, you don't have to hire a lawyer to file unemployment. Or to be a stalker.

Sounds like you speak from experience. Probably the only true statements you've made in this thread.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Sounds like you speak from experience. Probably the only true statements you've made in this thread.

Does the unemployment office have wifi this good, or is that your shrink?

 

[FanuSanu52]

Come on, you're more original than that. That's what makes you so ridiculous. You say stuff that no one else would say because it's a. not true, even in a fantasy world and b. completely moronic. So don't sell yourself short by glomming on to the Internet gag. Be original; be you.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Yeah my other stalkers are more exciting though. You just call everyone names and get banned and come back again. At least the crotchety old people and alt right have grievances even though they're fictional.

 

[FanuSanu52]

I guess that was supposed to make sense.

 

[LadyRU09]

This wasn't mentioned much previously in this thread, but one of the biggest hurdles that a millennial worker has to jump is the experience requirement. Plenty of entry-level jobs require years of experience. That's not really "entry-level."

A friend of mine graduated college the year before I did (2008) and still works in a retail store (she hates it). I'm starting a freelance career because it's really tough for me to land an interview. The one interview I had in the past year rejected me because of my little experience. I'd rather be my own boss anyway.

 

[miketd1]

Just take a crap job and work your tail off. No promises, but chances are you have the skills that will allow you to get noticed. Maybe you're an Excel wizard. Or a superior writer. Or perhaps your organizational skills make you super efficient.

Whatever your super skill is, leverage the hell out of it. I had a really crappy job out of school. Took me almost a decade to get my career to where I could actually be proud to say where I work and what I do.

Just keep your head up and work twice as hard as you think you should.

The harder you work, the luckier you get. At least that's been my experience.

 

[robcac26]

I think problems with communication between the generations has a lot to do with technology. Millennials learned to communicate via text message and IM with quick blurbs and their learned they never have to actually know anything (anything you need to know, you can read on the internet). So it's a series of one liners with little information or context.

At least in my experience, everyone I work with that is in their 20s communicates just fine, but the teenagers we have working for us are generally pretty crappy at communicating, with a few exceptions. What's funny is that the person with the most confusing emails/texts is our GM who is in his 50s. His emails often consist of one line that is not even a complete sentence, and he abbreviates so many words to the point where we sometimes need to ask what his abbreviations are short for.

The bills look that way because the law states they must. If Aetna will pay a Dr 200 for a visit but Medicare will only pay 46$ the Dr still has to bill medicare the full amount. Law states you can't bill different insurance companies different fees. As a result, the Dr always bills at the rate of his best contracted insurance. Also, You are off on the no insurance/insurance prices though. Go for an MRI and the facility will bill anywhere from 900-5000 per scan. Walk in with no insurance and it's 300$. My BIL is probably going to have spine surgery done her because the utopia that is Canada can't even offer the procedure to him. It will probably cost him between 40-50k cash. No doubt that same surgery would be double with insurance.

I think you're oversimplifying the cost of visiting a doctor with no insurance. I once had a brief ER visit during a time that I had no insurance. I did get a lower price while walking out the door, but I received a stack of bills in the mail over the following weeks that totaled somewhere between $6000-10,000 for a chest X-ray and some drug tests. A five-minute ambulance ride was $800. If I had known that ahead of time, I would have tried to walk there.

It was infuriating that I had to pay so much for these drug tests because the reason I was there was because I passed out at a concert and a security guard said I had a seizure. Since I was at a concert, they didn't believe me that I wasn't on drugs so they did the tests anyway. I went there to figure out what was wrong with me, and I already knew I wasn't on drugs, so I should have been able to decline the drug tests, but like someone on the previous page said, there is no transparency. I wasn't given the option of skipping the drug tests, and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to be charged for something that I knew was unnecessary.

What's the bet? Give me terms.

From some other thread about a month ago. You said as president, Hillary would get Citizens United overturned. I'll put down $100 on that not happening.

 

[NotInRHouse]

At least in my experience, everyone I work with that is in their 20s communicates just fine, but the teenagers we have working for us are generally pretty crappy at communicating, with a few exceptions. What's funny is that the person with the most confusing emails/texts is our GM who is in his 50s. His emails often consist of one line that is not even a complete sentence, and he abbreviates so many words to the point where we sometimes need to ask what his abbreviations are short for.


