Understanding Generation WhY

Generation Y has been spoiled and it is shows in what we feel we deserve.

Published: Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Updated: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 17:07

Eduardo Herrera | Valley Star

Were you born between 1977 and 1994? Do you feel the need to express your emotions about everything, regardless of whether the people around you want to hear? Do you pride yourself on your ability to check your emails on your BlackBerry while you twitter on your iPhone and text on your Sidekick? Do you preach politics and a need for change yet do nothing about it, aside from making half-baked plans with your friends over a triple-shot decaf vanilla iced latte that costs you $9?

You're not alone. There are roughly 76 million people, according to Time.com, who do and feel the same. You, or should I say we, are "Generation Y."

Also referred to as "Millennials" or "Echo Boomers," we are the largest generation since Baby Boomers and what makes us so extraordinary is one simple fact - we think we're special. That's right my fellow Millennials, your mommy told you so, and you believed it. But who could blame you? You were raised during a time when overindulgent parents felt that healthy competition was bad and that children needed to learn how to express their feelings rather than act on them. Kids of our generation are probably used to hearing, "Yes, the other team did score 15 more runs than your team, but you didn't lose because we're all winners. Now hold your 5th place trophy high and tell mommy how that makes you feel!"

There was no such thing as tough love when we were raised. Who of us ever heard "Walk it off," or "Yes, you did lose. Now stop crying about it?" We had everything we ever needed and all we had to do was "ask nicely."

Our parents were "late baby boomers," or members of "Generation X." You know, that group of "old" people who actually had to work for what they wanted. Because of this, they wanted us, their children, to be better off than they were. So they gave us what we wanted instead of showing us how to get it ourselves. For those who don't believe this, nasrecruitment.com reported that one in nine high schoolers has a credit card co-signed by their parents.

Now, this seemingly harmless blunder by our parents is affecting the way we view employment. Instead of adapting to a job, we want the job to adapt to us. "Don't like the hours? We'll change them for you. Don't like the dress code? I'll rethink the wardrobe. Not inspired enough to work? Let us help you find the meaning behind it all." To us, these are reasonable requests and factors that we consider when looking for a job.

So after college, once you've been fired from your internship at that advertising company you thought was the perfect fit for not adhering to the formal dress code, know that you can always come home and move back in with your parents. Don't worry about finding another job immediately either because you're still mommy's special trooper. And remember, maybe if you complain enough, ask nicely and say "thank you" to the nice man in a suit, he may just give you that dream job of yours - working for a start-up dot-com company with as many coffee breaks as your heart desires.