Dear Corporate America
Business August 24th, 2007
Dear Corporate America,
I’ve been meaning to send you this letter for quite a while now. Every time I hear a “corporate type” talk about the youth of today, I want to pull them aside and explain a few things, so here we go. I would like to take the time to inform you of all the valuable talent that your missing out on. While you’re concerned that “young people just don’t have any loyalty anymore,” you haven’t bothered to take a look at why this is. While you’re busy hiring talented college graduates, you fail to put them to any good use. In fact you’re scared that they might know more than you by their second day of work, rendering you useless. Well guess what, we want to be put to use, we want to work hard and we want to belong to something bigger than we are. This is why we took the job in the first place, right.
Unfortunately, we’ve been let down far too many times by far too many mediocre companies. If we wanted to push papers across a desk we could stay at home. The problem is, if you sit at home you don’t get paid, so talent goes to waste at work instead. It’s not that young people today are not loyal, it’s that they are not properly challenged. So remember that while our grandparents put in thirty years at the office without raising an eyebrow, the young adults of today have a choice. In fact, more than ever are choosing to work for themselves. Whatever it takes is the motto of today’s young people. Even if we have to live out of a van down by the river for the next two years while we get on our feet, it’s much better than working at your lousy company for 2 weeks.
There are exceptions out there, there are great companies that breed talent. These are few and far between. Good luck with your next hiring spree corporate America. Here’s a hint, if you can’t provide a community that fosters creativity and unity you will be conducting these hiring sprees for years to come. Stop using the words “work ethic” when you’re unable to provide a creative environment for employees to prosper. Stop over promising and under producing, and loyalty will find you.
Business Blogger
August 26th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Here’s a P. S. for your letter:
We will be as loyal to you as you are to us. Living with the fear of being laid off does not foster loyalty!
September 11th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
My own feelings are the youth of today waste too much energy looking for the easiest option in anything they do. They lack morale courage and a good work ethic.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Pete,
If you go into a business relationship with the youth of today thinking these preconceived ideas you won’t get many positive results. You sound a little prejudice. Have you had some bad experiences or are these just general feelings.
The easiest option is not always a bad one, especially if it produces the same or better results. It’s sometimes referred to as creativity. Personal issues should be weeded out easily in the hiring process and courage can be taught. Work ethic is a cop out term too often used in a defensive fashion by employers when discussing employees that they could not seem to motivate properly.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:28 am
I soon will be graduating with my business degree from a division two school. The competition is fierce, to say the least. Competitive, motivated, and courageous youth are out there, you just have to look.
September 16th, 2007 at 10:56 am
I couldnt agree more, Im currently a university student and no one I know wants to graduate and just become a paper pusher no matter the pay. We are willing to be underpaid and overworked just as long as we find the job meaningful.