I think you're oversimplifying the cost of visiting a doctor with no insurance. I once had a brief ER visit during a time that I had no insurance. I did get a lower price while walking out the door, but I received a stack of bills in the mail over the following weeks that totaled somewhere between $6000-10,000 for a chest X-ray and some drug tests. A five-minute ambulance ride was $800. If I had known that ahead of time, I would have tried to walk there.

It was infuriating that I had to pay so much for these drug tests because the reason I was there was because I passed out at a concert and a security guard said I had a seizure. Since I was at a concert, they didn't believe me that I wasn't on drugs so they did the tests anyway. I went there to figure out what was wrong with me, and I already knew I wasn't on drugs, so I should have been able to decline the drug tests, but like someone on the previous page said, there is no transparency. I wasn't given the option of skipping the drug tests, and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to be charged for something that I knew was unnecessary.


From some other thread about a month ago. You said as president, Hillary would get Citizens United overturned. I'll put down $100 on that not happening.

Define not happening. You do realize that she has to nominate a justice and have the case return to the SCOTUS, which will take several years...

 

[IL Lusciato]

you know how you can tell who is a dumb ass boomer?

When they find some random half-assed way to sneak President Obama into some lame discussion about how they don't understand texting.

go watch your war movies and eat your processed food in your suburban enclave. Thanks for the current tanking of America since the 60s...

 

[vkj91]

At least in my experience, everyone I work with that is in their 20s communicates just fine, but the teenagers we have working for us are generally pretty crappy at communicating, with a few exceptions. What's funny is that the person with the most confusing emails/texts is our GM who is in his 50s. His emails often consist of one line that is not even a complete sentence, and he abbreviates so many words to the point where we sometimes need to ask what his abbreviations are short for.


I think you're oversimplifying the cost of visiting a doctor with no insurance. I once had a brief ER visit during a time that I had no insurance. I did get a lower price while walking out the door, but I received a stack of bills in the mail over the following weeks that totaled somewhere between $6000-10,000 for a chest X-ray and some drug tests. A five-minute ambulance ride was $800. If I had known that ahead of time, I would have tried to walk there.

It was infuriating that I had to pay so much for these drug tests because the reason I was there was because I passed out at a concert and a security guard said I had a seizure. Since I was at a concert, they didn't believe me that I wasn't on drugs so they did the tests anyway. I went there to figure out what was wrong with me, and I already knew I wasn't on drugs, so I should have been able to decline the drug tests, but like someone on the previous page said, there is no transparency. I wasn't given the option of skipping the drug tests, and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to be charged for something that I knew was unnecessary.


From some other thread about a month ago. You said as president, Hillary would get Citizens United overturned. I'll put down $100 on that not happening.

Few things. You can't compare visiting a Dr vs Er trip. They made you take all those tests because people lie. You know this and they know this. If you were lying no waiver would have saved their ass beciase well you were on drugs and can't be held responsible. Also, my experience has been crazy ER bills can be negotiated down and paid for ever years. Did you gave to pay the 6-10,000$? When dealing with regular Dr's appointments it's quite easy to find out what a cash visit or test will cost. I deal with a good number of poor athletes and am constantly negotiating cash fees for them. Same goes for foreign athletes who have no U.S. Insurance.

 

[robcac26]

Few things. You can't compare visiting a Dr vs Er trip. They made you take all those tests because people lie. You know this and they know this. If you were lying no waiver would have saved their ass beciase well you were on drugs and can't be held responsible. Also, my experience has been crazy ER bills can be negotiated down and paid for ever years. Did you gave to pay the 6-10,000$? When dealing with regular Dr's appointments it's quite easy to find out what a cash visit or test will cost. I deal with a good number of poor athletes and am constantly negotiating cash fees for them. Same goes for foreign athletes who have no U.S. Insurance.

