Monday, Nov. 18, 2007: Millennial Leaders was mentioned today in the Duke Basketball Report. Go Blue Devils!

The Daily Show explains why young people are the only ones who enjoyed the YouTube Debate – they’re the only ones who can see it.

My son Jack signed his letter of intent this past week to play golf for the University of North Carolina.  The photo below was taken while signing (I was asking Jack if he was 100% ready to sign!)  Congratulations Jack!  You have worked so hard for this, and I am very proud of you!  Go Tarheels!

Read the full story here.

Bea, Jack and Joel County (Principal for Pinecrest High School):

A little known fact. The number of college freshmen majoring in Computer Science has fallen by 70% since 2000, according to the Computing Research Association. Why? *They are watching companies farm out  and outsource projects oveseas*They are afraid of another dot com bust*They are more concerned with balancing their life better than the boomers and the X-man and X-women before them*They can teach themselves ‘the tricks of the trade’ – how to do web development on their own… something most traditional Comp Sci programs don’t teach

*They no longer think IT or Computer Sci classes are cool…So what do they do?

*They stay away from jobs that might attract 40+ hours in the office… We all know that IT departments in mid and large size companies work their you-know-whats off.

In chapter 3 of Millennial Leaders, we talked to Dr. Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting about what it takes for a city to be “cool enough” for Gen Y to want to live there.

Ryan and her colleagues have developed this amazing handprinting system.  They interviewed thousands of Gen Y young adults, and the results of the interviews revealed seven key indices that prove to make cities “cool” for Generation Y. Cities included in the study are: Nashville, Milwaukee, Oswego County (NY), Birmingham, Charlotte, Tulsa, Brevard County (FL), Iowa, Vermont, Canton (OH), Akron, and the Illinois-Quad Cities. The seven indices are:

1) Vitality. This is the community’s commitment to the environment.

2) Earning index. Does the city have a breadth of occupational options.

3) Learning index. Great K-12 education and options for contuning ed are a must.

4) After hours index. How much is there to do after 5:00 p.m.?

5) Around town index. How easy is it to get around town and “stroll” from one place to the next without having to drive from location to location?

6) Cost of lifestyle. Can Gen Y afford to live in the city?

7) Social network. Does the city have a rich social fabric, including a diversity of backgrounds and cultures?

Next Generation Consulting is really hot, hot hot! (or cool according to Gen Y). A copy of Next Generation’s handprinting systesm can be located here: http://nextgenerationconsulting.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consulting.handprinting_madison.

A nice blog entry from Ryan Estis back in 2006

Call them what you will and take notice. This burgeoning generation (70 million; born between 1977 and 2002) is coming of age and arriving in the workplace with new ideas about the employment experience. Namely, “why should I work for you?” and “what are you going to offer me?”

Self assured, tech-savvy, and idealistic, they arrive at work with an evolved set of expectations around employment and their opportunity to have an impact from day one. The achievement orientation and natural impatience of this plugged-in, multi-tasking generation inevitably creates conflict for many employers and coincides with a time where the pool of skilled talent is shrinking.

As Boomers approach retirement and employers confront the talent exodus resulting from this natural attrition, many will find it necessary to adjust to the nuances of the new workforce in an effort to attract, engage, and retain a generation that is projected to be increasingly mobile and interested in seeking the next assignment. This may be in the context of the current employment relationship or often, ready to jump to the next gig.

Labels like high-maintenance or unrealistic may tag the Millennials at the onset of their entrance into the workforce. However, this educated, increasingly diverse (one in three is a minority) generation is also anticipated to be both quick to contribute and deeply coveted in a job market that includes a projected talent shortage between four and 10 million by 2010.

