Teens need to learn some basics about life

[Anonymous]

I am a parent of a teen who also happens to work in an office with a steady stream of college interns. Some of these kids go to very elite colleges. These college kids arrive at our office with very little understanding of work life. Here are some examples: 1) not knowing what a letter is, 2) not being able to make phone calls, 3) not showing up on time, 4) asking about days off constantly, etc. I have worked there for 15 years and things are getting worse.

Also I am a parent of teens (still in high school) and it occurred to me that my own kids have never sent mail (they have written cards that I then I addressed) and that I make all their appointments for them so I am sharing this so that your kids don't make the kind of impressions that these kids are making. For the kid who put something in the outgoing mail with no address at all on the envelope, it will be hard to be a positive reference for him.

[Anonymous]

It will be hard to write a positive reference for an intern who put something in the mail incorrectly? You sound more ridiculous than the teens. Grow up.

[Anonymous]

My kids were taught how to address envelopes in ES. And they all have had jobs since they turned 16 and u destined good workplace habits. It seems u usual that you’re dealing with so many teens that lack these skills.

[Anonymous]

My child has been sending letters and post cards since he could write. He knows at 10 if you are on time you are late. He looks adults in the eye and says hello. It is crazy parents and schools don’t teach this. That being said I believe in mentoring but I dread intern season!

[Anonymous]

Then don't hire interns. Hire people out of school. So many people in higher management take off all the time. Do you hold them to the same amount of scrutiny? Make them learn all the new technology? So they can address an envelope correctly. What about being able to use the latest technology?

[Anonymous]

I think it’s strange that you would not give a good reference to a teen who couldn’t properly address a letter, despite that being something that teens these days are pretty much never required to do.

Being consistently late; sure that’s not a good thing. But my teens work and they are on time. Not all teens do this.

Maybe use this time to teach/coach them, and if they are still unable to fulfill duties THEN you withhold a good recommendation. Internships are for learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s strange that you would not give a good reference to a teen who couldn’t properly address a letter, despite that being something that teens these days are pretty much never required to do.

Being consistently late; sure that’s not a good thing. But my teens work and they are on time. Not all teens do this.

Maybe use this time to teach/coach them, and if they are still unable to fulfill duties THEN you withhold a good recommendation. Internships are for learning.

It's strange? These kids aren't that impressive and can barely function in the real world doing big boy and girl things. Why would they deserved a good reference? Show up, do the job, and impress. That's what is required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s strange that you would not give a good reference to a teen who couldn’t properly address a letter, despite that being something that teens these days are pretty much never required to do.

Being consistently late; sure that’s not a good thing. But my teens work and they are on time. Not all teens do this.

Maybe use this time to teach/coach them, and if they are still unable to fulfill duties THEN you withhold a good recommendation. Internships are for learning.

It's strange? These kids aren't that impressive and can barely function in the real world doing big boy and girl things. Why would they deserved a good reference? Show up, do the job, and impress. That's what is required.

What I’m saying that letter writing is NOT something that happens these days. Kid email their teachers and text their friends. Many of them have not even been taught cursive. Letter writing isn’t archaic, but it isn’t common either. I was an intern in the early 2000s. If someone had asked me to use a mimeograph machine, I would have no clue how to do it. Would you?

Interns aren’t just cheap labor, they are there to learn so they can take those skills into the real world. I guarantee you weren’t perfect at your first job either.

Like I said, I agree with the being late thing being bad—but not knowing a skill that isn’t a skill used these days by many adults who auto pay bills and FaceTime grandma—is just nit picking.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP’s larger point about teaching our kids basic skills, but very much disagree on the bad reference for not knowing the skills already. We all make mistakes and have weird gaps in our knowledge. The reference could relate to how the intern handled it-did they ask for help? Once it was explained, did they go on to handle mail correctly, etc.

I’d rather a teachable intern who wants to learn than one who thinks they already know everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP’s larger point about teaching our kids basic skills, but very much disagree on the bad reference for not knowing the skills already. We all make mistakes and have weird gaps in our knowledge. The reference could relate to how the intern handled it-did they ask for help? Once it was explained, did they go on to handle mail correctly, etc.

I’d rather a teachable intern who wants to learn than one who thinks they already know everything.

One that constantly whines about the schedule and wants days off? You think that's sending the right message? Why hone in on the lack of skills and ignore the lack of interest and tenacity a more impressive intern might have? These kids don't have the right skills or attitude. What's to recommend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP’s larger point about teaching our kids basic skills, but very much disagree on the bad reference for not knowing the skills already. We all make mistakes and have weird gaps in our knowledge. The reference could relate to how the intern handled it-did they ask for help? Once it was explained, did they go on to handle mail correctly, etc.

I’d rather a teachable intern who wants to learn than one who thinks they already know everything.

One that constantly whines about the schedule and wants days off? You think that's sending the right message? Why hone in on the lack of skills and ignore the lack of interest and tenacity a more impressive intern might have? These kids don't have the right skills or attitude. What's to recommend?

I got the sense that op was talking about interns in general and not one person who didn’t know how to mail a letter and came late and asked for time off. What if each intern only did one of these things?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s strange that you would not give a good reference to a teen who couldn’t properly address a letter, despite that being something that teens these days are pretty much never required to do.

Being consistently late; sure that’s not a good thing. But my teens work and they are on time. Not all teens do this.

Maybe use this time to teach/coach them, and if they are still unable to fulfill duties THEN you withhold a good recommendation. Internships are for learning.

So the new standard is for businesses to teach your snowflake some basic life skills? Give me a break. tell your kid to grow up, and make sure they have basic skills when they go into the world. Or maybe you can’t be bothered to teach your kid anything. You’re just the parent.

[Anonymous]

This is OP again. I didn't give a bad reference. What I said is that it was hard to write a positive one.

I am bothered by the fact that this intern didn't know that what they did was wrong. They didn't ask someone for help, didn't get on youtube, just thought they had accomplished the task and put it in the outgoing mail to be picked up. I guess they though someone could devine where the mail was destined.

This kid is one of many doing similar stuff. I thought I would share because I realized my kids would be viewed similarly unless I did something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP’s larger point about teaching our kids basic skills, but very much disagree on the bad reference for not knowing the skills already. We all make mistakes and have weird gaps in our knowledge. The reference could relate to how the intern handled it-did they ask for help? Once it was explained, did they go on to handle mail correctly, etc.

I’d rather a teachable intern who wants to learn than one who thinks they already know everything.

One that constantly whines about the schedule and wants days off? You think that's sending the right message? Why hone in on the lack of skills and ignore the lack of interest and tenacity a more impressive intern might have? These kids don't have the right skills or attitude. What's to recommend?

I got the sense that op was talking about interns in general and not one person who didn’t know how to mail a letter and came late and asked for time off. What if each intern only did one of these things?

Why would you assume that? Seems like you're trying way too hard to give the interns a pass. If you know a teen, that they would be across the board clueless sounds about right.

[Anonymous]

OP is also describing the 20-somethings that work in my office. I was getting complaints about full v/m and calls going unreturned. These kids don't like making phone calls, and will avoid it like the plague. We had to educate them and help them understand the importance of actually talking to members.They do not ask about vacation all the time, but we did recently have to have a conversation about what 9-5 means, because they were rolling in at 9:20, and leaving by 4:45 every day.