Employers and the New Generation

Often times candidates and students ask..."What are you looking for in an employee?"
This day and age the fundamentals of a good employee have been lost and are becoming more difficult to find especially in the US.

What challenges do employers face today?

1. Growing sense of entitlement among new associates.
2. Impatience.
3. Unrealistic Expectations.
4. Lack of Committment and Dedication.

It is correct to assume that you can do whatever you put your mind to; however, that does not mean that you will have it tomorrow. Hard work, time and dedication are needed to achieve your goals. I always recommend being fair to yourself and be fair to your employer. If a young professional has the unrealistic expectation of putting a time limit on forward progression and advancement they are setting themselves up for frustration and disappointment and the employer's patience is growing thin.

For example, an assistant came to me one time and said, "I have been in my position for a year and a half and I feel the time has come for me to be promoted. I want to be promoted within 6 months or I am finding another job." The mistake here is that the assistant has just threatened their employer, secondly they have put an unrealistic time frame on their growth and thirdly, their priorities are focused on a title rather than the skills they are learning and the strength of their development.

A general guideline is that it takes at least 1 to 2 years to fully understand the responsibilities of your position when you first start out. A second rule of thumb is that you are most successful and more prepared for the next step in your career if have developed to the point that you are performing at the level you wish to be promoted to.

Some advice:

Be dedicated and committed to your work. It's the little things that count. In order to get ahead you need to go above and beyond the average.

Attention to detail and accuracy. Double check and proof read your work. Sending out errors or incorrect information on a regular basis can tarnish your integrity.

Take responsibility for your actions. There is nothing worse for an employer than to hear long drawn out excuses of why things are not correct or why things were not completed in a timely fashion.

Show up and be on time. If you don't show up prepared and ready to go you miss out on opportunities. Tardiness is not acceptable. Consistent tardiness can many times result in being excused from your position.

Be patient and focus on your learning, growth and development. If this is your focus and you succeed you will reap the benefits.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this subject.