Millennials

The Good, The Bad, The Millennial
By Alyssa Schwartz

The Millennials, one of the most studied generations, are the offspring of the Baby Boomers who grew up in a time of technological advancement and were raised with very different ideals and ethics than their parents.

It would seem that being a Millennial, one would have more going for them than against them. The Millennial, also known as Generation Y or the Echo Boomers, seem to be more studied and criticized for growing up in a new era than welcomed and accepted for the new ideas and knowledge that they can offer society.

Millennials appear to be defined by the fact that they were raised in a time when technology was thriving. According to the CBS News 60 Minutes report “Echo Boomers,” this generation is “a reflection of the sweeping changes in American life over the past 20 years. They are multi-taskers with cell phones, music downloads and instant messaging on the Internet.”

Is this attribute a positive factor or a negative slam at the generation?

Maria Lagis, a student at Stony Brook University says it is “100% positive.” She believes that because the Echo Boom generation grew up with all of these technologies and the ability to multi-task it will ultimately help them in the long run.

“I think we are lucky to be able to multi-task. If I wasn’t brought up knowing how to multi-task, I honestly don’t think I would make it through college,” Lagis says. “It’s necessary.”


Maria Lagis, right, and her mother.

Lagis believes that her generations’ technological skills will prove useful throughout college and into the work force.

“I feel as if the business world is changing and demanding that employees be technologically advanced. It’s a requirement for so many jobs these days,” says Lagis. “How lucky are we that we got a head start in being able to understand technology and survive situations where we might have to handle various tasks at once. I think we have the advantage.”

Steven Schwartz agrees that the Millennial generation is becoming necessary for the survival of business. He is the owner and manager of a Long Island mortgage company, and is part of the Baby Boomer generation. Schwartz finds it necessary to mix part of the Millennial generation into his company.

“It is essential to survival,” he says. ”That these people who are now entering the work force with this in depth knowledge on technology – they are necessary. They have a huge understanding of new computer programs, they know quicker and easier methods of doing work and they get the work done just as efficiently and effectively as my older employees who actually find it difficult to learn new programs and adapt to new methods.”

Schwartz admits that the idea of hiring younger people was not something he was always opened too. “Having children myself who are part of this generation, I know firsthand that they can be a little bit lazy and would probably rather be on “Facebook” than doing actual work,” he says. “I’ve learned though that people in this generation will complete any task I ask of them, even if on “Facebook” while doing it.”

Technology is not the only aspect that has contributed to shaping this generation. The way their parents raised them plays a large role in this generation’s relationship to the workplace. Marian Salzman in the 60 Minutes report “The Millennials Are Coming,” notes “that while this generation has extraordinary technical skills, childhoods filled with trophies and adulation didn't prepare them for the cold realities of work.”

The Millennial generation grew up on praises and teamwork, something that is not always a reality in the business world. Schwartz agrees with Salzman’s ideas. He realizes that he and his wife raised their children on teamwork and praises such as, “you did the best you could and that’s all that matters.”

Schwartz says, “we probably did shelter our children a lot, and it may hurt them in the end or help them. Ultimately I believe raising good and honest people is more valuable then raising people who can be tough enough to climb to the top of the workforce.”

Lagis feels that the way her parents raised her has been a positive attribute rather than a negative.

“Sure I was part of soccer teams and everyone won and life was great. That doesn’t mean I’m not capable of handling myself in real life,” Lagis says. “My parents pushed me to be the best I can be and that is something I will take with me into real life. I will always have that motivation and drive, that will help me - not hurt me.”

Millennials

An Impatient Generation Full Of Team Players
By Adriana Lorenzo

They can listen to their iPods, instant message online, watch television and reply to a text message all at the same time. They share files, blog and spend hours online a day.

The above portrayal may sound like a description of a robot, but it is actually the routine of the typical member of the Millennial generation. These individuals born between 1982 and 1995 are the quintessential ‘multitaskers’ and are one of the most studied generations in recent times due to their large population and buying power.

According to two recent CBS News 60 Minutes reports, “The Echo Boomers” and “Here Come The Millennials,” this generation is of great interest not only because of their large size and spending power, but also because of their belief systems and attitudes. Also called “Echo Boomers,” this generation differs greatly in their goals and priorities from the group they echo -- their parents, the Baby Boomers.


Christina Gloria says her generation is very impatient,
but is also innovative.

While Baby Boomers were taught the only way to excel was to work extremely hard, the Millennials have been constantly praised and awarded simply for effort. “You now have a generation coming into the workplace that has grown up with the expectation that they will automatically win, and they'll always be rewarded, even for just showing up," said Mary Crane in the 60 Minutes report “Here Come The Millennials.”

The report presented members of the older generations’ concerns about the Millennials entering the workplace and their abilities to handle not only responsibilities, but also criticism. If the Millennials have been told they will always succeed, how can they handle the real world of disappointments, deadlines and critique, the report asks.

Jennifer Wright, the mother of a 16 year-old Millennial believes her and her husband’s parenting may affect her son’s career in the future.

“We have always told Connor it was OK if he didn’t get an A in a class, as long as he was trying his hardest,” Wright said. “We definitely praised him more for his efforts growing up, and even do up to this day. But in the real world, your boss isn’t going to praise you simply for participation if you aren’t working up their standards.”

The Millennials beg to differ, and even Connor had a few words to say against his mother’s concerns. “I do think we have definitely been babied too much and told too often that we did a good job when we didn’t, or won a game when we really lost,” he says. “But, we are really great at teamwork and supporting each other, and getting what we want when we want it.”

Connor’s sentiments reflect another angle of the 60 Minutes specials: the Millennials are more interested in teamwork than in the individual, and strive to do all that is required of them. CBS research showed some results: violent crime is down 60 to 70 percent among teenagers, five out of 10 Millennials trust the government, and tobacco and alcohol use are at an all-time low.

Christine Gloria, a sophomore at North Carolina State University believes her generation will accomplish great things because of their unique attitudes. “I think our parents’ generation had more of an attitude like, ‘I want to do well and I’ll take down anyone that stands in my way’,” Gloria says. “With our generation, it’s like, ‘I want to be the best, and I want all my friends to do amazing things too so we can celebrate together.’”

This generation that longs to support each other in achieving major goals, also wants to achieve them quickly. The Millennials are used to receiving whatever they want at the exact moment they want it. Unlike their parents, the Millennials do not read through endless books for research. They search the Internet and have thousands of hits on their topic in the fraction of a second. They hear a song on the radio and can download it right away.

The Millennials are accustomed to instant gratification, an attitude that will likely benefit them in the workplace.

“I think we are really impatient as a generation. I get so frustrated if my Internet connection is even a little slow,” Gloria says. “So I am confident that as a generation we will get things done quickly, but also in innovative ways.”

Millennials

Millennials On The Market
By Alexandra Gardell

Millennials could possibly be the first generation to be less financially well-off than their parents. This is a fear and a reality this generation, particularly those getting ready to graduate college, are facing and trying to find ways to deal with.

New York Times columnist Bob Herbert cites reports in a column titled “Here Come the Millennials,” describing the hardships facing this generation, who range in age from early teens to their early 20s, that include worsening job prospects, lower rates of health insurance coverage and higher levels of debt.

Elis Estrada-Simpson, 21, a model student and job applicant, aspires to become a broadcast journalist. She’s near the top of her senior class at Marymount Manhattan College, and is graduating this spring with a major in Communication Arts. She can rattle off a list of internships that she has completed: ABC’s The View and One Life to Live, VH1 Productions for MTV, Resource Magazine, and NBC Nightly News.


Elis Estrada-Simpson is taking the social networking skills she picked up in college and
applying them to her job search through sites designed to help students find placement
in today's shaky market.

Estrada-Simpson plans to attend the CUNY School of Journalism in 2011 to pursue her Master’s degree in Journalism. “Undergrads usually don’t go into grad school for journalism because they already have the training, but my school did not provide that curriculum, so I want to prepare myself for grad school,” she said. In the meantime, she’s looking to gain any experience or paying jobs that she can in the field.

Lindsey Pollak, author of “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World” says students in the job search process under today’s economic conditions must “take action every single day.”

Millennials like Estrada-Simpson looking to land jobs now need to do more than the basics of finding listings online and firing off resumes. “In addition to the basics you need to show that you’re hardworking and eager. It’s what you do surrounding the bare minimum,” Pollak says in her book. That extra effort is what’s going to make the difference during these challenging times.
Below, Pollak offers an insight on how Millennials can brand themselves to compete and ultimately succeed in today’s trying job market.

Tips Tailored For Millennials
Everyone has heard horror stories of Millennials’ infamous helicopter parents, or parents who are always present, and sometimes become too involved in their child’s affairs. When it comes to the job hunt process, it’s easy for young people to want their hovering parents to back off. But Pollak suggests using their help and resources.

