X & Y: Same difference?

News and Views

Word on the street is that some sectors of the workforce and society-at-large are confused about the differences between Gen-X and Gen-Y.  The similarities are that they are younger than Baby-Boomers, have different perspectives about work and have a broader appreciation of technology in comparison with their older counterparts.  However, the groups are very different in their motivations, values, and experiences which needs to be made clear.  Here is a rough guide:

X-ers are those in their mid-30’s to late 40’s (sometimes a bit older), generally well-educated, well-travelled, conscientious and diligent at work, with a no-nonsense perspective in life.  They are adaptable to changing technology and are often change-agents in a business.  Your boss is likely to be from Generation X, so named for its enigmatic or indefinable attributes.

Your Reputation is Your Career

While career advice is awash with phrases such as ‘Earning Potential’, ‘Future-focused’, and ‘Valued Investment’, most vocational mentors will rally around the fundamental concept, even traditional or old-fashioned ideas, of building a reputation in an industry, market or workplace.

For business owners, there is no business without reputation and this is the same reason small-medium-sized businesses are extremely careful about those they recruit to the team.  It is critical to any busiiness that they project the company ethos in every facet of contact, performance, or representation.