C.M. Russell over at Secrets of the Job Hunt notes that a CareerBuilder study shows some major differences between Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boom employees. One of those major differences, of course, is the way each generation prefers to communicate. The youngest generation of the three, Generation Y, prefers communicating via text message, blog commenting, podcasting, etc., while the older generations like phone conversations and face to face meetings. These are generalizations of course, but we are, after all, talking about groups that number in the millions as though they can be clearly defined.

C.M. also points out that recruiting Generation Y members has forced hiring managers to move into unchartered territory in order to keep up with getting the best and the brightest of the “kids” on board - the most salient point of all, in my opinion, because it gets to the heart of the matter of WHY the differences in the generations are important and worth noting.

As a side note, Tom Wolfe, who has written various novels (all good, in my opinion), has his finger on the pulse of this generation that in I am Charlotte Simmons, he details a scene where one female college student is typing away on our phone (with her thumbs, of course) and giggling as she sends messages to a friend and fellow student…her friend, as it turns out, is in the dorm next door. Point taken, Tom…and well illustrated, indeed.

Tags: baby boomers, generation x, Generation Y, recruiting, tom wolfe

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