The New Generation???

Try and read the whole article before commenting. I couldn't get past this portion:
American Dream Is Elusive for New Generation - Yahoo! Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-Dream-Is-Elusive-for-nytimes-1858628195.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=5&asset=&ccode=)

The daily routine seldom varied. Mr. Nicholson, 24, a graduate of Colgate University, winner of a dean’s award for academic excellence, spent his mornings searching corporate Web sites for suitable job openings. When he found one, he mailed off a résumé and cover letter — four or five a week, week after week.

Over the last five months, only one job materialized. After several interviews, the Hanover Insurance Group in nearby Worcester offered to hire him as an associate claims adjuster, at $40,000 a year. But even before the formal offer, Mr. Nicholson had decided not to take the job.

Rather than waste early years in dead-end work, he reasoned, he would hold out for a corporate position that would draw on his college training and put him, as he sees it, on the bottom rungs of a career ladder.

I can't wrap my head around his reasoning. I've always thought; get your foot in the door, work hard, do what needs to be done - not necessarily the same as what is in your job description, and you'll get where you want to be - however you define that.

Try and read the whole article before commenting. I couldn't get past this portion:
American Dream Is Elusive for New Generation - Yahoo! Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-Dream-Is-Elusive-for-nytimes-1858628195.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=5&asset=&ccode=)



I can't wrap my head around his reasoning. I've always thought; get your foot in the door, work hard, do what needs to be done - not necessarily the same as what is in your job description, and you'll get where you want to be - however you define that.

Yep agreed. A degree means nothing without experience. Experience translates across job fields too, there is meaningful transferrable skills you can pick up even in a "dead-end" job. Especially in this economy... get your foot in the door somewhere and start building up your resume.

none of these kids want to do any grunt work. they all want top level jobs, at top level pay. this generation feels like they are owed a pay check- they don't have to work for it

I find it pretty funny that he thinks that a claims job with a major insurance company is dead-end. I'm gonna take a wild guess that this kid has never flipped burgers.

I find it pretty funny that he thinks that a claims job with a major insurance company is dead-end. I'm gonna take a wild guess that this kid has never flipped burgers.
I don't understand this either. $40k to start, and with potential to move up, and he sees this as a dead-end? He wants to not be home, yet here is an opportunity to get the funds to be able to be independent, and he turns his nose at it? 6-12 months as a claims adjuster busting his hump and he could most likely be reconsidered for their managerial training program. With Mom & Dad's annual income, and Grandparents who paid for his Colgate education, it doesn't surprise me that he has this mentality. It's a shame he's letting an opportunity go because he feels it's beneath him.

Seriously,

40K, living at home for maybe a year-2, with no attachments (apparently) and he would be right on Schneed's path for life! - and I mean that in a good way.

Even if he rented an apartment after working for 2-3 months, he'd still be better off than staying at home and waiting for his perfect opportunity to drop in his lap.

none of these kids want to do any grunt work. they all want top level jobs, at top level pay. this generation feels like they are owed a pay check- they don't have to work for it

Welcome to America. It's not exclusive to this generation, the sense of entitlement just gets stronger with each successive generation.

Welcome to America. It's not exclusive to this generation, the sense of entitlement just gets stronger with each successive generation.

? I didn't grow up with that sense of entitlement. I know my Dad worked his behind off to make a way for my Mom and his kids. I know I have worked my behind off for my kids. Now do my kids have a sense of entitlement, maybe, but over the summer I make them work with me a couple hours a week, they "earn" a paycheck, and they are learning that if they want a video game, or that extra smoothie from McD's over the summer, they better be giving me a good effort on the mornings they are at work with me. If a child grows up with a sense of entitlement, in my opinion, it comes in a good part from a lack of training from the parents.

I find it pretty funny that he thinks that a claims job with a major insurance company is dead-end. I'm gonna take a wild guess that this kid has never flipped burgers.


I was going to say the same thing!!!!! What a little brat, good luck finding something now.

Plus $40k right out of school is pretty good money, IMO. I think I made $25k in my first career job and that was 1996.