Workplace Rights

Weekly (11/6/17)

Topic of the Week  Job Hunting Through the Ages: Similarities and Differences

  • All online.
  • Five to twenty hours weekly.
  • Stress and depression.
  • Start a business.

Job Hunting Through the Ages: Similarities and Differences

Technology today is changing everything, including how companies hire new employees and how job hunters find work. That's why I was intrigued when I read about a study that explored the similarities and differences between how Boomers, Gen-Xers and Millenials look for work. Given all the differences between the generations, believe it or not, there are a lot more job-hunting similarities than differences. Which reminds me of the Pollara family. Ignatius, 46, and his mom, 70, conducted a ten-year shoplifting spree that, police say, could have spanned 50 states.They were finally caught because Ignatius couldn't resist using a rewards card that allowed police to finally track them down.

This is an example of how the generations can work together, okay in this case it was illegal, but when the educational gap can be resolved, it warrants mention. Millenial Branding's survey did document how the generations can come together when it comes to job-hunting strategies, below are four similarities and one big difference.

All online. From 92% of Boomers to 96% of Millenials, the generations all spent huge tracks of time exclusively looking for jobs online. Most popular outlets were job boards, company web sites, Google, Google+ and Linkedin. Interestingly, the generations also agreed on how not to look for a job, Twitter and maintaining a personal website had very low rates of usage. However, I disagree, there should be time from every job search that is done offline.

Five to twenty hours weekly. More than half of us work less than half the time trying to get a job. As much as I understand the lure of Jerry Springer each afternoon, this is not enough time to look for a job. You need to make looking for work your full time job, this forces you to push to the outer edges of your network which is often more fruitful when it comes to making contacts.

Stress and depression. Two-thirds of job seekers of all ages struggle with stress and approximately one-third with depression. That's why it's so important to acknowledge how difficult unemployment is on your physical and mental health. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and seeking out ways to maintain your self esteem and confidence are essential. Volunteering, exercise and hobbies all are great places to start.

Start a business. Always wanted to be your own boss? There is no better time to do this than now. Really. Did you know that many of the most successful businesses, IBM, FedEx and GE, were started during rocky economic times? Don't just look for a job, look for opportunity.

School. This is the big difference between the generations. Twice as many milennials as boomers think about going back to school. The operative phrase here is lifetime learning. We all need to be constantly looking for ways to increase our skills to make us more attractive to potential employers.
The Pollera family got tripped up by carelessly using a reward card. But if you utilize the strategies above, you'll get an even bigger reward, a job.

Bob Rosner is a best-selling author and award-winning journalist. For free job and work advice, check out the award-winning workplace911.com. Check the revised edition of his Wall Street Journal best seller, "The Boss's Survival Guide." If you have a question for Bob, contact him via bob@workplace911.com.
 

Thought of the Week

"The voyage of discovery is not in looking for new landscapes, but in looking with new eyes."

–Anonymous

Weekly Comic by Jerry King

Weekly Comic by Jerry King

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