“The trick is to keep them in the background,” says Pollak. “Ask your parents to edit your resumes and cover letters and to practice mock interviews with you, but make them invisible to employers.”

A lot of people aren’t comfortable asking their parents for help, but if your mom or dad can introduce you to people who may be able to help you, then Pollak says to take their help. “Nobody can get you a job, but they can get you an opportunity. Let them make a phone call or send an email to make an introduction and then you can run with it. There’s no shame in that.”

Something that Pollak cannot stress enough is the importance of networking. She says to use the relationships you have with your parents, friends, your parent’s friends, professors, college alumni, college career centers, internships you’ve done. Have business cards printed with your contact information on them and carry them at all times because you never know when you will meet someone who can help.

“When you meet a recruiter at a job fair give them your card and have a conversation about a recent article you read to make yourself memorable. Send them an email that night with a well-written, targeted cover letter” says Pollak. Once you’ve made a connection, you need to follow up. “If someone at a networking event says they can help you, send them an email right away saying, ‘Thank you! Here is my resume.’”

Pollak reiterates that in this competitive environment you need to be extremely proactive, and you need to be doing more than what was acceptable in the past.

“Use all of your college skills of being on Facebook 24 hours a day and apply them in a professional environment,” Pollak says. She adds that LinkedIn is more comfortable and targeted than Monster.com or Recruiter.com. Pollak warns that sitting behind a computer is not going to get you a job, however, and reminds students of the importance of going the extra mile.


"Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do
Before You Join the Real World" offers practical job
search advice.

Another must-do is to immerse yourself in your desired field to keep current on happenings and learn the vocabulary. Sign up for the email list for trade publications in your industry, and do your homework on companies you would like to work for. For example, Pollak blogs on http://www.pwc.tv/, the Big Four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCooper’s site developed to give career help to college graduates. So, if your dream company offers resources like this, make sure you take advantage of them.

And don‘t forget to clean up your Internet profiles. Potential employers, colleagues, and everyone else have the ability to search you online, so make sure that you present yourself in a way that you wish to be viewed. You don’t want those Saturday night frat party pictures to come back and haunt you while you’re looking to land your first job out of college.

Using Those Skills
Estrada-Simpson says she had a full-time job offer as a production assistant come from one of her internships, but she could not accept because she was still in school. “The timing wasn’t right,” she said. Now she’s registered for job search social networking sites like LinkedIn, MassMedia.com, and MonsterTrack hoping to connect to those who can assist her in jumpstarting her career. “I haven’t sent out emails and resumes to the people I’ve met through my internships, but I’m starting that soon, letting them know I’m graduating,” she says.

Estrada-Simpson is optimistic and driven, but knows she will have to persist and work hard to make her goal a reality. “The job market is more difficult right now, but in the industry I want to get into even in good markets it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. I’ve seen several well-qualified people not do well and it all boils down to timing, luck, and who you know. I’m hoping that my timing and the connections I’ve made will work out.”


New Grads: Use Your Assets
Although it can be intimidating to compete in the job market with seasoned professionals who may have been recently laid off or are returning to the job force, students do have some advantages. Pollak says that those advantages fresh-faced grads have include enthusiasm and the fact that they’re not jaded.

Pollak says students on the prowl for jobs need to be “smarter, faster, better.” She says that they need to use all of their assets including their relationships with family and friends, their school professors and career centers, professionals they have met through internships and networking opportunities, as well as their energy and eagerness to work. They’ve got to show potential employers that they are hungry to start their careers with their follow-up and networking.

Millennials

Millennials Inhabit A Different World
They have not had to confront the sins of the past
By Thomas Ford

As a generation that was born into, and has actively grown up in a largely desegregated US society, it’s probably not too far off the radar to expect a growing support for multiculturalism. Members of this generation, sometimes called Millennials and Generation Y, are said to have a growing subconscious appreciation for diversity and equality.

According to the report, “Adults of Generation Y in the US: Hitting the Demographic, Lifestyle and Marketing Mark,” by MarketReserarch.com, they are the most ethnically diverse generation in US history. So, it would only seem natural for the newcomers permeating the various ethnic communities in society to grow more accepting of one another.

Maybe.

Maybe these new attitudes should be attributed to the Millennials’ upbringing and not directly to the fact that they were born into a different type of society than previous generations.


Charlene Thomas, third from the left in the back row, with a diverse group of her friends.

One thing is for sure: these people have been born at a critical time in US history; a time when things are certainly changing. Because they are the future leaders of this country, it’s absolutely necessary that we, as a nation, take a look at how and why they are changing as human beings.

Charlene Thomas, a 20 year-old student at North Carolina State University, attributes her more accepting and culturally appreciative perspective of others to both society and the way she was raised. “I feel like I was so immersed in a diverse (school) community that I barely even realized that I was," says Thomas. “It was such a big part of my life that it had to be important.”

Thomas says when she meets someone, she sees more of the person and less of the color, but recognizes that not just the school community has contributed to her open-mindedness. “My family didn’t really teach me tolerance but practiced it so much that I never even really knew there were different types of people until at least elementary school,” she says.

Throughout her education, including middle school, and high school, Thomas lived in Maryland, a state with strong pockets of liberalism. But for college, Thomas moved to North Carolina, which is more conservative. However, Thomas found that in her transition, her peers’ outlooks were not much different than her own.

“The culture is different in North Carolina, but the people aren't, really. I get treated differently, but it isn’t because of my race or background; it's just how people treat each other down here.” She jokes, “God forbid if a boy opens the door and walks inside before (a girl!)”

It would seem that this shift in attitude and perspective is more generational than circumstantial. It’s possible that the way the Baby Boomers, the previous generation, raised the Millennials is a result of societal desegregation efforts and the change has become widespread.

In fact, many Baby Boomers have noticed a change in both their children and in themselves. Gerald Ford, 57, is a director at TSA Homeland Security with three children, ages 37, 25, and 19.

Says Ford, “(the Millennials) have grown up with little realization of racism as those in the past have. For example, they are very accustomed to interracial marriages. They did not go to schools that were consciously integrated. They were integrated because their neighborhoods were already integrated.”

Ford also believes that the current administration would not be possible without the Millennials growing up in the existing environment. “President Barack Obama is the product of an interracial marriage, but no one even notices,” Ford says. “He is president, in my opinion, because we, and in particular white America, to a great degree, have moved beyond (issues of racism).”

Of course, the Baby Boomers were a major part of this election, too. President Obama wasn’t just elected by the Millennials; the older generations had a part in it, as well. So, were they, at any time, really that different than the Millennials? Are their worlds really that different from one another?

Ford, who grew up in the 1950s and 60s, argues that the differences are vast. “If you grew up when I did, you constantly, yet unconsciously measure many things done by white Americans as to whether it is racially motivated. (Younger generations) likely do not think about that at all,” he says. “Same, I think, holds true for sexual considerations. There is much less despising towards same-sex relationships.”

If what Ford says is true, and there really are such vast differences between the two generations, then the older generations aren’t the ones leading the change; the Millennials are. They are helping to teach their parents to be more accepting, and to embrace all cultures and ethnic backgrounds. This may be because, according to Ford, “…the Millennials have not had to confront the sins of the past to a great degree.”

Says Ford, “Bottom line: it's a different world for the Millennials.”

Millennials

Technological Trauma: Generation Y In the Workforce
By Heather Bates

There was once a time when people listened to music on compact disc players, used land lines to make phone calls, and dressed in professional attire to go to work. Those days are over. We are in a day and age where technology is growing every day, and there is no doubt that millions of people depend on it to get a job done.

The workforce is changing rapidly, and while Apple releases another version of iPod, businesses are becoming flexible on the types of attitudes they condone in the office. Who is responsible for these changes? None other than the “Millennials,” or Generation Y who are forcing changes in the corporate workplace.

In the past few years, CBS News 60 Minutes aired two reports centered on this generation. In 2005, the program aired “The Echo Boomers,” which was followed in 2007 by “The ‘Millennials’ Are Coming.” Both programs focused primarily on the incredibly large group of individuals that will take over where their Baby Boomer parents and Generation X left off. Businesses are being forced to adapt to the changes that these tech-friendly people are creating.


Jeremy Morris believes Millennials will need to work harder to prove themselves
in the workplace.

Some people blame Millennials’ outlook on parents who raised these demanding youths, certain that as children, constant coddling and reassurance caused them to become too spoiled and too demanding about what they are looking for in a work environment.

In “The ‘Millennials’ Are Coming,” J. Walter Thompson ad executive, Marian Saltzman said, "These young people will tell you what time their yoga class is and the day's work will be organized around the fact that they have this commitment. So you actually envy them. How wonderful it is to be young and have your priorities so clear. Flipside of it is how awful it is to be managing the extension, sort of, of the teenage babysitting pool.”

