Why millennials can't land jobs

[k3n]

delete

 

[SP33Demon]

...

Online applications have enabled people to just spam applications. Some job across the country because it pays $xyz k per year. Haven't got a damn clue about the business. It drives down wages and drives up competition for jobs, but I firmly believe this is false. These people are not good fits for these jobs. Indeed.com is not your friend if you are competing with millions of people for the same jobs.

The millennials treat online applications like anything else online. Hmmm what jobs can I google for? Odds are if its a top result, everyone else is seeing that job too. Then they go to actually apply. Its online, they treat it like facebook, casually, without really being exposed to 'the game' by visiting various HR offices in person. Then your resume goes into the digital shredder in the sky. With the thousands of others.

You may be onto something here regarding only applying for online jobs. Back in the day when I got my first internship, I cold called 50 tech companies to inquire about openings. I would ask to speak to a manager of their IT dept if possible. Many would say sorry, they didn't have any openings but they appreciated my call and asked me to send them a copy of my resume in case a position came up. In fact, more than a few said they had positions opening up that weren't advertised online. That led to mailing out 45 resumes, which led to 5 offers in a span of less than 6 months. It was a shitload of work but I knew my peers weren't doing this and the company who I interned with was impressed by my effort to go the extra mile. In fact, I learned about this method from a small 100pg interview book on how to get the job you want. All of this was despite the fact that my GPA wasn't great.

Not sure this would work today, but it goes along the "how bad do you want it". I would have run 50 miles in a day if it meant getting a good internship. I get the impression that some applicants in newer generations wouldn't even drive 50 miles for an interview, let alone the other stuff in the OP.

 

[Anubis]

i prob fall in the mellennials, upper end im 32

I wore a suit to my last interview, the ones before that i wore nice dress pants a dress shirt and tie, just did not take the topcoat as it was 100 degress out in the middle of july. Always been better dressed then the person/persons doing the interviews, who mostly in kakies and a polo/button down, some wore dress pants + button down but no tie
always resume
always a notepad (padfolio) i hate that word BTW
phone always turned off

really not sure why some people in here bitch about any of that. the last time i didnt dress up for an interview was when i was in HS and got a job working at the gas station



i still want someone to tell me why playing video games in leisure time is bad. which someone said back on page 1

 

[Veliko]

i still want someone to tell me why playing video games in leisure time is bad. which someone said back on page 1

Because back in their day they went outside and made their own fun. If they were able to enjoy themselves by climbing trees, rolling down the hill, and restricting the rights of gays, women, and black people then why can't you?

 

[JTsyo]

As a gainfully employed millennial, I have to ask:

Aren't these people just your everyday idiot? I mean, except for issues born of inexperience, what does their age really indicate?

Because I've put in the time, heard the stories, and I'm pretty sure most of the boomers were feckless twits in their 20s too.

This is true. I've read something from the 1920s and it was the same complaint. The new generation was useless and wasted their time on the radio, they didn't compare well to the generation that fought WW1 etc.

 

[NoCreativity]

That's a nice rant - it has to be said, you pro-suiters are an angry lot when challenged - but it doesn't actually have anything to do with what I was saying.

If you're going to write an article on how the youth of today are feckless then you're going to have to come up with something a little more concrete than "they didn't bring a copy of their CV to an interview."

You missed the point of his post. Hint: it wasn't about wearing a suit or bringing a hard copy of a resume to an interview.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

i still want someone to tell me why playing video games in leisure time is bad. which someone said back on page 1

If you've read many of Korea74's posts, you'll know the answer. (HINT: He is pretty clueless)

 

[BikeJunkie]

Good, don't wear a suit to your next interview and don't bring resumes with you. Don't bring a pen and pad, and while you're at it bring your parents and kick your feet up. I don't give a fuck. Your (and other slacker millenials that follow in the same vein) attitude shows you're not willing to do what it takes to get the job that the next person will. Social intellect and strong work ethic > skillset. I'd hire a fresh out of college millenial over a senior as long as they can show me they're half competent with the material and would go the extra mile to get the job. You don't fit that type, so just move along in your job search after I don't call back.

Sincerely,
Gen Xer

Nailed it. This thread isn't really about griping about millennials. It's just a thread about observation. I'm a mid/late 30's IT professional who, 10 years ago, starting wondering/worrying about what would happen to my prospects when I had to compete with the next generation of youths. At the time, I looked around and sure didn't see many 40+ year olds thriving in IT.

