03.04.09 Gen Y not fazed by GFC. When the financial crisis hit it didn’t take long for Generation X to start muttering about getting sweet revenge on pampered Gen Ys who had never known tough times.
When the financial crisis hit it didn’t take long for Generation X to start muttering about getting sweet revenge on pampered Gen Ys who had never known tough times.
However, Gen Y experts such as Peter Sheahan claim the “Me” generation is far more resilient than people give them credit for.
“They’re the ones saying, ‘Do you know what? I’m going to deal with this the way I do best.’
“This could be jumping ship before they’re pushed and perhaps moving into the public sector where there are jobs, or leveraging their network through family and friends, which they haven’t done before, to find work.
“It might even be deciding to go back and study to acquire more skills or to travel – something they knew they wouldn’t be able do in another job.”
Whatever approach they take, Mr Sheahan says Gen Ys have not curled up into a ball but rolled with the punches.
Diana Palmer, 25, is a case in point. Redundancy from her sales role at an art gallery was just an invitation to explore a new career path.
“It has been kind of good for me as I’ve had the chance to work out what I want to do and what I want to do for the next ten years.
“I’m sitting the entry exam to study medicine and I’m also doing a Masters in Health Communications at the University of Sydney,” she said.
According to Ms Palmer, about “20 per cent” of her friends have been retrenched but all have seen it as an opportunity for action including to go travelling using their redundancy pay outs. “They’re people who worked in the property or finance industry. Most of them were offered good jobs straight out of uni and though it would be better to start working then rather than doing what they actually wanted to do, which was go overseas,” she explained
Olivia Thomas, 21, who graduated from RMIT last year with a Bachelor of Communications, has also decided to go travelling after applying for “a dozen” public relations roles without success.
“It seems there just aren’t enough jobs for those who don’t have much experience,” Ms Thomas said.
“I graduated with a class of about 40 people in my [public relations] major and less than a dozen have found full time jobs.
“The rest are doing casual work, some have decided to travel and others are going back to uni to do honours.”
Ms Thomas, who has been temping as a receptionist and working in a bar to fund her trip through Africa, the Middle East, Europe and South East Asia, will also fulfil her dream to see the gorillas in Rwanda.
“It’s the perfect opportunity for me to travel as I don’t have a mortgage and there is nothing else keeping me here. Hopefully in ten months when I come back the GFC will have eased and I can find a job,” she said.
Far from being a cop out, Mr Sheahan says travelling allows people to gain exposure to new experiences, which will become a valuable addition to their resume.
“Right now employers can be a lot pickier about the candidates they interview and select so doing things that stand out and are a little edgier are going to help you stick out from the competition.”
Mr Sheahan’s advice to graduates and other members of Gen Y who do find themselves between jobs or without a job is to continue to be proactive.
“Whatever it is, force yourself do something in the interim that makes you more employable, remain focused and back yourself,” he added.
By: Zsa-Zsa Bowie Wilson
Article From: CareerOne.com.au
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05.08.10