I understand they can't just believe everyone who says they're not on drugs, but I still think it doesn't make sense for me to have to pay out the ass for something that I knew wasn't necessary and was able to coherently explain to the doctor. If I lied and the tests were positive then yeah I can understand having to pay for it, but otherwise customers are being forced to buy services they don't want or need. I did end up paying the whole thing. I guess I could have tried negotiating the prices but really this was my first time seeing any doctor without insurance and didn't know they allow you to do that. I paid it as soon as I was able to because I didn't want it to affect my credit. Also on some of the bills, there already were adjustments made due to not being insured so I'm not sure how more I could have gotten it lowered.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Yeah, everything thats wrong is with this generation....

Please. The modern managers are lowballing kids like crazy. Most of them have a nice chunk in their 401k or pensions meanwhile the recent graduates cant even think about retirement. Not to mention the hiring managers went to college for mostly free.

Yes, the recent grads with low salaries and high loans are to blame. (sarcasm)

Most modern employers dont deserve formality. They treat young employees like crap. Low ball them and then dont give raises.

Right.. they should be PAID MORE. That will solve the problem.

Ouch! My Balls!

 

[MoobyCow]

I always love complaining about the younger generation, as if the older generations had no hand in raising them. If they're ****-ups, it's our fault. Never mind, of course it's not "our" fault. All of "us" have great kids. It's "their" fault.

The kids are fine, you're just old and cranky.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

I'm a "millennial" with four jobs, doing well in college (top 10% so far) and I've had a steady job for four years. Believe it or not, it wasn't the millennial generation that screwed up

• Our education system by handing control to the testing companies.
• Our public transportation system/infrastructure by refusing to invest.
• Our economy by de-regulating banks.
• Our higher education system by withholding funding.
• Our military standing by getting us into MORE WARS that we can't pay for.

First stop screwing up the future, then you can complain about the next generation being "soft" and struggling.

If I have to hear one more person complain about "millennials" not knowing how to figure things out for themselves, then ask me how to fix something on their computer/phone when they could solve it themselves with a little effort, I'm going to scream. Or ask me the price of something that has a price tag directly in front of their eyes.

 

[rutgersdave]

I'm a "millennial" with four jobs, doing well in college (top 10% so far) and I've had a steady job for four years. Believe it or not, it wasn't the millennial generation that screwed up

• Our education system by handing control to the testing companies.
• Our public transportation system/infrastructure by refusing to invest.
• Our economy by de-regulating banks.
• Our higher education system by withholding funding.
• Our military standing by getting us into MORE WARS that we can't pay for.

First stop screwing up the future, then you can complain about the next generation being "soft" and struggling.

If I have to hear one more person complain about "millennials" not knowing how to figure things out for themselves, then ask me how to fix something on their computer/phone when they could solve it themselves with a little effort, I'm going to scream. Or ask me the price of something that has a price tag directly in front of their eyes.

Glad you're in the Top 10%. Sounds like you will do well in your career.

 

[vkj91]

I always love complaining about the younger generation, as if the older generations had no hand in raising them. If they're ****-ups, it's our fault. Never mind, of course it's not "our" fault. All of "us" have great kids. It's "their" fault.

The kids are fine, you're just old and cranky.

Solid points. Good thing I'm too young to have raised a millennial so I'm good to bitch. Someday the millenials can bitch about my kids as payback.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Solid points. Good thing I'm too young to have raised a millennial so I'm good to bitch. Someday the millenials can bitch about my kids as payback.

That's worse. It wasn't that long ago aging salt-n-peppers were bitching about you.

Friggin' GenX and your cappuccinos, your Sony Walkmans with big foamy headphones, and your fancy Gap jeans. Grow up, shut off Reality Bites, get off my couch, and start caring about something because it ain't going to care about you!!

 

[j22889]

Millennials that get entry level jobs feel entitled to rise quickly within companies because it only takes about a week for them to figure out that their boomer managers spend 20 hours a week "doing spreadsheets" and the like, which should only really take ~ 2 hours of they knew what the hell they're doing. What millennials don't always understand is that there's more to most jobs than simple inputs/outputs - communication, politics, emotion, demeanor, and perception are all hugely important in the current workplace. There is a huge skills gap within both generations broadly (older - tech; younger - communication), but the slow moving delayed retiree boomers who run the show are in a position to fight change while the lazy millennials sit back with unaffordable housing, student loan debt, and an economy that does not have many "fall back" jobs that offer a living wage and require nothing but hard work, like their parents did (even getting accepted into a trade apprenticeship is no simple task without the right political connections).