How do these young people in question view the workforce that is evolving to meet their ever-changing needs? Jeremy Morris is a sophomore business major at The University of Akron and has a lot of ideas about the world that he will enter after he graduates.

"With all of the new business graduates coming out into the job market, it is going to be a different environment in the future,” says Morris. “We're coming into an unsteady economy, and our mindset is that the market is completely different than what it was for the generations before us. Because of the situation that they put us in with bad economic decisions, we will be expected to work harder to create more progress and to turn the economic situation around," Morris says.


Melissa Rosenthal says Millennials will be expected to be technologically experienced
when they enter the workforce.

With the economy in its current messy state, many college graduates are desperate to find a job that pays the rent and guarantees them the experience they need to move up in their selected fields. Marymount Manhattan College senior Melissa Rosenthal is worried about where she will work when she graduates in the fall.

"I think that many companies have much higher expectations of graduates now than they did before,” Rosenthal says. “Even without any prior experience, they are expected to know a lot more when entering the workforce. Technology has a huge influence on that because we have grown up with it always readily available to us whenever we need it."

In "The Echo Boomers" report, the generation is said to be "totally plugged in citizens of a worldwide community." Is technology to blame for the outlook that Generation Y has on the business world today?

Morris says, "Our technology changes every single day. We're at a disadvantage because the technology that we're using now in our schools and our personal lives will be outdated by the time that we graduate. It's impossible to keep up."

It seems that some "Millennials" are worried about the changes that they are inadvertently causing. "My biggest worry now with our generation is that the next one coming up will outdate us even faster," Morris says. "I do have a lot of faith in our generation, though. We may have somewhat of a bad reputation, but we have to work much harder to prove ourselves. And we will."

Millennials

Millennials Grew Up With The World At Their Fingertips
By Raquel A. Castillo

It's 1993 and you’re kicking back after school while eating your Lunchable and drinking Capri Sun left over from snack time. You plop down in front of the TV after surfing past little Michelle from Full House saying "You got it, dude" to uncle Jesse then on to the next channel where you stop to rap the entire opening theme song from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire.

Suddenly, you know you can't go wrong with the Nickelodeon channel because there is a loud buzzing sound blaring from the TV. But you saw this coming all along. You know the buzzing only means one thing -- that kid "is toast." Anxiously anticipating his fate you slurp the last drop of juice from the silver Capri Sun pouch and then it happens, the moment you have been waiting for. That "total loser" gets splattered in slime! "Boo-ya!" Everyone got "slimed" on Nickelodeon.

If you can't relate to the story above then you are most likely not a parent of, or a member of the coolest and most popular generation to hit planet earth, the Millennials, also known as the Echo Boomers. According to the CBS News 60 Minutes report, “The Echo Boomers” there are about 80 million people in the generation born between 1982 and 1995.


Jeff Aldna (left) and Chetra Nhem. Aldna says his values differ from the "traditional
spoiled American kids."

Jeff Aldana, a 22 year-old Echo Boomer says that his favorite things about our generation are fruit-roll ups snacks and the Internet. "The Internet has impacted our generation big time and has provided us with originality,” Aldana says. “We literally grew up with the world at our fingertips" When asked, what he would like to change about our generation, Aldana said, "I wouldn't change a thing." He stopped to think about it again, and added, "well except for our current recession, I would definitely change that!"

Aldana’s confidence and pride in his generation is admirable, yet eerily consistent with the studies that have been conducted on the “oh so hot topic” of the Millennials. The 60 Minutes report said that, "they were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners."

Although Aldana says that statement could not be further from the truth in his case. Aldana says that being the first generation of his family to grow up in the US has affected his "Millennialism" a bit. Good grades needed to be the best grades, and a better life for their family was the eye on the prize while maintaining strict cultural values which Aldana says differ from those of "traditional spoiled American kids."

The 60 Minutes report boasts tons of valuable information that proves that the Millennials claim to fame is going to be more than just 15 minutes. The documentary states that although, "only a small percentage are eligible to vote, they are already one of the most studied generations in history by sociologists, demographers and marketing consultants."

Why the scientific interest? Sociologists are interested in Echo Boomer’s numbers because they make up nearly one-third of the US population. Marketing consultants are very interested in learning about Millennial lifestyles because they spend $170 billion a year of their own and their parents' money.

Along with Aldana's echoing voice booming with praise for the Internet’s impact on creating a savvier, well-rounded generation, the impact of instant gratification could be one reason for the perception that Millennials have had it a little too easy.

We will be the first generation to not have to wait for our 25th high school reunions to catch up and see how old friends and foes ended up. Within a couple of minutes on Facebook.com, one can pretty much find their entire first grade class if they really wanted to.

Joanne Morton, an entrepreneur and artist living in New York City, and a member of Generation X, says, "10 years ago, the only face books we had were books about faces."

Now that the era of the year books are gone, even non-Echo Boomer generations are benefiting from the new social networks.

Are there just as many disadvantages to instantaneous information and instant gratification that we receive as there are perks? According to Aldana who just logged into his Facebook account from his Blackberry and became the 337th member of a group called "The Fruit Roll-ups Fan Club," the answer is no.

"Life just doesn't get better than that."

Millennials

Your Fear Of Millennials Is Not Our Fault
By Gabriella Calabro

While many people in today’s society worry over terrorist attacks, illegal immigration, and the downward spiral of the economy, CEOs and managers have something much more serious to focus on — Millennials.

The generation of people under 30 is graduating college and entering the workforce, and although their main worry is how to find a job in today’s market, their future bosses have other fears.

This generation born between 1982 and 1995 causes so much concern that CBS News 60 Minutes did a report in 2007 titled “The Millennials Are Coming,” that warned people how this generation would affect the workplace. As the Millennials get older and more of them are graduating college, the fear of how managers should handle them also grows’ according to the report.

Dozens of books and articles have been published that advise older generations how to work with Millennials. Although the 60 Minutes report tries to portray this generation in a negative light, they don’t do a very good job. They warn future employers that, “They multitask, talk, walk, listen and type, and text.” How horrible that must be.

The website for Generations at Work lists the characteristics of Millennials as, “Confident, hopeful, goal- and achievement-oriented, civic-minded, and inclusive.” As a part of this generation, it may be more difficult for me to understand, but do the Baby Boomer and Gen X CEOs and bosses want unconfident, unmotivated, lazy employees? That’s what it seems like if these are the traits they are complaining about.

Wallace Fischer, director of operations for The Boston Group of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, , who has two children and an assistant who are part of the Millennial generation also does not understand the worry. “The limited exposure I have had is positive,” Fischer said. “I sense that this generation has a work ethic that has been missing in previous generations.”

Although he is exactly the audience that the 60 Minutes report tried to target, the message of fear seems to have missed him.

The “anti-Millennials movement” seems to lack clarity and structure. We are being penalized for being a generation in which trophies and rewards were given just for participation, and for being a generation who often never heard “no.”

Interestingly, it is not the Millennials’ fault. The children of the generation should not be getting blamed for something that they had no control over. The parents, teachers, coaches, and leaders of the Millennials, all of whom are part of either the Baby Boomers or Generation X, are the ones who encouraged the behavior, and are now the ones who are criticizing the effects of it.

So are they really blaming themselves? Are only people of the Baby Boom generation without kids, or without kids in this generation, writing these articles? This certainly is not clear when reading the articles.

While some people are enraged about what is being said, others seem to understand. “I think people have always been kind of scared of us,” says Lindsay Dowling a 19 year-old college student. “I remember being in middle school and teachers would be intimidated by us. We have an upper hand on technology, and ultimately there’s more of us than there are them, and it makes sense that they’re scared, but that’s not our fault.”

It is natural for the previous generation to be nervous that all their hard work will be disregarded and replaced, but the way they are handling it makes them look childish. They are projecting their fears onto the newer generation and making the younger people look as though they need to be tamed and have no idea what they are doing, when in reality the older generation just does not know how to handle themselves.

Fischer does not show any fear about the new generation. “I’m not nervous, every generation has to learn to lead, and there will always be capable leaders, it’s just finding out who they are,” he said.

It’s comforting to know that some Baby Boomer business people are confident in the Millennials.

Millennials

Echo Boomers Versus Baby Boomers
By Katy Berninger

You're watching TV, browsing the Internet, and texting your friends at the same time. If this sounds familiar to you then you are most likely an Echo Boomer. According to CBS News 60 Minutes report, “Echo Boomers” there were of 80 million people born between 1982 and 1995. They are called Echo Boomers because they are the offspring of that other famous generation, the Baby Boomers.

Echo Boomers have grown up in a digital age where they are surrounded by technology, and multitasking is their way of life. However, they fascinate many researchers not for the unique way in which they have grown up, but because they are the biggest consumers, influencing product development and the way in which companies advertise. And because they are a new breed of workers who are entering the workforce.

