2008 Woodie Awards
Generation entering the workforce criticized for sense of entitlement
Kathleen Ryan '08
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Opinion
My entire life, I have been treated like a child.
I suppose that is rather expected for the first 18 or so years. However, I feel that this special treatment should stop upon entering college.
In recent years, I have seen countless news segments, articles, and postings about how the rest of the world feels about our generation.
According to them, we are rude, impatient, and expect to get whatever we want right away. And maybe they're right.
However, I can't help but wonder if we are being treated like children because of the way we are acting or, if the reputations of others precede us.
For those of us who have put in our four years at Saint Joseph's and are approaching graduation, the impact of entering the work force-both on us and corporate America-should be considered.
As a senior about to be thrown out into the inevitable, I was struck by the thought that it would not just be me entering the work force-the real world-but the rest of my generation will be there alongside me as well.
Not that I want to talk about our generation behind its back, but those big corporate guys do have a point.
I've had at least two teachers this year describe our generation and St. Joe's students in general using the same word: entitled.
One teacher in particular said that companies are resistant to hiring us because of the way we are perceived.
They think we are lazy, want instant gratification, expect to do little work, and want immediate recognition.
Yes, it is unfair to group all of us together, especially when there are plenty of us who are willing to put in overtime hours, fetch coffee from a little cubical, and pay our dues to get ahead.
However, the truth is that they are going to focus on negatives.
Those among us who are making the extra effort are quietly flying under the radar and being silenced by those of us throwing fits when we are not immediately rewarded for doing our jobs.
I suppose that is rather expected for the first 18 or so years. However, I feel that this special treatment should stop upon entering college.
In recent years, I have seen countless news segments, articles, and postings about how the rest of the world feels about our generation.
According to them, we are rude, impatient, and expect to get whatever we want right away. And maybe they're right.
However, I can't help but wonder if we are being treated like children because of the way we are acting or, if the reputations of others precede us.
For those of us who have put in our four years at Saint Joseph's and are approaching graduation, the impact of entering the work force-both on us and corporate America-should be considered.
As a senior about to be thrown out into the inevitable, I was struck by the thought that it would not just be me entering the work force-the real world-but the rest of my generation will be there alongside me as well.
Not that I want to talk about our generation behind its back, but those big corporate guys do have a point.
I've had at least two teachers this year describe our generation and St. Joe's students in general using the same word: entitled.
One teacher in particular said that companies are resistant to hiring us because of the way we are perceived.
They think we are lazy, want instant gratification, expect to do little work, and want immediate recognition.
Yes, it is unfair to group all of us together, especially when there are plenty of us who are willing to put in overtime hours, fetch coffee from a little cubical, and pay our dues to get ahead.
However, the truth is that they are going to focus on negatives.
Those among us who are making the extra effort are quietly flying under the radar and being silenced by those of us throwing fits when we are not immediately rewarded for doing our jobs.
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