On Grades and the Gen Y Workplace

We began our winter break with seven or eight inches of snow, but as we return from the extended vacation, the weather outside is simply beautiful! What a difference a few days makes this time of year.

The seniors are rather quiet right now.  Although many of them have heard from their colleges, many of them can only sit and wait until spring decisions are released.  In the meantime, there is some college news to consider.

The first - Grades Still Matter Most in College Admissions - is hardly groundbreaking, but it is a good reminder for underclassmen that what you do in the classroom is the most important part of your profile.  For me, one other comment in the article deserves to be underscored.  "Yet, on average, four year institutions accept nearly two-thirds of their applicants."  In other words, while we focus (some would say obsess) about the very small number of colleges with a single digit admit rate, most schools are not that competitive, and yes, they are still excellent academic institutions. 

On a totally different subject, I was intrigued by this article on the Gen Y workplace.  According to a new study, there is a huge difference in what employers expect from Gen Y employees and what the employees think is expected of them.  Among a few of the things that employers think this new crop of employees is missing are the soft skills we've mentioned before: the ability to prioritize, the ability to keep a positive attitude, and the ability to work in teams. The skills are especially hard for millennials to master because of their reliance on and constant interaction with technology," states Dan Schawbel, founder of Millennial Branding. "It's hard to build soft skills and real relationships through technology."

Millennials are not totally to blame however.  Many older employers have a hard time striking the right balance with their younger employees, either micromanaging them or leaving them too much to their own devices.  Neither approach works well, and both sides need to try to understand and work with the other.  If you are a millennial (or a manager, like me), the article and the study might well be worth your time.  You may still be a high school senior, but it is always good to think ahead.