The power that Echo Boomers have is changing the way in which corporations are thinking about demographics. A 2008 article from Fortune Magazine discussed this new phenomenon when the auto industry began to decline. The car companies’ ray of hope has come in the form of this new technologically savvy generation. Companies like Toyota and General Motors are focusing on Echo Boomers with sleeker, cooler designs in the hopes that they will purchase their vehicles and save the auto industry from it's slump.

While Echo Boomers are being seen as a highly influential group of people, there are some who look down on the young generation who, some say, have different priorities than their older counterparts. People like Marian Salzman, who was featured in one of the 60 Minutes reports, have noticed that some Echo Boomers walk into offices believing that they deserve to be the best without putting in any effort. Salzman says she notices an attitude from her younger employees where they think that anyone over the age of 30 is, “old, redundant, and should be retired.”

While Salzman does mention that there are plenty of Echo Boomers who are hardworking and willing to pay their dues, it's important to take a look at why some employers might see their younger employees as careless.

When asked whether she thought Echo Boomers were lazy or just misunderstood, Ana Caruso, 22, says, “I think we're misunderstood. By no means are we lazy. I think what older generations don't realize is just because we don't think or work like they do doesn't mean they we don't have goals or ambitions.”

Caruso touches on an important difference between a younger generation who is used to getting what they want quickly, and an older generation who had to work harder for their information. Just because Echo Boomers can gather data swiftly does not mean they aren't taking their jobs seriously.

In response to the negative comments made in the 60 Minutes report on Echo Boomers, Bobby Harold, 19 says, “When I think about it, I see why older people would find it hard to understand us.” When asked why he believes that, Harold says, “because, they grew up going to the library and spending hours trying to find one piece of information while I Google something and I immediately have pages and pages of resources in less than a minute.”

Harold is right, and one has to realize this difference before immediately criticizing, whether you're an Echo Boomer or a Baby Boomer. Caruso says, “maybe what needs to happen is the Echo Boomers should walk a day in the older generation's shoes, and vice versa. Maybe a respect would develop from that.”

Sixty Minutes is quick to point out the differences between the two generations, but what we need to do is see the similarities. Echo and Baby Boomers may work differently, and think differently but everyone wants to be successful and happy. If the Echo Boomers and the older generations can come together, then maybe there can be less of a misunderstanding and a thriving workforce can develop from their unique experiences.

Millennials

Guilty, But So What?
By Sydney Zarp

Getting dressed every morning for work I base what I wear on how I feel that day. Sometimes when I’m tired I wear plain blue jeans with tennis shoes, while other times I may feel energized and wear a flowery spring dress. Whatever the decision, it is not based on what I think the boss or the company expects me to wear.

Some people may think I have an attitude problem, or maybe I am revolting against society by my making my own dress code. These two conclusions would seem like reasonable explanations, but after much discussion and research it turns out that I am a victim of my generation.


Bridgett Ryan, 20, believes Generation Y should
rewrite the corporate dress code.

This process of only thinking about my personal feelings when getting dressed is a defined characteristic of the self-absorbed ‘Echo Boomer’ who are also known as Generation Y. Defined as people born between 1982 to 1995, we have become a highly visible generation, according to researchers interviewed for the CBS 60 Minutes report, “The Millennials Are Coming.” With more than 80 million of us populating the land, we have given older generations something to think about.

Jeans with flip-flops, iPod headphones in our ears and the cell phone within reach is how most of us twenty somethings grew up. Being a part of this well-studied generation, I find I am worn out by the overload of information from other people telling me how “we” act. Researchers and psychologists are picking apart and analyzing every detail of our soon-to-be meaningful lives in the business world.

Well, I am tired of everyone telling me how I should act in the workplace, or how I lack face-to-face communication skills, because I was raised with e-mail and text messages. So my question is, what is the point of all these researchers warning everyone about the supposed dysfunction of our generation. Can’t they just sit back and enjoy the Gen Y?

Change is going to happen no matter what information they find, even if it is about our unconventional childhood. Every generation has brought uneasy change to the stubborn elders. Yes, we may be the biggest generation yet, but that doesn’t mean we are the most controversial to hit the workforce.

Being shuttled around from one activity to another planned activity is how the majority of Generation Y’s grew up. Our stay at home moms focused all their attention on raising confident and self-assuring children. Every child felt as if they were special, getting awards and ribbons for simply participating, without actually trying to excel. But, we realized quickly that if we put a little effort into things we got big rewards. Our elementary classes were small, with teachers focused on our happiness and offering individual attention. We are the kids of Baby Boomers, and our relationships with our parents couldn’t be better.

Looking over the supposed facts Generation Y, I still wonder what the older generation thinks of us. When talking Barbara Colby, 83, who is a parent of three Baby Boomers, the somewhat negative tone in her voice clearly shows her feelings about the younger generation.

“The population in general was smaller back then, making it all around less competitive,” says Ms. Colby. “The kids today have a different work ethic, they didn’t see anyone working for the luxuries, they just got them.”

Ms. Colby also believes that it is insane that households have more then one TV and computer. She feels that the drive for materialistic things is to blame for our demanding attitudes. Even so, she still offered some lighter moments.

“Although what do I know, maybe the kids now will have happier lives always full of constant entertainment.”

Ms. Colby’s insights are very different than those of Bridget Ryan, 20, who is an avid blog reader and has her own blogspot.

“I always work hard and am enthusiastic about going to my internship,” says Ryan. “A lot of the other interns are so eager to please, and I see myself following suit.”

Ryan believes that technology is a blessing in disguise. She says she is constantly checking her work e-mails, even after hours. “I love being in constant contact, but sometimes I wish I could turn it off.”

Her fondest hope for Generation Y, she says, is that they will rewrite the corporate dress code. Her blogspot is all about fashion and shoes, and she feels what better time than now for change.

Generation Y may be the most researched generation yet. But without reading the reports we know that the competition is higher and the toughest it has been in years, and a college education is standard, including graduate school. With our non-traditional dress code changes, and the variety of ways we communicate, I’m proud to be part of biggest and most driven generation yet, regardless whether researchers have anything positive to say about us.

My only fear is what they will say about Generation Y’s children in the coming years.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Great Expectations Of The Millennial Generation
By Elis Estrada

The struggles of our generation have been reduced to 15-minute segments of news magazine investigations. If we are one of the most studied and intriguing generations, why are we being criticized more than praised for our achievements?

CBS’s 60 Minutes segments titled The Echo Boomers and The “Millennials” Are Coming concerning our generation, also broadly generalized as “Generation Y,” “Echo Boomers,” and “Millennials,” correctly recognize trends that characterize people born roughly between 1980 and 1995, but fail to achieve a diverse synthesis on the effects of such trends.

Is it our fault that a sweeping development of technological innovation during our time changed entirely the process by which society communicates and thrives? Absolutely not. We had to adapt to the evolution of television, cellular phones and computer technology that multinational corporations imposed upon us. As 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft deduces in "The Echo Boomers" in 2005, “They are multi-taskers with cell phones, music downloads, and Instant Messaging on the Internet. They are totally plugged-in citizens of a worldwide community.”

Both 60 Minutes reports accurately portrayed the damaging affects of mindless consumerism. In "The Echo Boomers" Steve Kroft mockingly questions, “What brands do they love? Sony, Patagonia, Gap, Gillette, Aveda…”

Emil Rivera, 21, a graphic design intern at Resource Magazine (a photo production publication catering to industry professionals) and recent immigrant from the Dominican Republic, explains the difference between the culture of advertising in America compared to his homeland: “If I wanted, I could ignore all advertisements back home because there are significantly less, but here, it’s everywhere!”

According to Kroft, Echo Boomers have their own stores, multimedia presentations to lure them into those stores, and their own television network, the CW. Brand conscious teens place emphasis on the materialistic aspects of their lives, blurring the line between what is important, and what is essentially worthless.

In “The Millennials Are Coming,” an unsuccessful and mocking evaluation of our effectiveness in the work place, correspondent Morley Safer asked Generation Y expert Mary Crane about the impression of the Millennials in America’s workforce: “They have climbed Mount Everest. They’ve been down to Machu Picchu to help excavate it. But they’ve never punched a time clock.”

This broad and generalized assumption, failing to recognize the diversity of our generation, angers even some self-critical Echo Boomers.

Sarah Roth, 25, an assistant editor at Resource Magazine explains, “I know of a lot of people in college who never had a job in school and they had the hardest time finding one after graduating.” Yet, she says, “We are an individualistic society and we want to lead the best life ever. The ability to learn (about) different cultures is so important and something our generation has and other generations never did.”


Sara Roth believes Generation Y has a unique ability to learn about other
cultures.

We are in fact far more diverse and understanding of society. Steve Kroft states, “…thirty-five percent are non-white, and the most tolerant, believing everyone should be part of the community”.