Fast forward to today. I take a look at the tangible manifestation of the youth I pondered a decade ago and almost laugh at my unfounded worries. This is a generation of workers that can hardly breathe without someone holding their hand, giving them a pass, or tapping away at their phone. The competition is so thin, bare, and nearly nonexistent that I hardly ever think about it.

I'm not bitching at you millennial, I'm secretly thanking you You make me look indispensable.

I kid (sort of). In actuality, when a put-together millennial comes along, they really do have the world by the ass. If you're in your mid 20's and aren't walking around with a metric ton of pride sitting on your shoulders, you can and will go far. I've seen it. I've facilitated it. Youngin's like you are a breath of fresh air, and teams/companies across the country are clamoring for that diamond in the rough.

 

[sourceninja]

For the record, I'm in my mid 30's. This is my take as someone who is gainfully employeed and a senior in my field. It's the responses that make most of these examples a failure.

Casual Clothes - Ok this one is always a failure. Wear a suit!

Late without any explanation or apology - It's ok to be late, but in a world of cell phones it's not ok to be late without a phone call.

No printed copies of resume - I stopped brining these 10 years ago after never being asked ever for a copy of my resume during an interview. Hell, the last 3 jobs I didn't even send a resume. I've never asked a canidate for their resume durning the interview. This seems pointless to me. I just simply don't understand how this is preperation. If anything, being asked for my resume during an interview shows how prepared the interviewer is, and thusly reflects poorlly on their management skills. This is probably a bad sign.

No padfolio/pen - I have a cell phone. I have not written on paper for note taking in at least 5 years. Neither of us would be able to read it if I wrote on it anyway. Any time I've needed to demo something I've had a whiteboard where the large size will make up for my horrible penmanship. The reason I don't take notes in the interview is as follows:

1) I already did my research before the interview. I know what I want to ask.
2) I ask my questions as they arise. This is just as much my time to see if I want the job as it is your time to see if you want me. I don't need to take notes on your answers, I just need to decided if the culture suits me. If an interview becomes a one way conversation where they ask, I answer and we have no back and forth then I'm not interested in the job. That shows me a work environment that is built on decree.
3) Let's face it, I have to ask you questions to look "prepared", so except in the rare instance you say something that the last dozen employers didn't say I'm really asking every potential employer the same 4 or 5 boilerplate questions. The answers don't really concern me at all. I just need to ask those questions to make you happy.

I'm not saying the examples given were not horrible ways to interview. Just that the 'reasons' are kinda silly in the modern era. I've gotten almost every job I've ever applied for. Only one job have I ever been turned down, it was because I wanted too much money (at the time my self worth was a bit too high for my actual ability).

 

[Anubis]

If you've read many of Korea74's posts, you'll know the answer. (HINT: He is pretty clueless)

lol :biggrin:

 

[DigDog]

i showed up for an interview (this was for a assistant manager job in a casino's restaurant) wearing casual clothes, and was turned down and told this was because of how i dressed.

here is what i was wearing (i still remember)

Spoiler

full-grain leather, limited run Stylelab (Diesel) jacket
tailored italian silk shirt
azure t-shirt from satellite records, nyc
The Banks Gold (Nixon) limited run watch
Gucci belt
Levis white 505 (out of production) thin leg
Air Jordan shoes
hair by Vidal Sassoon Saloon, perfume by guerlain.

thats about two grand worth of stuff, *if* you can get it.

i won't pass judgement on my interviewers. i've also changed my habits, and i've attended many interviews with suit n boot, but thats just because i think of suits as my day-to-day wear.

i do however find it weird when people post ads for "dynamic" personalities and "can do attitude" and then don't seem to appreciate these when given them.

but this was ten years ago. maybe today i woudl have been hired on teh spot.

thing is, it doesn't matter what you wear, because there is no one standard which is "reputable work wear", and wearing a suit doesn't make you a banker anymore; actually, many people will feel that wearing a suit (for example, off the rack from marks n spencer) means you are just plain bad.
the point here is:

1) being the interviewer, the person in power, makes you a dick
2) being a dick means you think whatever is good for you, is good for the company

interviews are scientifically proven to be over in 20 seconds; they see you, they decide if they like you, and very little will change their minds because people are animals, and dumb ones at that.

A great boss would be one who thinks your attitude stinks, but your skills he can work with. Accepting that you might be different and yet the two can work together.
i can only dream.