As your organization competes to attract the very best among Generation Y and integrate them into the workforce, these nine best practices are important to consider in demonstrating a compelling employment opportunity that ultimately can help you both acquire and retain the new talent you need to accomplish key business objectives into the future:

1. Relationship recruiting. While technology has improved recruitment process and efficiency, it is expressly important to remember that recruiting is still a people business. Over-reliance on automation can be a clear sign to candidates they may not be valued at the onset. This generation expects interface, contact, respect, consideration, and prompt response. The most talented among them will have options and need to be sold on the benefit of one opportunity in direct comparison to multiple options. High self-worth is a Gen Y characteristic and candidates need to feel valued during the recruiting process.
2. Employment branding. Critical to supporting a quality recruiting function, the employment brand should extend to candidates the unique opportunity and express benefit of employment with your organization. Millennials are image-oriented and expect to be associated with the best. They also want to clearly understand what they will be doing on a day-to-day basis specific to their job. A quality employment brand should demonstrate your compelling employment value proposition and give candidates an opportunity to self-select based on the notion that their skill-set, education, and experience are the right fit for your organization.
3. Candidate experience. Make the initial interaction and touch points with your organization a great experience for the candidate. Quality website? Simple application mechanism? Immediate recruiter interface? This tech-savvy generation can be instantly impressed with a great initial experience with your organization or can quickly move on to the next opportunity if the process is frustrating or inadequate.
4. Offer. The employment offer should be competitive and compelling. And with this group it isn’t just about the compensation. They value work-life balance and do expect some time away (not time away with so much work hanging over their heads that it doesn’t end up being a real vacation). They’re also financially astute and will be interested in the benefit package that includes a sound 401(k) and/or profit-sharing plan. Moreover, they want to contribute. Make the offer and opportunity to do meaningful work part of the equation.
5. Onboarding. With a group that is quick to change, the assimilation into the organization during the first 12 months is critical to ensure engagement and retention. Make sure there is a program that extends beyond orientation and includes relevant training, multiple touch points, consistent communication, and the opportunity to offer opinions about what could be improved upon. Make new employees feel welcome and like part of the team before they even start.
6. Mentoring. As an extension of onboarding, offer a mentoring program. New employees should be paired with someone who has an express interest in their success. Pairing candidates from different generations or across segments of the business is a great way to bridge gaps and build understanding throughout the workplace.
7. Feedback. The annual review will no longer suffice. This generation expects feedback and validation more often. This may involve some manager training to help bring about the appropriate level of performance review criteria and recognition to keep the new workforce motivated to achieve. Although a recognized virtue, patience is not noted among the group’s core character traits.
8. Flexibility. Happy to be held accountable to results, this generation brings some evolved thinking into the workplace with regard to when and how they go about doing their work. They live in a virtual world and respond well to the notion of autonomy around work schedules, telecommuting, home-office arrangements, and understanding that they desire true balance in their lives. If jeans and flip-flops are considered appropriate office attire, that’s a bonus!
9. Career-pathing. Upward mobility is a hallmark desire among Millennials. They want to not only understand what is expected in their present capacity but even more important, what will be required to move into the next opportunity. They anticipate changing employers to advance their career, and are always preparing to do exactly that. The employer that can demonstrate expeditious career-pathing has an advantage and opportunity to retain A-level talent among this group longer.

Generation Y, ready to make a meaningful impact, brings a bevy of unique attributes and talent into the workplace. The organization that is sensitive to their needs will have a distinct advantage and opportunity to capture their contributions in this increasingly competitive marketplace.

Social Bookmarks:

This is an interesting article from Newsweek (features Jean Twenge who is featured in Chapter 2 of Millennial Leaders). Many of the people who commented felt that the article is a bit negative, so I encourage you to read the comments section. This area will help you gain an understanding of what is really going on with Gen Y. As I have said…They did not get there alone! They are products of parenting, the media, technology and the world at large.

Example:  Check out the post that starts like this (really interesting):

“Comment: One problem with this article is that it is such a tiny slice of the population. Twenge discusses Americans as well as those from other countries but there is a great spectrum of individuals across the developed world and within America ??? and now there is a widening disparity between the rich and the poor. “  (From a Silent Generation leader…very insightful!)

Read Full Comments Here.