Julie Nguyen, 19, a college sophomore and biology major at Marymount Manhattan College, says, “I’m in college and my mom still doesn’t want me to work. She would rather I concentrate fully on school instead of worrying about money. She believes that education is the best investment of my time.”

Re-examination of education and subsequent entry into the workforce changed the organization of corporate America, allowing motivated individuals to provide innovation and creativity in a 21st Century working environment. Generation Y has a voice and more options to express themselves than previous generations. Safer, the correspondent for “The Millennials Are Coming” segment interviewed Ryan Healy, founder of Brazen Careerist, an online community and career center for Generation Y.

An advisor to young people on how to deal with conventional work practices, Healy created a list of reasons as to why our generation is changing the workplace for the better, including finding real mentors to help with career development and holding only productive meetings.

Stefan Estrada, 26, a web designer for National Geographic’s online magazine says, “Before the company’s website merged with the magazine we were a small group of young people meeting only when we needed to. Now, we have meetings for no reason, and it’s a waste of time.”

We have been so heavily studied and interrogated for a reason—because we have the potential to make an incredible difference, just like our Baby Boomer parents.

The recent economic upheaval in the country’s financial sector, created by traditional corporate thinkers, has left our generation with looming and potentially harmful problems. Only with our generation’s ingenuity and innovation can we reinvent the aged concept of time clocks and business attire to begin a long era of progress and growth.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Generation Next
By Alex Catarinella

Imagine a world without the iPhone, a world without online networking sites such as Facebook, and a world without Internet blogs. If this doesn't terrify you, then you're most likely not an Echo Boomer.

Echo Boomers, also known as Generation Y or Millennials, born between 1980 and 1995, are mostly the offspring of Baby Boomer parents. And while some cannot yet vote, they are the most watched over generation in history.

According to the 60 Minutes report from 2005, "The Echo Boomers," this generation is the most sophisticated generation because of media, spends nearly $170 billion a year on their and their parent's credit cards, their parents are their best friends, and they were born in a time when people were studying kids and celebrating them. Essentially, they are "trophy children" and their "parents feel like they're holding a piece of Baccarat crystals."

As a result, parents fight for their children and praise them. This generation is the "now" generation and believes in instant gratification. Unlike their "egocentric Baby Boomer families," Echo Boomers are liberal, team workers, believe in diversity and won't settle like their parents did: They want their dream to come true, and won't take "no" for an answer.

On the other hand, 60 Minutes said in its report that aired two years later in 2007, "The Millennials," that Echo Boomers, while they are intelligent and tech savvy, want it "their way or the high way." In addition, Echo Boomers are unable to take criticism and co-workers must "talk to them like you're their therapist." They've "climbed Mount Everest but never punched a time clock" and priorities such as yoga class and vacation come before work. "The Millennials" blames parents for being too involved in their children's life as well as Mr. Rogers for calling everybody special without a reason.


London-based "Roxy Hartless" (her blogger alias), 22, writes for Ruby Pseudo, a blog that showcases Echo Boomers from around the world. It initially started for clients who wanted the perspective of young clever minds concerning "brands, trends, culture, new and interesting music, art and fashion, and loads of other stuff." She discusses her views of the Echo Boomers (a term in which she wasn't familiar, although she is classified as one) as being "massively important". She explains: "They're the savviest generation yet and one of the reasons they're so important as consumers is that so many brands just cannot get it right when they attempt to market to them."

Hartless says their tech savvy abilities "can get them 'round pretty much anything." She adds: "They find ways to not have to pay for things by knowing the right people and if they have to pay for something they'll find the quickest and easiest way to earn the money."


Still, as the first generation to grow up with computers, Hartless insists that this comes with the good and the bad. She says: "In some ways, their creativity and the way they live their lives has been made easier and more exciting. It's easier for anyone of that kind of age to do their own thing, make their own music, sell their own t-shirts online, and be a writer (on a blog)."

But on the other hand, according to Hartless, this computer-friendly, always-connected generation may be missing out on aspects of daily life such as "calling and seeing someone instead of writing on their Facebook wall, literally putting pen to paper, reading a book instead of an article online, taking photos and putting them on your bedroom wall not on your Facebook page."

Hartless believes there's a lack of privacy as a result of the digital world in which echo boomers live, and perhaps more importantly, in turn makes their lives "less exclusive."

The 60 Minutes "Millennials" report suggest that Echo Boomers have easy lives. Hartless agrees that there are perks of being an Echo Boomer. "I think Echo Boomers, especially young entrepreneurs and creative types, have the ability to have pretty lucky lives. I know so many people who get in everywhere for free, get free clothes, go partying and just live off social fame within sub-cultures. Some even get paid to go to the parties."

But, Hartless adds, despite this vacation-type description of the lives of Echo Boomers, they still work hard. "There's other people in the Echo Boomer bracket who work their arses off," Hartless quips. "Because of the availability to be what you want to be in the digital age, people have to fight to be the best at it. There are more opportunities to make something of yourself and therefore more competition when you finally make it."

Although this generation is the most studied generation to date, wishing to achieve the American Dream is not a new idea. So why is so much attention being focused on this generation as they follow their dreams? Hartless explains: "As corny as this sounds, they are the future generation. They're going to be running the world next."

Ruby Pseudo: http://rubypseudochatchat.blogspot.com/

Millennials In The New Millennium

The Millennial Express: Get On Board Or Get Out Of The Way
By Eric Meron

“Millennials,” “Echo Boomers,” and “Generation Y” are just a few of the names used to describe the group of young adults born between 1980 and 1995. There are nearly 80 million of them according to the 2005 CBS 60 Minutes report “The Echo Boomers.” These young individuals will pave the path of the future whether we like it or not.

This next generation will revolutionize how we in America do business. Another CBS 60Minutes report, “The Millennials Are Coming,” said that corporate America is “unnerved” by the Echo Boomers’ lack of business etiquette. Well, the Millennial train is coming and corporate America needs to get on or get out of the way.

Companies like the online shoe retailer Zappos.com have found unique ways to help with the influx of new “Millennial” employees. They often have crazy parades around the office, and have happy hours and a nap room. This seems like it would promote a lackadaisical attitude, but their employees are having fun at work and getting the job done. From 2000 to 2007, Zappos’ sales increased to a peak of $840 million dollars according to businessweek.com. CEO Tony Hsieh said the company has a goal of breaking the $1 billion in 2008.

So where does this upcoming generation want to work? Schedule flexibility and other employees of the same age are a must when looking for employment.

Jennifer Ortega, 23, of Queens says, “I think flexibility is the most important to me. I have a daughter and need to pick her up from school or leave for emergencies. I do not want to have to be penalized at my job because I am trying to care of my family. If they do for me then I will do for them.”

The Millennials want to have friends at work, and be able to schedule other activities before or after work because they want the ability to come in late or leave early. Jay Whelan, 22, of Queens says, “I would love to work at a place that would allow me to go to the gym in the morning and come in later. I mean, I wouldn’t like abuse it, but the option would be cool.”

Do not think they miss the big picture. Millennials understand if they miss some time at the office that they are expected to still complete their tasks on time. They are actually more concerned about completing the task at hand than being in the office for a specific amount of time. They feel tasks should have a starting point and an ending point giving them the flexibility they so desire. If they finish the tasks early they want to be able to leave and go to a yoga class.

On site activities are also a big incentive. Specialty rooms are huge motivators for Millennials. The nap rooms at Zappos or the pool table in the employee lobby at Google are huge benefits. The younger employee sees these as places to relieve their daily stress and helps them to cope better with the office life they all seem to dislike so much.

One major point we are missing is that every employee, regardless of age, has to deal with stress at work. If the Millennials have come up with a means to deal with stress why then are the older generations so opposed to it. If someone can make the work environment better for everyone why fight it. Do the Baby Boomers feel that the Millennials have not earned their rights to flexible schedules and nap rooms?

The Millennials are obviously the future on this country and they are not a generation that is going to change. Now is the time to begin to adapt to some of their styles even if older generations do not agree. Ortega says, “One day I might get promoted over someone who was my boss and didn’t like my requests. That person may find it difficult to work for me.”

Look out America, like the Blob, the Millennials will slowly but surely take over everything we know. Embrace the future and get your ticket for the Millennial Express. All Aboard.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Millennials Refuse To Be Trapped In Jobs Like Their Parents
By Megan Biscieglia

All across corporate America, Millenials, the generation born between 1980 and 1995, are shaking things up. In a CBS 60 Minutes report titled ”The Millenials Are Coming,” this generation is painted as a bunch of cry babies who have made the workplace a “psychological battleground” and are referred to as the “teenage babysitting pool.”

It’s true, their work ethic is much different from those before them, but is that a bad thing?

Justin Love, 21, believes it’s a great thing. “We aren’t nurtured; it’s just that times have changed. For us, our personal life comes first and the workplace comes second and I think that’s the way it should be. Your life shouldn’t be your work; your life should be your life!”