 

[xanis]

I think some of it has to do with the current university culture. I kept good company in college, but I met a lot of people that were only going through the motions to get that Business degree because they thought college was just "what you do". They never had any drive to begin with, and four years of partying and half-assing classes won't exactly help them develop their professional skills.

Also, they don't adequately prepare themselves for the real world. I doubt most colleges teach any sort of professionalism or workplace ethics, but ultimately it's up to the student to take the initiative to learn some more stuff before they get that piece of paper. I was fortunate in that my father has spent most of his career in management and takes professionalism very seriously; he taught me how to write a cover letter and resume, how to dress, how act and how to kiss some ass. Most importantly, he taught me that I had to start somewhere, no job was beneath me, and that every experience is valuable in some way.

 

[xanis]

About suits: All of my jobs out of college have been at extremely casual places, but I wore suits to each and every job interview I went on. For me, It's not about hiding something or compensating for a weakness, it's about telling the person interviewing me, "Hey, I give a shit".

 

[Blackjack200]

here is what i was wearing (i still remember)

Spoiler

full-grain leather, limited run Stylelab (Diesel) jacket
tailored italian silk shirt
azure t-shirt from satellite records, nyc
The Banks Gold (Nixon) limited run watch
Gucci belt
Levis white 505 (out of production) thin leg
Air Jordan shoes
hair by Vidal Sassoon Saloon, perfume by guerlain.

Hmm, did you try the local escort agency?

 

[Veliko]

You missed the point of his post. Hint: it wasn't about wearing a suit or bringing a hard copy of a resume to an interview.

The point of his post had nothing to do with my post that he was replying to.

 

[BikeJunkie]

i showed up for an interview (this was for a assistant manager job in a casino's restaurant) wearing casual clothes, and was turned down and told this was because of how i dressed.

here is what i was wearing (i still remember)

Spoiler

full-grain leather, limited run Stylelab (Diesel) jacket
tailored italian silk shirt
azure t-shirt from satellite records, nyc
The Banks Gold (Nixon) limited run watch
Gucci belt
Levis white 505 (out of production) thin leg
Air Jordan shoes
hair by Vidal Sassoon Saloon, perfume by guerlain.

thats about two grand worth of stuff, *if* you can get it.

i won't pass judgement on my interviewers. i've also changed my habits, and i've attended many interviews with suit n boot, but thats just because i think of suits as my day-to-day wear.

i do however find it weird when people post ads for "dynamic" personalities and "can do attitude" and then don't seem to appreciate these when given them.

but this was ten years ago. maybe today i woudl have been hired on teh spot.

thing is, it doesn't matter what you wear, because there is no one standard which is "reputable work wear", and wearing a suit doesn't make you a banker anymore; actually, many people will feel that wearing a suit (for example, off the rack from marks n spencer) means you are just plain bad.
the point here is:

1) being the interviewer, the person in power, makes you a dick
2) being a dick means you think whatever is good for you, is good for the company

interviews are scientifically proven to be over in 20 seconds; they see you, they decide if they like you, and very little will change their minds because people are animals, and dumb ones at that.

A great boss would be one who thinks your attitude stinks, but your skills he can work with. Accepting that you might be different and yet the two can work together.
i can only dream.

Just out of curiosity, what was the management staff wearing? At most casinos (and restaurants in casinos), it's a suit. You might have been flashy as hell, but it wasn't appropriate for the situation.

As for getting hired in 20 seconds, that doesn't at all apply if I'm interviewing you. If you look/act like you can carry yourself professionally, that's half the battle, and it takes longer than 20 seconds to make that impression. I'll give you time to go over your work history, favorite projects (I'm looking for passion when you talk about these), etc. That alone takes 5 - 10 minutes minimum (again, if you're passionate). Then we do a design problem (not actual coding - just basic diagramming). I'm actually not a fan of having people code on the spot. Many people freeze up and I've found it just doesn't tell me much (a lot of false negatives). The stuff I used to hope to get through code tests are things I can actually get through casual conversation and through the design problem.

If I'm still on the fence, I might bring up a design conundrum I've had where senior devs / architects couldn't agree on an approach. I'll present the different points of view to you and ask you to comment. No right or wrong answers here, just trying to get a sense for how you think and how you cope with that sort of conflict.

So believe me when I tell you this: unless you're a fuckwit, I haven't made my mind up about anything until after you've left the room and I've bounced my thoughts off the fella who was sitting there with me.

