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Why do you expect to find people who are fluent in Microsoft Office products? If companies are so desperate to find people who know particular software products, then they should offer training programs or some sort of test that interested job applicants can take. I guarantee you that if you made a Microsoft Office test and said that anyone who could pass it would get a job, that you'd have tons of motivated people self-teaching themselves to complete fluency.
Seriously? Should cab companies teach people how to drive? Should schools run prospective teachers through college? Should airlines hire pilots who have never sat in the front seat?
People have always been expected to bring skills to a job. Why should today's business world be different?
People have always been expected to bring skills to a job. Why should today's business world be different?
Well sure, employers have always expected people to bring "skills."
That said, because of the huge supply of labor available, employers are expecting people to bring more skills onto the job with them now than they did in the past. That's a fact. Whether this is fair or reasonable is irrelevant.
Tens of thousands of jobs becoming obsolete (and far fewer jobs springing up in their place)
Nothing entry-level
???
Baby Boomers messed up a lot of things in this world. They destroyed the economy, destroyed marriage and the family life, destroyed at least 2 generations ahead of them (by being poor parents), and made the US from a superpower to a declining nation.
It's crazy how one generation can mess up so many things...
Baby Boomers messed up a lot of things in this world. They destroyed the economy, destroyed marriage and the family life, destroyed at least 2 generations ahead of them (by being poor parents), and made the US from a superpower to a declining nation.
It's crazy how one generation can mess up so many things...
It's crazy how someone can make such broad generalizations about 76 million people who were born over a 19 year period.
Originally Posted by DavidRudisha View Post
Why do you expect to find people who are fluent in Microsoft Office products? If companies are so desperate to find people who know particular software products, then they should offer training programs or some sort of test that interested job applicants can take. I guarantee you that if you made a Microsoft Office test and said that anyone who could pass it would get a job, that you'd have tons of motivated people self-teaching themselves to complete fluency.
And there you have it. ONLY learn things if you HAVE TO - for a guaranteed outcome. That doesn't even make sense to me. All of a sudden they're "SELF MOTIVATED" because they KNOW they'll get a job? That's NOT the definition of "motivation" LOL.
Your basic premises is flawed, too. Companies are not "desperate" to find people [insert skill here]. If they were "DESPERATE" you'd have a hiring surge not a buyer's market and perhaps they'd HAVE TO TRAIN people if they couldn't find any. AND BTW, companies DO train people for jobs.
And since when does basic competency EARN you something over someone MORE accomplished?
Your analogy is like saying that ANYONE who gets a high school diploma would get a scholarship.
The CORRECT analogy is: Anyone who gets a high school diploma can get college admission. A community or state college who accepts EVERYONE. NOT a competitive college.
I have a dog walking business. I'm not going to hire you just because you know how to put a collar and leash on a dog. I'm ONLY going to hire you if you know HOW TO WALK that dog. Without killing it, getting bitten, biting other people, tearing off across the street in traffic...etc etc etc.
And sorry to tell you, those skills don't come to you by simply reading a book about dog walking or dogs. It takes DOING and I'm not risking my business on people who never did it. There are OTHER ways to get that experience (like volunteering at the shelter to LEARN)
Do YOU want to be the patient who has the nurse or doctor learning ON THE JOB?
runswithscissors just reminded me of a conversation a friend had with her real estate agent here in my town. The 20-somethings insist on buying homes that already have updated cabinets, granite countertops and hardwood floors even though those homes are in excess of $460K. They won't consider buying anything they have to update themselves. When I asked why this was the case, the response was that Mommy and Daddy are helping to fund their down payment and the young folks want move-in ready homes so they can start showing them off immediately. I guess it's the same group who were snobby because they had expensive cars and handbags they didn't buy for themselves and the ones who were paid for good grades. The agent told her, "They've been watching too much HGTV!"
Yea....Im going to chime in here on this one. Im a millennial that was fortunate enough to be able to buy a home with my wife last year. Your observation/accusation may have something to do with what I saw a LOT of when shopping for homes. The new construction in my area already HAS hardwood floors, granite countertops, and all the "updated features." In my area these sell at about 200k for a 2500+ft home. HOWEVER.....big however.....all of the 50+ year old homes in the same area act like they too are worth 200k even though they haven't been kept up to date....no granite, no fine cabinetry, 20 year old carpet etc. That's what the 20 somethings are griping about. You cant ask for the same price as new construction if youre house requires 40k worth of work to be on par with new construction. Not to mention these 50 year old homes are 1900 squ ft not 2500 squ ft.
There are so many generalizations on this thread that its difficult to know where to begin. Ill put it this way though, you baby boomers raised us millenials. You raised us with belief that the path to success was the same as it was for you, but it isn't. College tuition was driven sky high by the availability of Federally secured loans, NEW forms of labor market manipulation were invented just in the last 20 years: 1. Illegal immigration that was ignored en masse (try starting a lawn business or taking on a roofing job between semesters when Paco will do it for $2/hr) 2. H1B visas (imagine if you will an entire industry where the model is DO NOT HIRE AMERICAN WORKERS) 3. Outsourcing/Offshoring (ah but it gives us such low prices at Wally World!) Couple these labor issues with the maddening belief that everything should be green at any cost and high gas prices are somehow good for the economy, a few Wallstreet and banker shenanigans here and there.......and now you have a generation of people who would like nothing more than just to live as our parents lived.
Yea....Im going to chime in here on this one. Im a millennial that was fortunate enough to be able to buy a home with my wife last year. Your observation/accusation may have something to do with what I saw a LOT of when shopping for homes. The new construction in my area already HAS hardwood floors, granite countertops, and all the "updated features." In my area these sell at about 200k for a 2500+ft home. HOWEVER.....big however.....all of the 50+ year old homes in the same area act like they too are worth 200k even though they haven't been kept up to date....no granite, no fine cabinetry, 20 year old carpet etc. That's what the 20 somethings are griping about. You cant ask for the same price as new construction if youre house requires 40k worth of work to be on par with new construction. Not to mention these 50 year old homes are 1900 squ ft not 2500 squ ft.
I hear you, but that's not the case in my area, and I would argue that it's not the case in most. New construction costs much more than older homes where I live.
There are so many generalizations on this thread that its difficult to know where to begin. Ill put it this way though, you baby boomers raised us millenials. You raised us with belief that the path to success was the same as it was for you, but it isn't. College tuition was driven sky high by the availability of Federally secured loans, NEW forms of labor market manipulation were invented just in the last 20 years: 1. Illegal immigration that was ignored en masse (try starting a lawn business or taking on a roofing job between semesters when Paco will do it for $2/hr) 2. H1B visas (imagine if you will an entire industry where the model is DO NOT HIRE AMERICAN WORKERS) 3. Outsourcing/Offshoring (ah but it gives us such low prices at Wally World!) Couple these labor issues with the maddening belief that everything should be green at any cost and high gas prices are somehow good for the economy, a few Wallstreet and banker shenanigans here and there.......and now you have a generation of people who would like nothing more than just to live as our parents lived.
Guess what? We're not dead and we've suffered just as much as you have by a terrible economy, disappearing jobs, and being the sandwich generation expected to take care of both children and aging parents who cannot afford their medication.
But it's all about you....
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