Brian Keener, 22, agrees. “I’ve seen what my family has gone through and they’ve suffered. What do they have to show for their hard work and dedication to a company? Not much. I’m not going to do that,” Keener says. “I’m going to worry about my own happiness and fulfillment, and then I’ll worry about my job. I don’t think that’s crazy, I think it’s great that so early in life I’ve decided what’s most important to me. And that’s my family, friends, and myself, not my work.”

Chrissy Contino, 22, says, “I’m not going to work myself to death in my early years. I’m not going to wait until I’m old and retired to enjoy my life.”

In the 60 Minutes report, Marian Salzman, an ad agency executive at J. Walter Thompson, says "You have to speak to them (Millenials) a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient. You can't be harsh. You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."

If a Millennial isn’t happy in the workplace, she/he will simply leave and find a new job. Love says, “If I don’t like my job I’ll quit. There are so many opportunities and options I’ll just move right on down the road where people are treating their employees better. A job shouldn’t stress someone out.”

Health and happiness are the Millennials’ main priorities, and they believe their job should be understanding and fully supportive of that. “Companies should pay for a gym membership. Our bodies are important and we have to take care of them. If someone is getting enough sleep and exercise they’ll perform better,” says Love.

Contino agrees. “If you’re not healthy you can’t work to your best ability.”

The 60 Minutes report refers to Millenials as “narcissist praise hounds” and blames it on Mr. Rogers who told them they were all special no matter what. Contino says, “I think our generation has a very elitist attitude but I think we should be allowed to have it and we deserve to have it. But so does everyone else.”

Keener says, “I don’t understand why the older generations are so scared of us. No, we aren’t narcissists. I think we just get it. We get that you shouldn’t be a slave in the office for 75% of your life. We understand the things that make us happy and the things that don’t.”

Keener believes that enjoying your personal life is surely more fun and more fulfilling than being in the workplace all day. “At the same time though, we’re going to get things done. It’s just that we have to enjoy what we’re doing and work in positive atmospheres. I really see nothing wrong with that.”

Whether you like it or not, the Millenials aren’t going anywhere. In fact, there are more coming to an office near you. There are 80 million of them and as the 60 Minutes report points out, “tell the boomers, the bosses, the 50 to 60 year olds, ‘the people who have to change are you guys, not them.'”

Millennials In The New Millennium

The Special Generation
By Mark Galaritta

Do well in school. Do what you love. Be a friend to everyone. You’re a special kid. Does any of this sound familiar to you? If it does then you’re part of Generation Y, the Echo Boomers or the latest term: The Millennials. A generation of young Americans who were told since the day they were born that they are special, and they took those words to heart.

The Echo Boomers is just one of the many terms used by 60 Minutes in two reports titled: The Echo Boomers in 2005 and The Millennials in 2007. Millennials are the generation born from 1982-1995 who had all grown up with a cell-phone in one pocket an Ipod in the other, and their fingers at the computer typing their essays while chatting with their friends.

The Millennials are a growing breed of smart, overachieving and driven young people who are expected to take care of the growing number of retiring Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964.

In the report, “Echo Boomers,” Dr. Mel Levine, a professor at University of North Carolina and one of the most known pediatricians in the country believes the youth of generation Y take all their influence from their own parents. "Parents feel as if they're holding onto a piece of Baccarat crystal or something that could somehow shatter at any point,” says Levine. “And parents therefore are protecting them, inflating their egos. Massaging them, fighting their battles for them."

So why shouldn’t the echo boomers think they’re not special? They’ve been raised to think that way from their parents since birth by staying focused in school while doing their best in other hobbies as well.

Some students at Marymount Manhattan College, who are part of Generation Y, believe this is true, because they too were raised this way. Josh Hashmi, a 20 year-old sophomore at Marymount Manhattan College says: “I always call my mom for everything,” when asked for his reaction the to the 60 Minutes Echo Boomer report.

Hashmi isn’t alone. It’s common to still find a college student or graduate between the ages of 18-25 still dependent on their parents. Today it’s not rare to find a college graduate living with their parents while they work. This move is considered financially smart, as college graduates try to save on living expenses.

Raising the children of Generation Y in this way has had an affect on the workplace as well. Dr. Levine says he has spoken to CEOs of major corporations and their biggest complaint wasn’t an Echo Boomer’s work ethic, but that many young workers tend not to think long-term.

Dr. Levine believes that Echo Boomers live for the moment and nothing else. He says concludes this style of life is visual motor ecstasy, where anything that doesn’t produce instant satisfaction is boring. Generation Y believes everything they do, whether at work or at life, should be instantly satisfying or at least up to their standards.

It’s not uncommon to see a college graduate switch jobs after a few months or even see a college student switching schools after a year. “I probably will switch out of Marymount Manhattan College,” says 19 year-old Shane Mehigan. “I feel like other school’s have a lot to offer, with my goals in life. People change and I’m not happy here, so I want to do what makes me happy and can get me somewhere in my career.”

Mehigan is just one Echo Boomer constantly on the move to find himself. Surrounded from birth by parents who told them everything they did was okay so long as it made them happy, the Echo Boomers are still trying to find their own happiness.

The report says that a question that should worry historians studying Generation Y is whether this over protected and ‘special’ generation will do more harm than good in the future. Can this over watched, overachieving and overprotected generation live up to protect the people who raise them and make an even stronger country than they were born in?

Leah Hagenstein an 18 year-old Marymount says the future of Generation Y is yet to be determined. “I don’t think that it’s bad. I don’t believe were all alike in that way. We were just raised that way.”

The future is clearly uncertain for Generation Y and they’re just graduating from college or still working on their degrees. Wherever the Echo Boomer ends in the future, it will likely be somewhere they are happy and can do things their own ‘special’ way.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Echo Boomers And Millennials: An Unfair Criticism?
By Jordan Price

As a member of the generation in question, it was rather eye opening and amusing to view both CBS 60 Minutes programs “Echo Boomers” and “Millenials.” We live in a time when success is highly possible and achievement can be granted in many different ways, depending on one’s interests. In the 60 Minutes reports, some experts appear to look down on Generation Y and our “over-ambitious” outlook on life.

Is it really such a crime that our generation strives for the best we can be? Is it really such a problem that we have been told of our self-value since a young age and carry a certain pride in our step?

Kaitlin Prutzman, 19, started laughing when I asked her if she believed our generation could be summed up as “narcissistic praise hounds,” as suggested by the 60Minutes program Echo Boomers. That is definitely not true,” said Prutzman. “I think as a generation we are ambitious, but to categorize us all as narcissistic praise hounds is pretty offensive. I know I’m going to have to work hard to get a great job. Not once has it crossed my mind that I will prance in to some office and demand praise, attention, and a fabulous position right away. It’s absolutely unrealistic.”

Brittany Price, 21, seemed perturbed by the suggestion that our country is full of “Millenials” that have been babied and think the world owes them only the finest. “The whole idea that our generation is being looked at like this upsets me,” she said. “I am just graduating college and when I find the job I want, and I pursue it, I like to think I will have put in the hard work to get that job. I don’t want older people who criticize my generation to think I got my job because I was part of this ‘perfect, demanding generation.’ I’m going to work hard, just like older generations worked hard. End of story.”

Could it be that our generation’s great critique is offensive and misleading? Yes, we have been given greater opportunities than our parents’ generation, and certainly our grandparents’ generation, but is that necessarily our fault? Is it not simply the progression of time and technology? In the 60 Minutes report Dr. Mel Levine claims that part of the problem lies in the fact that we have been kept busy since childhood, with different activities lacing our weekdays. It seems that this idea would not really affect our generation’s need to please, but instead offer a healthy way to find what our generation’s individual’s passions might be.

Ryan Rogers, 19, thinks hard before commenting on the generational accusations. “Well, I see how we might be a little naïve, but to say we expect to have everything rearranged around our lives is not true. I’m scared to walk into an office and begin a job. I will be doing whatever my boss asks! I think our generational upbringing just helped give us confidence and a happy childhood. I really think it’s just as simple as that.”

I have to agree with my fellow generational members. I believe the criticism is not accurate and I view our generation as a positive step in society. We as individuals know what we want to achieve and are not afraid to conquer our goals. To say that quality is a bad one seems absurd to me. I am very grateful for the path older generations have paved for me and am not naïve to that fact.

Even if the 60 Minutes programs made some valid points, to claim that our entire generation falls into the category of needy, controlling, and self-obsessed is simply too broad of a criticism. Instead, it might be beneficial to look at our generation as a determined bunch, driven and technologically aware.

After all, if the older generations are critiquing the way our generation lives, well, shouldn’t the finger be pointed at those who raised us?

