Baby Boomers sowed into the wind and now are reaping a whirlwind.
After graduating from business school, recruiters told me I didn’t have enough experience although I had worked three years at an energy company in the public relations department. In other words, I was too young.
Thirty years later there has been a complete shift in corporate recruiting behavior. Today’s companies tend to neglect the older, experienced professionals and prefer fresh, young college graduates. There are companies willing to pay close to six-figures for the perspectives of these digitally connected college grads.
I have three daughters in this Millennial age group so I am genuinely very happy for them. Baby Boomers had their chance and have screwed up the corporate system by causing a severe lack of trust in management and a 79.5% employee disengagement level, according to the Gallup Organization.
Karma is ruthless.
Baby Boomers are getting a taste of their own medicine. Many of them were telling young people the not-enough-experience excuse. Today the tables have turned and the con is up. Grey-haired baby boomers are getting the too-much-experience line. Baby Boomers played by the rules, worked long hours to get ahead, and sacrificed their families, only to be laid-off. After the Great Recession, many of them have lost almost everything and are on the opposite side of the interview desk.
The tide has turned.
Young beats old. A lack of loyalty supersedes loyalty. Smooth faces are preferred over wrinkles. Meaningful work replaces drudgery. Balanced living triumphs over chaos. Flexibility is outpacing face time. Results dominate busy work. Flat organizations are overtaking command and control environments. Great places to work are dominating merely average workplaces.
Demand for originality.
On the bright side for Baby Boomers, there is a demand for originality. As long as you can demonstrate unique, creative skills, it doesn’t matter if you are young, old, short, tall, skinny or overweight. If you become the best at your craft, an original and not a copy, there will be demand for your work.
