Career Development in Generation X Essay

Skeptical of society and its institutions, Generation Xers are focused. As learners, they don't want to waste time doing quantities of school work; they want their work to be meaningful to them. "They want to know why they must learn something before they take time to learn how" (Caudron 1997, p. 22).

Generation X faces many issues unique to their generation, technology was advancing, and computer were becoming more affordable and widespread. They faced both social and ecological issues, with advances in medicine that caused the generation before them to live longer, and being the one of the first generations to be effected by student loan debt. Generation Xers are often known for their high level of skepticism and their “what do I get out of this” attitudes. They are considered to be the first generation of “latchkey” kids, or kids without much boundaries. During the 60’s and 70’s divorce rates were at an all-time high, so many of the children of this generation were exposed to large amounts of divorce (Schroer). Which might explain for the high levels of skepticism and freedom they had. It seemed they also didn’t care much for politics sense they had the lowest voting participant rate of any other generation.

A generation can be defined as the period, cohort or age of a group of people. Age is seen as the age that the persons were when particular transitions or events in life take place. Period can be defined as the overall experience of a person’s lifetime. Lastly, cohort can be seen as the overall grouping of people who have shared events during their formative years that more than likely contribute to like-minded behavior throughout the duration of their lives. There are currently four generations in United States society: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X and The Millennials. The silent generation was born between the years of 1930 and 1945. Significant events during this time period include but are not limited to World War II and the Great Depression. The baby boomer generation was born between the years of 1946 and 1964. Significant events for this generation include the substantial growth of the middle class as well as economic prosperity. Generation X is born in the time period of 1965-1979, this generation was brought together by the big energy issue as well as the Vietnam War. Lastly the final generation that is currently in the workforce are the Millennials. This generation was born between the years 1980 and 2001, this group is brought together by the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as the internet

Currently, there are five main generations. Traditionalists are the oldest generation, being born between 1900 and 1945. They only constitute 5% of the current workforce, as most have retired (Wiedmer 2015, 51). The baby boomers are the oldest and largest generation currently in the workforce (Wong et al. 2008, 878). This generation was born following World War II between 1945 and 1964, with approximately 76 million individuals (Wiedmer 2015, 52). Generation X was born from 1965 to 1981 and is also known as the baby busters because their birth rates are vastly lower than the baby boomers (Wiedmer 2015, 53). Generation Y, or the millennials, was born between 1982 and 1995 and grew up in a very different time compared to their predecessors, with

The current generations in the workplace today are Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Each generation brings their own values and mindsets to the mix. Although genetics play a part in a person’s characteristics, the generation in which someone is born into also plays an integral part in shaping their mind, values, goals, and work ethics. People from the same generation share similar experiences, and this can influence how they think politically and socially.

7.) Generations are people who are born and living at a relatively similar period. Generation X is more ethically diverse than previous generations. This generation of people were born from 1965 to the early 1980’s. More importantly, this generation shares the appreciation for individuality and acceptance of racial-ethnicity. People in this generation were raised in different family structures. This generation of people work hard and tend to be less educated. Significant events during this time period are the Berlin Wall falling, AIDS epidemic, and the Gulf War. Also, this generation of people are known for their resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability. The Millennial Generation is the largest cohort in recent history. This generation

According to The New York Times, the average person born in the later years of the baby boom held around 10.5 jobs between the age of 18 and 40, which is much more than what the previous generations held. The job one obtains after graduation would probably not be the last job of his/her lifetime, that is in today’s corporate race, a job becomes more of a pit-stop—one to stay in until either the employer or employee feels dissatisfied—rather than a final destination. Given this condition, a person must constantly show their worth and perform better than others to stay employed, but it seems that the situation is not that simple; many stumble over transitions between jobs, falling off tracks just the slightest and finding themselves unable to

As generation Y, the first group to come of age in the new millennium, grows and matures, they have entered the workforce at an increasingly high rate, making them the fastest growing segment of the United States workforce (Dorsey, 2010, pg. 15). These “youngsters” are typically in their early 20’s to early 30’s, still in the early and formative stages of their careers (Wain, 2013, pg. 308). Joining these Millennials in the workforce are those known as Generation X, consisting of the middle generation born from around 1965-1984 (Wain, 2013, pg. 308). At the far end of the age-workforce spectrum sit the Baby Boomers – those born between the years of 1946 and 1964 (Kaifi, Nafei, Khanfar & Kaifi, 2012, pg. 89). And finally, the oldest generation still trying to eke out their last paychecks before retirement is the Traditionalists, born between the years of 1937 and 1945 (American Medical Writers, 2012).

The 51 million members of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1976, grew up in a very different world than previous generations. Divorce and working moms created "latchkey" kids out of many in this generation. This led to traits of independence, resilience and adaptability. Generation X feels strongly that "I don't need someone looking over my shoulder." At the same time, this generation expects immediate and ongoing feedback, and is equally comfortable giving feedback to others.

Generation X by Douglas Coupland reveals the struggles of the post-baby boomer generation in asserting themselves as conventionally successful members of society. Written and set in Palm Springs, California, the book tells the tale of three close friends who, falling into the group of people born after the post-war baby-boom, have left behind their old lives and moved to Palm Springs in search of a cleaner, less materialistic existence. Originally meant to be a non-fiction handbook for the generation born after the baby boom, Coupland’s final fictitious work had an increasingly profound effect worldwide after being published in 1991. Influenced by his own life among other things, Generation X discusses the plights faced by “twentysomethings”

Generation Xers see themselves as a generation with its own voice and vision. They are said to be savvy consumers with an annual spending power of 125 billion dollars. Most of which they spend on electronics and computer products. However they have economic problems: the starting wages of entry level jobs are declining, housing cost are so high that 46% are still living with mom or dad. But despite their financial pressures, they are as likely as baby boomers to think about long term savings and retirement plan.

The third generation represented is often referred to as “Generation X.” Members of this group are born between 1965 and 1979. Kyles (2005) defines them as individualistic, disloyal, techno literate, and one of the most challenging groups to manage. This can be attributed to the fact that this group grew up in the rebellious years of the sixties and seventies. Marshall (2004) states, “The employer has to provide an opportunity to work and grow, or they are going to leave” (p. 18). This says a lot about the influence of culture on this generation.

Each generation has certain characteristics and values with which the members of it can identify. Members of Generation X highly value their job and family time; so they try to find a balance between these two aspects of their lives. Generation X are hardworking people, but they are

Gen X was found to be more team oriented than the Boomers in studies conducted by Karp and Sirias (Arnold, 1998). Having fun on the job is meaningful to this group; which has created a leadership style that sets them apart from the older generations.

“Generation X” (“Gen-Xers”), born from about 1960 – 1980, maintained some attributes typical of the “Baby Boomer” generation, but feel that their upbringing was too strict. They added an emphasis on work/life