Whenever I speak to managers and supervisors about the Millennial Generation, one of the characteristics that I note members of this cohort share is a complete comfort with technology. I suspect most managers are already aware of this reality.  In fact, many complain that their newest employees, who have been “texting” for years, bring “texting’s” strange spellings and absence of grammar into the workplace.

 

Unfortunately, it would appear that an increasingly large number of job applicants are using text messaging lingo while they are still in the interview phase.  In a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Thx for the IView! I Wud ♥ to Work 4 U!!;)” Sarah Needleman writes about prospective employers who are quite literally horrified by the text messaging abbreviations and emoticons that so many new applicants use in their follow-up communications. (WSJ, 07/29/08, page D1.) 

 

How common is such usage?  According to the article, KMPG’s director of university relations and recruiting reports that approximately one out of every ten thank you e-mails sent to a firm hiring manager contains a smiley face, heart or other icon.  By in large the hiring managers don’t like these symbols.  KPMG, like many other employers, views the use of emoticons as unprofessional and not appropriate for the workplace.

 

Especially given the state of the current economy, Millennials would be well-served to drop the text-messaging lingo in all of their communications with their current and/or prospective Baby Boomer bosses.  Especially during the interview phase, it is best to communicate with some level of formality.  Land the job before you relax in your communications.  And even then, give a second thought to using text messaging lingo and emoticons at work.

Given the nature of my travel schedule, one thing is pretty certain: If it’s Monday, odds are I need to make tracks to the nearest airport.  That’s exactly what I did this past Monday for an easy flight from NYC’s LaGuardia to Boston Logan.  Having pre-printed my boarding pass, I headed straight to the security check line, removed my shoes, filled up a bin with my three ounce liquids and laptop, and stood in line like dozens of others to pass through a metal detector.

 

While waiting, a young woman approached the same line.  She was in the process of leaving a rather heated voice-mail message, and clearly she was upset.  As far as I could hear, every other word that slipped from her mouth was the “F-Bomb.”  It was definitely unattractive.  And in fact, I found myself embarrassed that some other travelers, far older than I, had to be exposed to this language.

 

Unfortunately, use of the “F-Bomb” seems to be passing into the realm of acceptability.  A word that was once used to shock, now seemingly trills off people’s lips.  Upon overhearing the word, few bother to raise an eye brow.  In fact, a close friend shared with me that when she summoned the courage to tell some co-workers that she found the “F-Bomb” particularly offensive, they responded with shrugged shoulders and a general attitude of, “Better get used to it.  That’s just the way we talk around here.”

 

Maybe the Millennials can take this as one of their challenges.  They are already comfortable with the strange abbreviations and spellings connected to text messaging.  Surely they can develop some other unique word to express surprise, amazement, disgust, etc. and let the “F- Bomb” blow away.