Q. Why are generations simply labeled as Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X or Gen Y? I am a "young" boomer and don't feel I fit into a broad category such as usually associated with Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964.
A. Your feelings may reflect the fact that you are a Boomer of the "Jones Generation Variety." I don't know for certain if this is true about you but… I have been to your opulent 6,000 square foot home in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and it causes me to wonder. Of course, I've never been to your beach house in Fiji, so I can't promise that I am correct in my assumption that the "Jones" generation is your best fit.
Who are these people in the "Jones" generation and why this moniker? Think about this small group of late boomers as those folks who, like you, were born between 1954 and 1962. They are thought of as spending much of their time and money keeping up with the Joneses.
Does this generation fit? Are we still friends? May I borrow your BMW?
I invite you to look up the "Beat" generation - the "Baby Buster" generation - the "Shadow" and/or "Echo" generations, the "Consciousness" generation, the "MTV" generation and other subsets of the traditional generations. Perhaps you'll find an affinity with one of these groups.
Did you know that Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were born within 60 days of each other in mid-1946? Their different perspectives illustrate the array of values found in generational cohort groups. Add Donald Trump, Reggie Jackson and my personal favorite, Jimmy Buffet, to this short age cohort list and you'll quickly see just why placing folks in generational groups is often an "iffy" practice at best!
Q. I am a recruiter and I believe that most mature workers can't keep up with using the technology required in the typical workplace. Your comments?
A. Allow me to say that recruiting is what you do - not who you are! You are, first and foremost, an aging person (like the rest of us) whose search for truth will (hopefully) blossom as you mature and learn to separate fact from myth. Start here and now. Read on.
If you are hiring people who simply need to know how to use standard office technology, I suggest that you think about how easy it is to use these tools. Office-based technology is so simple that if folks can't learn to work with today's tools, maybe they should not be driving on any highway, much less the technology highway. The question is, can they learn? Ask the right questions about how they have managed change and conquered new tasks and you'll have the answer as to whether they will step up and learn to master the relatively minor challenges of workplace technology.
Have you heard of Peter Weddles? Note to recruiters and HR professionals. Take a look at www.weddles.com. Peter is a remarkable guru about many subjects in the field of recruitment and HR. Scroll down and read what he said about mature workers and their ability to hunt for jobs and apply online.
"There are more people over the age of 56 (10%) visiting job boards and corporate career sites than there are people under the age of 25 (8.8%) who do so. There are almost as many people over the age of 50 (22.4%) using employment sites as there are people under the age of 30 (26.8%) who use them. The usage pattern across the entire population is almost evenly split between those under the age of 40 (53.7%) and those over it (46.3%)."
This is the bottom line according to Weddle's Research. "The alleged deficiencies of "older" workers—they don't learn quickly, they are Luddites with new technology, they can't relate to younger workers—have all now been decisively disproven."
Finally,
if you want to hire a technology expert,
may I introduce you to my neighbor's 14 year-old son?
Q. Why are Americans so worried about saving? Everyone I know is saving as much as they can. I think all of this worry may be caused by financial institutions trying to get our money.
A. Think again.
Q. I believe that Americans are planning to work longer in order to stay financially secure. What do you think?
A. Good plan. Now, please tell U.S. employers about this plan and see if they will help you to work longer. Here's what Sun Life Financial says about how this plan is really working.
"Not only are many Americans financially unprepared for retirement, but a recent survey by Sun Life Financial of individuals forced to retire reveals that 22% of all retirees are forced into retirement several years before they had anticipated. The forced retirements have not only left retirees well short of their financial goals, but 69% of respondents also stated their overall retirement plans have been affected either a great deal or somewhat, requiring them to reduce expenses and change their lifestyles to adjust to their new status. Moreover, 55% of all respondents also say they were ineligible for Social Security benefits when they were forced to leave the workforce. ‘Not only are Americans not saving enough for their planned retirement, but our survey found that more than one in five will retire an average of eight years before they expected,' said Mary Fay, Vice President & General Manager, Annuities of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (U.S.)."
The S-AGE asks:
Are you prepared to remain competitive throughout your maturity?
