Professionalism

When Generations Collide

October 19, 2006

 

I suspect anyone working today has experienced the collision of expectations that different generations are binging to the office. Boomers, especially those who joined the workforce in the early 1980s, expect newcomers to roll up their sleeves and get down to work fast. They perceive, correctly or not, that Gen X’er employees are more concerned with having fun—and getting paid well for it—than in “paying dues” as they climb the proverbial corporate ladder.
 
With this in mind, consider how the following scenario played out: 
 
A law firm takes a group of summer associates to Washington D.C. for a two-day visit. The second day of the visit is set aside for a tour of the Supreme Court to be followed by a trip to Baltimore for an Orioles baseball game. All summer associates are instructed to board a bus by a time certain on Day 2.
 
When Day 2 rolls around, everyone boards the bus with one exception. After waiting and waiting and waiting, the head of recruiting phones the missing summer associate’s room and reminds him that the bus is about to leave.  A few moments later, the summer associate appears . . . wearing shorts, a tee-shirt and flip-flops. When the recruiter reminds him that the day will begin with a visit to the Supreme Court and points out that other participants are dressed appropriately in suits, the summer associate replies, “I’m really not interested in the tour. I’ll just sit on the bus while the rest of you go in.”
 
Gen X’ers should be aware that employers are interested in prospective workers who show a commitment to work hard.  In order to be hired, and certainly in order to get ahead, be prepared to engage in some activities that may not be of personal interest.

 




 



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