Generation Y - have we created a monster?

I have become somewhat of a generational expert, having appeared on national TV and radio talking about generation Y and employment issues. Recently whilst travelling on a delayed flight, I started to think from a parental point of view rather than as a recruiter about the challenges that generation Y face.

As parents we all want a better life for our children than perhaps we have had. I certainly wanted a better or less painful childhood experiences for my sons than I have had. Is that perhaps why we created such a self indulged generation? My parenting situation was not unique. I divorced at 30 when my sons were 5 and 18 months old. On reflection, I absolutely indulged them. They attended private schools, had all the latest games and enjoyed lovely holidays accompanying me on my speaking trips as well as a couple of Christmas cruises. On reflection I indulged them because I had so very little time to spend with them. They were essentially brought up by my parents and various housekeepers whilst I climbed the corporate ladder.

Now of course that they are grown and on their own way in life I wonder whether I have given them enough life skills to "make it". My eldest is about to move in with his girlfriend and I wonder how someone who has always had a cleaner to clean up after him actually possesses the skills to clean up after himself. Is this my fault? Should I have better equipped my sons to face disappointment and failure. My concern for Gen Y is that so few of them have been dissapointed in their lives so far. They haven't on the whole been told to be patient, to try harder or that you have to actually work quite hard to get anywhere in life.

Should we as parents stop indulging them and start parenting more like many of us were parented?

Spring is almost here!

I have been very happy to hear the positive sentiment about the economy in recent days. That means that we will soon be back to "normal". That is, lots of jobs and no candidates. If you have worked diligently through the "winter" of the economy, you should start to see shoots sprouting soon. The recruiters who took the time to build solid client relationships prior to this difficult economic time fared much better than those who didn't. Is there a lesson in this and have you learned it? How are you going to ensure that you spend less time at the contingent end of the market and more time at the exclusive and retained? Now is the time to decide on your future and set your goals accordingly. Learn the all important skills for building better relationships and headhunting and use your networks more effectively. Use this time to "start over" on your desk and redefine it, and finally get ready for the ride once again!

Why are we all coming down with swine flu or some sort of the virus? Why are we unmotivated, stressed and unhappy? Why do many of us suffer from depression or related conditions?

One of the things about humans is that we avoid change, enjoy structure and like the status quo. We get used to how things work and most of us actually enjoy working within the confines of KPI reports and expectations being clearly reported as we know what the end result of our activities will be.

We have enjoyed one of the longest periods of solid economic growth in history. In fact for some Gen Y's this is the first uncertain economic time they have experienced. I'm not enjoying this time. My business started to go quiet in April and since then I have almost been on the longest holiday I have had since I started working some 25 years ago! No job is safe and for those of us whom are self employed, these times can be even more worrying.

How can you stay positive and get through these times?
Remember that "this time shall pass". Even though it may seem really tough right now, keep things in perspective. What's the worst that can happen? Yes you can lose your job, so what? Life has taught me that when one door closes another opens. It may be really ugly at the time but I assure you that you will emerge a better, stronger more resilient person as a result.

Do what you need to do to take care of yourself - exercise, read, spend time in nature. All of these activities cost almost nothing. Improve your skills so that you ready when the market turns but most importantly, reach out for help and support if you need to and remember that "this time shall pass".
Have a great day.

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Gaynor Lowndes is the founder of The Recruitment Training Company which is the leader in the provision of training to the recruitment industry in Australia and New Zealand. Her first book “The Art of Recruitment” has become the recruiter’s bible and her new book promises to be a great read.