Millennials In The New Millennium

Make Way For The New Power Generation
By Sammi Richardson

I am part of a generation where luxuries are handed to us on a silver platter. Regardless of whether we make any effort or not, we receive rewards. Not just our needs are fulfilled, but most of our desires as well. We are a generation that wants an amazing job and still have time left over at the end of the day for manicures and pedicures and drinks with friends. We want to be able to do it all and have it all. We are referred to as Millennials and Echo Boomers.

Millennials are a definitive group of people born between 1982 and 1995. They make up much of the US population and spend an estimated $170 billion a year of theirs or their parents’ money, according to reports

In September of 2005, CBS 60 Minutes aired a program titled “The Echo Boomers.” As CBS correspondent Steve Kroft reported, “Echo boomers are a reflection of the sweeping changes in American life over the past 20 years. They are the first to grow up with computers at home and a 500-channel TV universe. They are multi-taskers that possess cell phones, music downloads, and Instant Messaging on the Internet. They are totally plugged-in citizens of a worldwide community.”

The Millennials represent a large population who spend freely. If business people want to achieve success, they realize they have to cater to this new breed of spenders.

“I think this generation of people might be the most effectively socially conscious generation yet,” says Max Smith, 24 of Queens. “There are more people in this generation trying to improve the world for others than in any previous generation. More people are defending and protecting our country than ever, but it is overlooked by the generation’s frivolous spending,” He said.

Matthew McCurley, 26 of Brooklyn had an interesting perspective. “This new generation that wants it all and whose parents encouraged them to demand it all, are still very much dependent financially on their parents,” he said. “Instead of living at home, which some still do, they have their own apartments and jobs, but are still supplemented by their parents. They are not quite making the salaries they need to achieve the lifestyle their parents made them accustom to, so the parents are helping pay for the luxuries.”

McCurley says that instead of waiting until they can afford the lifestyle on their own, they are getting a head start. In the past, it would have been a stigma to acknowledge the dependency on a parent financially; however this new breed doesn’t have any shame.

Two years and three months after the first airing of 60 Minutes’ “Echo Boomers”, a new follow-up program was broadcast titled “The "Millennials" Are Coming.” As reported by Morley Safer, “They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. And if you persist in the belief, you can take your job and shove it.”

Stephen Hand, 20 a student at FIT says, “I do believe that we are a gimme get me society. Our parents encouraged us to strive for and demand more this is true. But, they also want us to do better than them, and to achieve more success. In this instance I do not believe we are any different than our grandparents’ generation. They wanted more for their children as I believe I will want more for my own some day,” Hand said.

Millennials are the future leaders of America. They are smart, technologically equipped, and passionate about their views. They are goal oriented and driven to succeed. It’s likely that they will create a positive change in the workplace because employers may be less willing to under pay them, or not recognize their hard work. Or is that every Millennial’s hope?

Millennials In The New Millennium

Echo Who?
By Charlotte Price

If you were born between 1980 and 1995, then welcome to the club of the Echo Boomers, a generation focused on by social scientists, economists, marketers, and the overly doting parent. No matter what you name the club, whether its Echo Boomers, The Millinnials, or Generation Y, the buzz is all the same. Who are they? What do they do? And how are they going to change the future?

CBS 60 Minutes correspondents Steve Kroft and Morley Safer offer two reports on these fascinating groups of youngsters on 60 Minutes called “Echo Boomers” and “The Millennials Are Coming,” taking all the buzz and hype and getting the facts straight from the source. As an active member of Generation Y, I was curious to see what these reporters from a generation long before the boomers had to say about the up-and-coming world runners.

“Echo Boomers” reported by Kroft provided an equally positive and negative viewpoint of this generation. One of the pros being that this generation is extremely diverse and therefore the most tolerant they have seen. An article titled, ‘The Millennials Come of Age’ in USA Today by Sharon Jayson states, “Young people of this generation, who grew up with "diversity" and "multicultural" as buzzwords, are more tolerant and open-minded than previous generations, suggests an analysis of studies by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.”

Kroft also discovered that among this generation there is hope and optimism in the government and future leadership of the country, and that the Millennials are a group of hard working go-getters ready to set the job world on fire. With all this praise of course, Kroft must also slip in the less glamorous sides of this age group. For example, Kroft finds Generation Y can be naïve about the workplace; a generation focused on instant gratification, and deprived of a childhood that allowed for individual exploration of self-strengths.

Kroft supports these opinions with interviews with specialists like Dr. Mel Levine, a Professor at University of North Carolina and a prestigious pediatrician who states the generation has been, “heavily programmed” and whose “whole lives have been compliant on what some adult wants them to do.” Kroft also interviews a diverse group of young adults who represent themselves throughout the report as technologically savvy, parent loving, tolerant, brand obsessed teenagers. Overall, the report displays both the negative and positive aspects of Generation Y without much bias.

Safer’s 60 Minutes report, “The Millenials Are Coming,” displays some of the same arguments and findings but with a crustier reporter. Safer’s old wit and curmudgeon ways that slip out with comments like, “Narcissistic praise hounds taking over the office…” allows for a comedic comparison between him and the “trophy children” of Generation Y. His assumptions, while more snide and jarring than Kroft’s, provide a reality check for Echo Boomers, but is not fully disheartening and the segment ends with a message of excitement and hope for the future.

To get an overall and unbiased perspective on this generation Safer interviews people like Marian Salzman who works as an ad agency executive at J. Walter Thompson, Mary Crane who teaches Millinnials the every day basics of…well life, Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffery Zaslow, a motivational consultant named Bob Nelson and then two bright eyed and bushy tailed echo boomers themselves, Jason Dorsey and Ryan Healy. The consensus is that these children who had everything handed to them on a trophy platter grew up with a “me me me” complex and are therefore changing the workplace and social priorities.

Generation Y is more interested in family and friends than the old school “sacrifice for the company” work ethic. Safer looks at the pull this club has on the market, the decline of business formality, and how a generation of all winners is going to grow up in the real world. The question is will echo boomers branch out into world and have their fairytale dreams shattered by real life consequences or will the world mold around them, forming an entire new society.

In article in the New York Times by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais titled ‘The Boomers Had Their Day, Make Way for the Millenials,’ the authors quote Barak Obama making a comparison between generations that I find inspiring. He differentiates the generations as “the "Moses generation" that led the children of Israel out of slavery, and the "Joshua generation" that established the kingdom of Israel. The first was a generation of idealists and dreamers, the second a generation of doers and builders.”

With that said, I feel Echo Boomers can confidently take on the world in any fashion they deem appropriate, and I suspect that Morley Safer and Steve Kroft would agree.

Millennials In The New Millennium

I Want It All, And I Want It Now
By Roya Yazhari

Known as the “Echo Boomers” and “Millennials” this generation born between 1982 and 1995, myself included, is shaping the American workplace and its way of life. We want our dream job, our fabulous weekends off, and enough time to shop and take hot yoga classes as much as we please.

According to the November 11, 2007 60 Minutes news report, “The Millennials Are Coming,” this generation is “raised by doting parents who told them they are special, and played in little leagues with no winners or losers.” This generation is taught that whatever you put your mind to you can achieve. Nearly 80 million of them living in the U.S. today, this group of young people are the genetic offspring of their parents, the baby boomers.

Aired two years earlier, 60 Minutes said in its report, “The Echo Boomers,” that this generation is more diverse than ever, and is accepting of different cultures and groups.

A group of 21-23 year-old Marymount Manhattan College students, including members of student government, are not only committed to their studies, but are committed to their academic institution as well. This group of students, shown in the photo below, are able to study, balance their homework, and enjoy the New York City night life.

“I do not think the description of the Millennials in the news accurately describes our generation,” said Amy Markel, a junior studying political science and international studies, and a member of student government. “Yes, in college we work hard and play hard. However unless you take Sex And The City as your Gospel, you will realize life is going to be a bit more serious when we get out of here,” she said.

Celebrating her 21st birthday, Markel understands her responsibility as a human being in this country as well as her freedom to live a life that makes her happy. “My parents want me to be a lawyer. I however enjoy International studies. For them, they want me to be financially stable. I want the same, however I know I can reach my goals in a way I see fit to my personality and interests,” Markel said.


Amy Markel celebrating her 21st birthday with classmates
and friends at a New York City hangout.

In a poll in Business Week magazine by Universum this year, of the 37,000-plus undergraduates surveyed, the No. 1 career goal of these individuals was to “balance personal and professional life.” “Building a sound financial base” came in third. Many speculate this is because this generation of young people is waiting longer to buy homes, start families, and settle down.

This generation of young people has become one completely dependent on others. Without a cell phone or IPod in hand, many of us feel naked walking down the streets of New York City. We always must have something to do or something distracting us from the pressures of every day life.

In the past, the ability to land a job and stick with it for as long as possible was an accomplishment. Nowadays, changing jobs numerous times is not only acceptable, but also inevitable for most who are on their quest for the “dream job.” The job in which you can “roll into work with iPods and flip flops at noon, but still be CEO by Friday,” according to the report.

