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?

 

[IRstuff]

I must be living in Lake Woebegone, where all the GenYs are above average ;-)


Seriously, though, we've got about a dozen 20-somethings and early 30-somethings, male and female, at work and all are quite good at engineering, communicating, dressing themselves, etc.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[PJones]

As one on the leading edge of Generation-X, I've been pushing Baby Boomers to get out of my way my entire career. As long as they are there it is hard to advance.

I still hold out hope for the kids entering college. As a whole they are pretty much house-broken and some even wash. After a few rejections they will adopt more conventional writing styles and will be given a chance to prove their worth.

I just don't get the piercings, though. Maybe I'm getting old.

 

[cessna98j]

OP here.... I see there is quite a bit of opinion out there on this one!

I guess I shouldn't generalize the current generation of grads as a whole - I too am aware that there are plenty of hard working and competent young engineers out there. Heck, at 30 years old I'm still considered a kid by a lot of my 50 something co-workers. I'm also aware that things change over time as new generations enter the workplace.

That being said, I guess I was just kind of shocked at how many young job seekers I've seen in my locale that don't appear to put in the same effort as I know most of my peers did just 5 years ago in a much better job market.

Regarding (in regards to??) grammar, I don't claim to be an expert by any means! I do completely agree with HgTx though, that your resume should be very well polished as it represents your best foot forward. Some of the errors I've seen are pretty basic low-level things, like misspelling the word 'University'. If you don't put the effort into polishing your own resume, how can your prospective employer expect you to put in the effort required to polish your skills as an engineer with their company?

Thanks all for your input, it has been interesting reading your responses!

 

[KENAT]

Piercings, it's the tight sagging pants that get me.

I understood, though maybe didn't appreciate, sagging baggy pants.

However, skin tight jeans that still sag so far they show the slit in your tighty whities, I just don't get it.

Oh, and this from a child of the late 70's which depending on whose definition your use puts me at the end of x or beginning of y.

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[Twoballcane]

The OP is 30 something?? Man I thought you were 65 or something. You must have had a straight lace life to have issues like this. :+) I can sum up my teens thru twenty something to a cross of Animal House and Saturday Night Fever. A lot of beers, girls, and clubbing. My brother, loosen up ;+), you feelin me!

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[cessna98j]

Not to worry my friend - I killed my fair share of brain cells back in college at WSU... go Cougs! It took the threat of being booted from university and academic probation for me to realize that homework took priority over the bar - and even then it was tough!

When I titled the thread "Kids these days", it was kind of tongue in cheek as I'm well aware I'm not much older than a lot of these new grads... just seems like a lot has changed even from my experience only 5 years ago.

I probably sound like one of those old guys complaining the 'younguns' nowadays though. I did just have a kid, but I hope I'm not sounding like my parents just yet...

 

[IRstuff]

Too late for that!

TTFN

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[stanier]

cessna98j,

Brain cells generally kick in at about 25 for blokes, if you are lucky.

Do these young people a favour and tell them straight. You may need to carefully craft your words so that they dont sue for discrimination.

I learnt a lesson at college where the President of the Socialist Club was not supported by their board as a candidate for the students union presidency. He appeared the next day in a three piece suit and a tie representing a new party with himself as the President. Gone were the scruffy jeans, beard, unkempt hair and general grubby demeanor. He wanted more so like a chameleon changed his appearance.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[Mr168]

Abusementpark hit the nail squarely on the head for me.


I may be in my twenties, but I welcome the rudeness, backwards hats, idiotic "text talk", and entitlement attitude. You may see ignorant youth, but I see a competitive advantage and job security.


After all, even fool's gold looks priceless when you set it next to a turd. ;-)

 

[DRWeig]

Mr168 and Abusementpark,

My hat's off to you both! It's particulary valuable in troubled economic times. If you're sitting around the table discussing who to keep and who to let go, the clock-watchers who spell the same word three different ways in one paragraph just kind of seem to be standing up waving bright red "cut here" banners.

Those of us seated at our desks still working don't come into focus very quickly.

Goober Dave

 

[TenPenny]

I find that it's often the high-priced help that gets cut first.

 

[calguy07]

why do more than 8 hrs if you don't have to???

 

[atlengpe]

Not everyone shares the same view of "professionalism". The most incompetant civil engineer here where I live, and verified by interviewers after I left the brief stint, are the best dressed engineers in town. The best job I've ever had I showed up in jeans... but unlike the other this guy took me out to lunch to get to know me. Dress is purely a personal thing. Is say this young chap is ahead of that game

 

[ianmcdz]

If sombody came in with their Mom I can only assume she was a babe.

Otherwise that's just sad.

Those young hipsters riding their skateboards and using the internet, who do they think they are?

 

[ctopher]

I hates bad grammer.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP3.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[IRstuff]

Ain't that the truth?

TTFN

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[TenPenny]

Considering the subject of this thread, I'm willing to be that quite a few Gen Y types would take DRWeig's comment, 'My hat's off to you both!', to suggest he was wearing more than one hat!

 

[ryderKID]

Hi friends, I wanted to take a moment to respond (as I am a 21 year-old Mechanical undergraduate still). I couldn't agree more with all the observations that today's young people don't exhibit strong work ethics. Many students at my school do the absolute minimum to get by in classes, and often resort to cheating if their time management weren't planned well. I would like to think I'm a pretty honest and hard working guy, I've been covered in sweat and grease most of my life and have paid for everything I own. That said, perhaps I'm a little biased when it bothers me that "today's talent" rolls up to work late in their daddy's BMW and doesn't have the slightest clue how to turn a wrench or perform basic calculations becuase they skipped that day of class. In my opinion today's idea of a college education has fallen short of preparing a person for an engineering career.

Just my two cents

 

[moltenmetal]

We run a strictly casual office, but I still want interview candidates to come in dressed reasonably formally. That's just basic respect and decorum. Call me old-fashioned if you like, but it's no different than checking your resume for spelling and grammatical errors- you want to put your best foot forward.

Any kid who shows up with their mom for an interview or to negotiate salary will be shown the door, whether either of tehm is "hot" or not!

ryderKID: you could be describing half of my classmates a couple decades ago. Fortunately we attended a co-op uni where work experience during education was mandatory. The sad thing is, many in academia no longer see engineering school as training to become an engineer. Even sadder, they're right in a sense, since 2/3 of engineering grads here do NOT do engineering for a living.

 

[fogell21]

I am currently completing my co-op for mechanical engineering, and am obviously in my twenties (twenty to be exact). Although I do agree with most of the points made in this thread, it is best not to label us all this way. When i deliver resumes I dress well; not a full suit with a tie or anything, but I wear slacks, dress shoes and a nice polo. For interviews I wear suit attire and then from then on in i comply with the dress code or style of the company. Also, in terms of resume and cover letter writing, it is not that difficult, there are just a few bad apples out there.

Keep an open mind for some of us younger, soon-to-be (hopefully) engineering professionals!