 Jason Dorsey, Generation Y expert and author of My Reality Check Bounced, is one of the twenty-something age leaders featured in the new book Millennial Leaders: Success Stories from Today’s Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders. Dorsey appeared recently on the CBS 60 Minutes episode The “Millennials” Are Coming.

Southern Pines, NC (PRWEB) November 15, 2007 — In the new book, Millennial Leaders: Success Stories from Today’s Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders (http://MillennialLeaders.com), the co-authors and executive coaches, Bea Fields, Scott Wilder, Jim Bunch and Rob Newbold feature interviews with 25 of the most successful Generation Y Leaders of tomorrow who are already leading today.

Jason Dorsey, Generation Y expert and author of My Reality Check Bounced, is one of the twenty-something age leaders featured in the book. Dorsey appeared recently on the CBS 60 Minutes episode The “Millennials” Are Coming.

“Jason is a very impressive and astute Gen Y leader who is making a positive impact on today’s culture,” said Bea Fields, one of the authors of Millennial Leaders and president of Bea Fields Companies, Inc. “His entrepreneurial prowess and adventurous spirit are spawning countless successes for Generation Y. Jason is a consummate role model for our future leaders.”

Natural entrepreneurs, members of Generation Y are just now making an impact in business and in the culture at large. In addition, as the first group to grow up immersed in media culture, they have a distinctive way of ordering their lives. Millennial Leaders brings readers a unique, close up look at the people responsible for the cutting edge of social and business trends.

“The leaders of Generation Y are our future, and it is time to start working with them — not resisting their efforts,” said Fields.

For more details about Millennial Leaders: Success Stories from Today’s Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders, visit http://MillennialLeaders.com or contact Bea Fields at (910) 692-6118.

Brought to you by thedigitalgangster — who will be discussing each chapter — video style. Thanks DG!

This video is about the founder of the Glimpse Foundation

New CareerBuilder.com Study Reveals Significant Gap Between Generation Y Workers and Co-workers

A new survey by CareerBuilder.com points to more pronounced generational gaps in communications styles and job expectations in the workplace. Titled “Gen Y at Work,” the survey was conducted from June 1 to June 13, 2007 among 2,546 hiring managers and Human Resource professionals across all industries.

Nearly half (49 percent) of employers surveyed said the biggest gap in communication styles between Generation Y workers (employees 29 years old or younger) and workers older than them is that Gen Y workers communicate more through technology than in person. Another one-in-four (25 percent) say they have a different frame of reference, especially in terms of pop culture.

In terms of job expectations, 87 percent of all hiring managers and HR professionals say some or most Gen Y workers feel more entitled in terms of compensation, benefits and career advancement than older generations. Seventy-three percent of hiring managers and HR professionals ages 25 to 29 share this sentiment. Employers provided the following examples:

– 74 percent of employers say Gen Y workers expect to be paid more
– 61 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have flexible work schedules
– 56 percent say Gen Y workers expect to be promoted within a year
– 50 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have more vacation or personal
time
– 37 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have access to state-of-the-art
technology

Over half (55 percent) of employers over the age of 35 feel Gen Y workers have a more difficult time taking direction or responding to authority than other generations of workers.

“Generation Y workers are an important segment of the workforce and literally the future of companies and organizations,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com. “They grew up in a technology-driven world where standards and norms have changed and often operate under different perspectives than older co-workers. As companies cultures evolve with each generation, you see all workers benefiting from a variety of viewpoints and work styles.”

Fifteen percent of employers said they changed or implemented new policies or programs to accommodate Gen Y workers — changes, Haefner points out, that would have likely benefited workers of all ages. Examples include:

– More flexible work schedules (57 percent);
– More recognition programs (33 percent);
– More access to state-of-the-art technology (26 percent);
– Increased salaries and bonuses (26 percent);
– More ongoing education programs (24 percent);
– Paying for cell phones, blackberries, etc. (20 percent);
– More telecommuting options (18 percent);
– More vacation time (11 percent).