As spring rapidly approaches the thoughts of college students about to graduate begin to turn toward entering the workplace. Soon we will be interviewing, hiring and interacting with the class of 2010 in our businesses.
Here are a few things to consider, for those of us that are more seasoned, when interacting with the class of 2010 in the months to come.
They don’t remember when “cut and paste” involved scissors
Pay-Per View Television has always been an option
Bill Gates has always been worth at least a billion dollars
American Motors has never existed
Airports have always had upscale shops and restaurants
Digital cameras have always existed
Entertainment Weekly has always been on the newsstand
Tom Landry never coached the Dallas Cowboys
CNBC has always been on the air
Miss Piggy and Kermit have always dwelled in Disneyland
America’s Funniest Home videos has always been on television
Wayne Gretzky never played for Edmonton
They have never had the fun of being thrown in the back of a station wagon with six others
Voice mail has always been available
KFC has always been in China
Aretha Franklin has always been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Les Miserables has always been on stage
Photos have always been processed in an hour or less
There has always been a Comedy Channel
Bill and Ted have always been on an Excellent Adventure
There have always been night games at Wrigley Field
Harry has always known Sally
Computers have always suffered from viruses
Pixar has always existed
Although I have related these generational facts with the intent of adding some humor the point I am making is that the next generation of workers is always changing. It is our responsibility as employers to try to understand where they are coming from and interact with them in a way that is meaningful and productive for both parties.
Chuck Terry is the Executive Vice President and CSO of Carew International and is regular contributor to Carew’s blog – Executive Insights
Carew International is a leader in sales training and leadership development; specializing in comprehensive, proven training programs for sales, sales management and customer service excellence. For over 30 years, Carew has earned its reputation of delivering increased productivity and profitability to our valued clients world wide.
