Career Coaching for Generation Y

June 12, 2012

Generation Y are generally recognised as being born in the early 1980’s to the early/mid 1990’s.

They are sometimes known as the ‘echo boomers’ as they are usually the children of the ‘baby boomers’

They are tagged with the general nature of being adept with communications, media and digital technologies.

As well as these skills many have grown up in a more liberal, creative and ‘questioning the norm’ environment which make them inquisitive and innovative……..their career coaching needs to appreciate and reflect this.

As of today they will be between approx’ 18 and 32 years old, so they may be at a vocational academic level or in an initial defining career role.

Although many in the 18 to 24 category in Europe will be experiencing the highest level of unemployment for a generation, which in turn some predict will cause long term social and economic damage.

Career coaching and advice Generation Y will have received will have been a mixed bag of technology focused and free/open market thinking as well as potentially wrong advice from their ‘baby boomer’ parents who entered the work place in affluent times.

A good number of years of economic challenges has seen many of Generation Y facing unemployment straight from education, redundancy being the norm’ and a struggle to gain employment related to their studies /academic courses, they will also be expecting that they will be working until their late 60’s.

To work out their individual career coaching needs we look at their specific career traits.

I.E they grew up in booming times before they reached working age when a series of downturns took hold, so some are well trained but for the wrong jobs
They are tech savvy and will rely on it to get them what they want.

Career Coaching for Generation Y needs to be targeted towards a selection of key areas and the activity after receiving career coaching well supported.

Specific skills and qualifications need to analysed and articulated in a way that reflects their transferable nature, as they may have trained in a different field
Technology and digital communications will be easy for them , flexible ways / styles of working are well accepted and work / life balance a key driving factor
A reliance on online networking needs to be addressed and traditional networking approach (offline!) to the job market will need to be developed
A transferable skills based CV is important as are supporting statements that accurately relate their abilities to new career opportunities

Generation Y’s goal may be to just get a career but a strategic set of targeted and planned career coaching activities will ensure their long term success

The Career Management Organisation can provide tailored packages of career coaching the Generation Y, contact Rob Moore, Director to hear more.