Can you really blame a college educated millennial for being lazy and uninterested in a job making $10/hour when they have 30k in student loan debt and rent is $1000/month? When the company paying them $10/hour makes millions in profit and pays other employees who have been there longer much much more even though they do largely the same job? The economy is in a weird transitional state right now, possibly due to globalization, and the millennials are bearing the brunt of it financially in the US.

 

[RUNVA]

Ok I will add to this. I had a R&D company and we were lined up for a government contract (our product was Feather Fiber - a green - shovel ready project). Having a military background I established a pay scale simular to that. It was not by age, sex,etc. We covered all medical and deductibles. This included a person in Canada who wanted treatment here. The BUT was that President Bush turned over part of the budget to incoming President Obama and we were lined out of the incoming budget, 80M over 5 years for a green solution that could have been used in all sorts of products. I end up working for Brooks Brothers. Our staff was all over the hill folks who were bankers, business owners, and people who lost their jobs. Every one of these people were strong workers. I have been there for about 8 years. I can honestly say that we have lost most of our older employees because the company is cost cutting like there is no tomorrow. Many companies in America are not doing well. The media may things are great and that is not true at all. Things are really bad out here. We are not hiring people on a full time bases. We are hiring college kids that are from near by colleges and univesities. I honestly have to say that only one of the eight has any work ethic what so ever. We are not allowed to have phones on the floor. As soon as the supervisors are gone they are on the floor texting and doing everything but work. One guy was looking for his stuff that he put on hold. Took the boxes down from the shelf and I said, "Why not hang the other employees stuff on the hang bar instead of just tossing them around." He told me that he did not care about any of those folks and tossed their stuff on the floor. That he was looking for his stuff and that is all that matters. Old school would have called for a beat down, but times have changed.

I am about to leave here and start a new company. I am within 3 weeks from leaving. Dropping my two week notice on Tuesday. I am going to really think hard about hiring the younger age group folks. I will be in telemedicine and there will be peoples lives at stake here. I will also be hiring and working with Disabled Vets programs as an employee source, so that should take some of the pressure off. I am really going to have to look long and hard to make sure I can trust the new hires. Working in the medical field requires monitoring and caring for the patient and not monitoring your text messages and being on social media.

 

[Upstream]

Can you really blame a college educated millennial for being lazy and uninterested in a job making $10/hour when they have 30k in student loan debt and rent is $1000/month? When the company paying them $10/hour makes millions in profit and pays other employees who have been there longer much much more even though they do largely the same job? The economy is in a weird transitional state right now, possibly due to globalization, and the millennials are bearing the brunt of it financially in the US.

Oh good lord. You act as if this is something new. My first job out of college was a low paying job and I struggled to pay my rent and expenses. (I didn't have student loan debt because I went to school on a scholarship, but most of my friends had significant student loan debt.)

Back then there were also people who were lazy and uninterested in their jobs, but that was because they were lazy and uninterested in working (or in the wrong jobs). And those people blamed others for their laziness or bad jobs. Just like today. And some of those people eventually figured it out and went on to be successful, and some never figured it out and never became successful. Just like what will happen to today's young adults.

 

[RobertG]

Here is my millennial stories. I have 4 daughters: The oldest graduated college 1 semester early in December a few years ago and started her new job as a science teacher on Jan 5, 3 weeks later. along with teaching she coaches, soccer, basketball and lacrosse. She also runs the robotics club. This summer she is starting her masters degree in STEM education and she was just named the varsity lacrosse coach.

My next oldest daughter is still in college, but this summer she has 2 jobs and works 6 days a week, some weeks 7. She is taking two online classes this summer so she can double major in college.

The next is still in high school but also works two jobs and is taking a summer class to get ahead.

The youngest is only 12 but she is going to a week of coding camp this summer (her choice)

I have a niece who was on the voice and the biggest loser.

