Kids these days... 14

[cessna98j]

I don't know what others have experienced lately, but it seems like a lot of fresh graduates looking for work just don't want to put in the effort to set themselves apart from their peers. In the past couple weeks we've had a few engineering graduates stop by our office to inquire about open positions. Of those few, we've had resumes filled with grammatical errors, people who come in with their moms, and job seekers dressed like they just came from the gym. Yesterday, we had a young grad stop by asking about work dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt wearing his hat backwards! To top it off, he was rude when we said didn't currently have any open positions but would keep his resume on file.

I would think that given the economic climate and lack of jobs for new graduates, there would be tremendous competition out there and people would be doing everything they could to carry themselves professionally and bring their 'A' game... I just don't see it.

While I admit I'm only 5 years out of college, I was wearing nice shirts with ties any time I approached a potential employer and made sure that my resume was flawless - and that was back when most grads had at least 2 or 3 job offers upon graduation!

I guess I'm just surprised at what I've seen in our area anyway. Are other people seeing much effort from the current generation of college graduates looking for work?

 

[KirbyWan]

Concerning dedication vs. intelligence I am reminded of Col. David Hackworths book "About Face." He said there are four kinds of officers, The dumb lazy ones you don't have to worry about because they won't do much. The smart go getters you don't have to worry about either because they'll do a reasonable job. The dumb go getters are the greatest danger to anyone near them and should be avoided at all cost, but the best kind of officer was the smart lazy ones. They know what needs to be done and will find the easiest path to get there.

I still hold with my dedication over intelligence. Note I do not say talent. Talent comes from practice, practice comes from dedication. A smart guy may be able to get that talented with less work. But a dumb dedicated guy will get that talented as well. So I do not say dedication trumps talent as i feel dedication creates talent. I might say that dedication could trump intelligence. But I admit that the greatest people in any field, from art to aerospace are both dedicated and intelligent.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[stanier]

“In physical science the first essential step in the direction of learning any subject is to find principles of numerical reckoning and practicable methods for measuring some quality connected with it. I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of Science, whatever the matter may be."

Lord Kelvin [PLA, 1883-05-03]

 

[IRstuff]

I now think the dedication/talent metaphor is a variant of the tortoise/hare fable. The hare has the talent, but little dedication, while the tortoise has dedication, but little talent. So, the tortoise doesn't have zero talent.


TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[KirbyWan]

IRstuff,

In my take on the metaphor, the hare has intelligence, but little dedication and the tortise has dedication but little intelligence. Talent then becomes the finish line, which they will both get to, though not at the same time.

What was the original question? Oh, yeah kids these days suck. I think I've wandered off topic a bit.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.