Just My E-pinion
By Guest Columnist Alexandra Levit
If, as shown on TV’s “60 Minutes last week, you’re perplexed by the differences new 20-something employees display from Baby Boomers in their job behaviors, you’re not alone. But don’t despair. Because author, business conference speaker, and Huffington Post advice columnist Alexandra Levit, an expert on Generation Y, has some advice for you.
When I first connect with training or human resources professionals who’ve invited me to speak at their organizations, one of the first things I hear is that this new crop of 20-something employees is different.
On the good side, they’re innovative, entrepreneurial, and devoted to changing business for the better. But on the negative side, they tend to come into their first jobs with a sense of entitlement, like it’s the responsibility of management to further their careers.
And even though they have just finished school, today’s 20-somethings already know everything and want to get ahead right now.
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Because of what they don’t learn in college, 20-somethings typically experience lower productivity and higher turnover than other employees. You should recognize, though, that simple training could make a difference in the degree to which they can contribute to the bottom line and increase your internal rate of return. I’ll highlight a few key lessons you need to share with them here.
1) Teach them the role of a mature professional. In their first jobs, 20-somethings meet a lot of people important to their future success. To make the most of these interactions, they must develop a strong corporate persona—of the mature, professional and competent face they project to the work world. You can help them achieve this by providing instruction on appropriate dress and appearance, effective on-the-job communication, social behavior, and attitude management.
2) Help them to establish profitable relationships. The 20-something employee needs to take responsibility for becoming professionally and socially integrated into his or her new department. Help by teaching strategies for getting to know fellow managers and navigating your company’s social scene. Basic networking skills and company-sponsored mentorship programs are useful as well.
3) Encourage them to show controlled initiative. Today’s 20-somethings are blazing trails of ambitious fire. But have them look for ways to prove their worth, while still starting small (where their inevitable mistakes don’t hurt so much). Help them find a niche by asking them probing questions such as: What does the company or department need, and how can you use your unique set of skills and talents to provide it?
4) Help them master skills that will take them anywhere. New 20-something employees should be taught to de-emphasize the importance of getting promoted, as soon as possible. Rather, they should focus on making the most of their first jobs by setting short- and long-term career goals and developing critical, transferable skills such as problem solving, time management, oral and written communication, and risk taking, that will be useful no matter where they go or what they do.
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5) Show them how to be proactive about their own career growth. Rather than just facilitating the review process, HR professionals should coach new 20-something employees on how to approach reviews strategically. Review objectives that you can help them set include soliciting feedback from their manager, identifying new goals and growth opportunities, and hammering out a long-term promotion plan.
These recommendations require an investment in 20-something employees that your company might be reluctant to make. But just think about how much productivity you can conserve by doing a day of “Welcome to the Business World” training at the very beginning of a career, before a single preventable mistake is ever made.
And since well-prepared and successful employees are happy employees, you’ll keep your 20-somethings longer than your competitors—and long enough to make measurable contributions to the organization.
To contact Alexandra Levit, email: Alexandra_levit@hotmail.com
This is a very true statement. I am 25 and a Operations Supervisor I at a large manufacturing company. I have had 3 promotions from the line to my current role in 5 years. I was very lucky and have had three supervisors and another professional coach me about networking, how to show interest, and what relationships a person should look for. The coaching also explained how to use the people’s skills to make up for what you do not know. Meaning, that a person does not need to know everything but you are limited to either your knowledge and/or your support team. In addition as a younger than my workforce supervisor I have to understand the X and Y management styles and use the old Master Chief vs. Ensign mindset. That is, even though a Master Chief in the Navy has to salute an Ensign due to rank, understand what it took for the Master Chief to achieve his or her level. Title is nothing without the support to go behind it.
Great article.
Great article, Alexandra!
As the author of “From Boomer To Bloggers,” a speaker and consultant on generational diversity, I believe your tips are excellent for all generations. While your title is geared toward developing young professionals, I believe the only way to create the much needed generational bridge is to develop your team across generations.
I can imagine that many senior executives reading this article are thinking, “Who has time for all that? Why don’t they get it and just get to work?”
That said, I would like to add the following step to your article: create time to meet with your direct reports every week for 30 minutes each. The true job of a leader is to develop their team – watch what happens when you do!
If you are the type that says you don’t have time, imagine how much time you will save in the long-term by developing your team now.
Rock on!
Misti Burmeister