Another who wrote a novel that was named one of the top 100 YA novels ever by Rolling Stone

Another who got into Harvard but decided on Georgetown

A Nephew who is a studio drummer and plays in multiple bands while working as a waiter on the side.

Not sure where these stories of lazy kids are coming from, but I'm not seeing them.

Now me, I've been skating by my whole career, spending way to much time arguing on this dumb ass board with you equally lazy boomers and gen xers. :)

 

[biazza38]

Here is my millennial stories. I have 4 daughters: The oldest graduated college 1 semester early in December a few years ago and started her new job as a science teacher on Jan 5, 3 weeks later. along with teaching she coaches, soccer, basketball and lacrosse. She also runs the robotics club. This summer she is starting her masters degree in STEM education and she was just named the varsity lacrosse coach.

My next oldest daughter is still in college, but this summer she has 2 jobs and works 6 days a week, some weeks 7. She is taking two online classes this summer so she can double major in college.

The next is still in high school but also works two jobs and is taking a summer class to get ahead.

The youngest is only 12 but she is going to a week of coding camp this summer (her choice)

I have a niece who was on the voice and the biggest loser.

Another who wrote a novel that was named one of the top 100 YA novels ever by Rolling Stone

Another who got into Harvard but decided on Georgetown

A Nephew who is a studio drummer and plays in multiple bands while working as a waiter on the side.

Not sure where these stories of lazy kids are coming from, but I'm not seeing them.

Now me, I've been skating by my whole career, spending way to much time arguing on this dumb ass board with you equally lazy boomers and gen xers. :)

The problem is, there are so many millennials. We are the biggest generation and there are more and more of us entering the workforce. I know a ton of millennial stories like the ones you just mentioned. I know someone who developed an app with a group of people and sold it to Mark Cuban last year. I also have seen temps at my office quit on their first week of the job. Some people rather remember remember the negative stories.

One last note for some perspective, of course millennials are going to seem socially incompetent and appear to lack work ethics when compared to 40 and 50 year old people in the office. You can't compare someone with 1 year of work experience to someone with 30 and think they are going to stack up equally. When I started work,I had the basic social skills and was not like some of these unemployable millennials in these stories, but I also didn't know everything.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Oh good lord. You act as if this is something new. My first job out of college was a low paying job and I struggled to pay my rent and expenses. (I didn't have student loan debt because I went to school on a scholarship, but most of my friends had significant student loan debt.)

Back then there were also people who were lazy and uninterested in their jobs, but that was because they were lazy and uninterested in working (or in the wrong jobs). And those people blamed others for their laziness or bad jobs. Just like today. And some of those people eventually figured it out and went on to be successful, and some never figured it out and never became successful. Just like what will happen to today's young adults.

Not sure how old you are, but even if you are my age, and I'm a millenial, college costs have risen tremendously even at state schools like RU since I graduated. Boomers in NYC and CA (at least) had free college.

Also, college degrees these days are basically the equivalent of high school for boomers. You NEED a college degree for most good paid positions, at a minimum. And every study shows a growing wage gap between college and non-college grads. This is another big difference.

And I'm not saying that they need to pay and promote more as a result- but then don't turn around and say we can't afford salary increases for underlings while older employees are getting them. Most millenial anger at the boomers arises from the fact that we are shouldering this way worse than the boomers. While millenials in some spots can't afford starter homes, boomers are cashing in and able to retire. The government is taking 7-8% interest on student loan debt- essentially profiting- while claiming our generation won't have SS. There is simply no will to share the burden for some of the older folks in power.

 

[eceres]

Also, college degrees these days are basically the equivalent of high school for boomers. You NEED a college degree for most good paid positions, at a minimum. And every study shows a growing wage gap between college and non-college grads. This is another big difference.

This is one of the most important truths in this thread. Want to point it out for emphasis.

 

[eceres]

The real fix is significant changes to college system.

Based on college system today, I would push my kids to get an associate's from community then transfer to Rutgers. Unless they had full ride, or I was richer than I am.

I expect by the time my oldest (kindergartner) goes to college first 1-2 years will be online, then you go to college for on campus 3-4 year which are small personalized classes. No need for lecture hall learning in a connected internet age.