This image should be slogan for this generation of youth. We want what we want, and we want it now. When told this statement Amy exclaimed, “Yes, we want what we want. And in this technologically advanced day in age, we can get it!”

For the youth of today, the traditional 40-hour week is thrown out the window, and bosses must realize that a pilates workout at noon comes before a major proposal deadline, according to the Milliennial report.

Many companies are adapting to this new generation by creating work environments that will entice workers to want to stay and work hard. A party-like atmosphere is created in order for these young people to enjoy work and stay happy and cheerful.

In the Millennial report, Dorsey Healy who has written, in collaboration with his brother, how-to books on how to cope with work, said, “We’re not going to settle. Because we saw our parents settle. We definitely put lifestyle and friends above work. No question about it.”

In reality, only time will tell whether this view of life will work for our generation. Meanwhile, individuals will continue speculating and studying this fascinating generation.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Take It Easy, Life Is A Vacation
By Alejandro M. Fernandez

Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and their children, echo boomers, were born between 1982 and 1995. Since The Eagles, an American rock band, were active from 1971 to 1980 and again from 1994 to present, parents and children have probably heard many of their songs.

One Eagles song says, “Take it easy, take it easy; don't let the sound of them old wheels drive you crazy.” According to two CBS 60 Minutes segments, the echo boomers have definitely taken The Eagles’ advice.

The first segment aired on September 4, 2005. Correspondent Steve Kroft interviews a wide array of people with specific opinions on this generational issue. Doctors, professors, historians, and echo boomers themselves, all chime in.

In “The Echo Boomers” Dr. Mel Levine, a professor at the University of North Carolina, says that is not the only part of their cultural conditioning that’s going to require an adjustment in the workplace. After asking the CEO of a major corporation for a description of a typical young worker he says, “They can’t think long-range. Everything has to be immediate, like a video game. And they have a lot of trouble sort of doing things in a stepwise fashion, delaying gratification. Really reflecting as they go along.’ I think that's new.”

Historian Neil Howe makes a similar observation. “Sometimes, they don’t know what to do if they’re just left outside and you say, ‘Well, just do something by yourself for a while,’” says Howe. “They'll look around stunned. You know, ‘What are we supposed to do now?’”

Some echo boomers don’t agree with these assesments

“It’s not the majority of our generation,” says Meredith Spiegel, 21. A student at Marymount Manhattan College, Spiegel rejects the negative stereotype. “There are kids who actually work hard the old-fashioned way even though it’s a type of culture that is rare nowadays. It all depends on how people are brought up,” she says.


Meredith Spiegel
believes gene-
rational
stereotyping is
inaccurate and
unfair.

In a follow-up 60 Minutes segment called, “The Millennials Are Coming” poses similar arguments. Aired on November 11, 2007, correspondent Morley Safer interviews corporate executives, consultants, and two working millennials and reports that, “Faced with new employees who want to roll into work with their iPods and flip flops around noon, but still be CEO by Friday, companies are realizing that the era of the buttoned down exec happy to have a job is as dead as the three-Martini lunch.”

Mary Crane, who offers crash courses for millennials entering the workforce, suggests this generation has been coddled. “You now have a generation coming into the workplace that has grown up with the expectation that they will automatically win, and they’ll always be rewarded, even for just showing up,” Crane says.

Kroft states echo boomers are the most watched-over generation in history. Most have never ridden a bike without a helmet, ridden in a car without a seat belt, or eaten in a cafeteria that serves peanut butter.

Jason Dorsey, a millennial himself, who was interviewed in the segment agrees. “Our parents really took from us that opportunity to fall down on our face and learn how to stand up,” he says.

Unlike their parents who value hard work, individuality, and achievement, millennials prioritize lifestyle, friends, and instant gratification.

Wesner Jules, a 20 year-old economics major at Georgetown University, agrees with this assessment. “Everyone feels like they are supposed to be handed shit in life. Like everything is supposed to be easy. And our parents just went with that whole idea,” Jules says.

But don’t simply blame mom and dad, or Mister Rogers as Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow does in “The Millennials are Coming”.

“I think it’s a part of the American culture, that notion of being superior or special,” says Jules.

So don’t go around blaming millennials for wanting to start work at noon, for being tattooed lawyers, or wanting to be CEOs effortlessly. The Eagles, our parents, and our culture have told us to do so. And that’s what we’re doing.

“Life’s a vacation,” Jules says. So take it easy.

Millennials In The New Millennium

Like Father, Like Son, Or Not
By Alexa Breslin

Echo boomers, millennials, Generation Y. These are three terms given to the generation born between 1982 and 1995. Some are barely out of college, others still in grade school. However, we all have one thing in common; we are the children of the baby boomers.

In September of 2005, CBS’s 60 Minutes did a program titled, “The Echo Boomers.” As correspondent Steve Kroft reported we quickly learned the term echo boomers came from the demographic echo Generation-Y became of their parents, the baby boomers. The hour then consisted of interviews with doctors, a professor, historian, and two real, live echo boomers all discussing the most talked about generation to date.

“They are multitaskers, with cell phones, music downloads, and instant messaging on the Internet,” reports Kroft. “Through sheer numbers, they’re beginning to change society. They have affected school construction, college enrollments, product development, and media content,” he later added.

One of the most important unwritten rules regarding the very serious game called our lives is that things change. Unexpectedly, unwillingly, inadvertently, they change. In a world where society and the economy are facing drastic changes, so are its people.

“It’s naïve to believe generation after generation will continually follow in each other’s footsteps,” says Katherine Rimola, 21, a graduating Communication Arts student of Marymount Manhattan College who will receive her diploma with only three years of college under her belt. “We’re not spoiled,” she continued, “we’re just different.”

Nick Summers, then a college senior at Columbia University and editor of its newspaper, said during the 60 minutes interview, “my generation tends to be very overachieving, over-managed, very pressured.”

“I’ve always been an over-achiever, since I was in grade school. I knew I would be able to complete my BA in communications in three years, so I did,” Rimola said.

Two years after the first program aired, CBS decided it wasn’t enough and went on to do a second episode of 60 Minutes this time titled, “The ‘Millennials’ Are Coming.” As Correspondent Morley Safer reported this time around, the episode explored virtually the same things “The Echo Boomers” had but this time with an intent focus on the workplace.

“The workplace has become a psychological battlefield and the millennials have the upper hand, because they are tech savvy, with every gadget imaginable almost becoming an extension of their bodies. They multitask, talk, walk, listen and type, and text,” reports Safer. In other words, in “millennial” terms, we can do more than two things at once. What’s so bad about that?

Why yes, Mr. CEO, I can communicate with five people at the same time via internet thanks to AOL’s instant messenger. I can also type a paper, update my iPod, e-mail a professor and talk to my mother on the phone all while watching my homegirl, Oprah. This is what we, the echo boomers, call multitasking. It will become useful to you when we place our seven different assignments on your desk all a day before they’re due.

As for being “tech savvy,” we know we are. There is no denying it; Generation Y has been technologically spoiled. We have things the baby boomer generation never could have dreamed of having. Our parents have transitioned to getting up off the couch to the television and decide which program to watch between their five channels on their tiny black and white television, to now relaxing on their Lazy Boys while flipping through the five-hundred and then some channels on their 60-plus inch flat screen TV equipped with surround sound and something called high-definition that makes a football game appear as if it’s happening in their very own living room.

So what?

These technological advances do not mean we don’t work as hard as our parents once did in the workplace. It doesn’t mean we don’t have high goals and it certainly doesn’t mean we’re not willing to do whatever it takes to reach the point in our lives we have dreamed we would once be.

Jason Dorsey, an author of two how-to books for the twenty-something millennials, told Safer, “We’re not going to settle. Because we saw our parents settle and we have options. That we can keep hopping jobs. No longer is it bad to have four jobs on your resume in a year. Whereas for our parents or even Gen X, that was terrible. But that’s the new reality for us. And we’re going to keep adapting and switching and trying new things until we figure out what it is.”

“It’s a different world now,” says Ryan Donde, 21, a fourth-year business student at Montclair State University. “My dad has been at the same job for over 25 years. I can’t say I’ll ever want to stay somewhere for that long.”

This only raises the question, how exactly are the echo boomers a demographic echo of our parents, the baby boomers? What exactly do we replicate? Concluding everything we have heard from 60 Minutes we don’t play outside like our parents once did, we have things our parents never did, and we don’t work as hard as our parents have.

Here’s the bottom line, CBS: the echo boomers aren’t replicas of the baby boomers. Maybe we’re not like our parents, where’s the harm in that? Maybe we are clueless. Maybe we’d rather stay inside to watch the E! Network than go outside and run around. Maybe we think we’re more special than everyone else just because our parents told us so. Maybe we’re even crazy enough to believe our futures are in our hands, but the ones who are crazy enough to go after what they want are usually the ones who succeed.