Hmm, did you try the local escort agency?

 

[Mixolydian]

"Why millennials can't land jobs"?

Because they don't want to work for "free"

People in general, young and old, don't want to "work" at all. THey want to sit at a desk and push papers around and get paid 6 figures for doing it.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

People in general, young and old, don't want to "work" at all. THey want to sit at a desk and push papers around and get paid 6 figures for doing it.

As opposed to loading boxes on trucks for peanuts in comparison?

 

[Mixolydian]

As opposed to loading boxes on trucks for peanuts?

It sure is better than tens of thousand dollars in student loan debt, but to each his own. you might even learn the value of real work.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

People in general, young and old, don't want to "work" at all. THey want to sit at a desk and push papers around and get paid 6 figures for doing it.

Actually we would rather fap all day to internet porn, play video games and be paid six figures.

 

[SP33Demon]

Just out of curiosity, what was the management staff wearing? At most casinos (and restaurants in casinos), it's a suit. You might have been flashy as hell, but it wasn't appropriate for the situation.

As for getting hired in 20 seconds, that doesn't at all apply if I'm interviewing you. If you look/act like you can carry yourself professionally, that's half the battle, and it takes longer than 20 seconds to make that impression. I'll give you time to go over your work history, favorite projects (I'm looking for passion when you talk about these), etc. That alone takes 5 - 10 minutes minimum (again, if you're passionate). Then we do a design problem (not actual coding - just basic diagramming). I'm actually not a fan of having people code on the spot. Many people freeze up and I've found it just doesn't tell me much (a lot of false negatives). The stuff I used to hope to get through code tests are things I can actually get through casual conversation and through the design problem.

If I'm still on the fence, I might bring up a design conundrum I've had where senior devs / architects couldn't agree on an approach. I'll present the different points of view to you and ask you to comment. No right or wrong answers here, just trying to get a sense for how you think and how you cope with that sort of conflict.

So believe me when I tell you this: unless you're a fuckwit, I haven't made my mind up about anything until after you've left the room and I've bounced my thoughts off the fella who was sitting there with me.

Yep, agree with this post. I don't make a decision until the entire interview is over and I get feedback from a colleague. This isn't dating where I decide if a woman is bangable (which would then conform to DigDog's "20 second" rule or less). We are talking about someone you will have to see and interact with every day, and I'd prefer that the person be compatible with personalities in the office + the culture. If it's for a cashier position at McD's, then I probably wouldn't care as much. White collar is a bit different. For example, I had to go through 3 different interviews for my current position: 1 was a general phone interview with team lead who quizzed me on high level technical information, 2nd was in person with team lead and 3 analysts/programmers (yes they didn't all have copies of resume and asked me for more), and 3rd was phone interview with program manager who quizzed me on technical theory and got to know more about my personality. Most senior positions on large teams are like this, 1 interview isn't going to suffice to sift through all the candidates.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It sure is better than tens of thousand dollars in student loan debt, but to each his own. you might even learn the value of real work.

Not really. It largely depends on major.

Most of us have done hot, sweaty, physical work before and have no desire to do menial labor like that again. That's what high school and college kids can do.

 

[JM Aggie08]

It sure is better than tens of thousand dollars in student loan debt, but to each his own. you might even learn the value of real work.

I can hardly see you way up there on you high horse.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

i showed up for an interview (this was for a assistant manager job in a casino's restaurant) wearing casual clothes, and was turned down and told this was because of how i dressed.

here is what i was wearing (i still remember)

full-grain leather, limited run Stylelab (Diesel) jacket
tailored italian silk shirt
azure t-shirt from satellite records, nyc
The Banks Gold (Nixon) limited run watch
Gucci belt
Levis white 505 (out of production) thin leg
Air Jordan shoes
hair by Vidal Sassoon Saloon, perfume by guerlain.

thats about two grand worth of stuff, *if* you can get it.

I'll be honest -- I don't know about your particular field, but if you came and interviewed with me dressed like that, I probably wouldn't take you seriously. I'd probably go through with the interview but you would have to be head and heels above anyone else for me to consider hiring you. That outfit would definitely cause me to dock you some points.

 

[Anubis]

Not really. It largely depends on major.

Most of us have done hot, sweaty, physical work before and have no desire to do menial labor like that again. That's what high school and college kids can do.

TBH id go back to doing manual labor if it paid better

i actually enjoy it.