the interns at my office are insufferable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a SAHM now but the interns are all spoiled, entitled brats where I worked. The females has no concept of appropriate office attire despite having been directed by HR in orientation as to what could and could not be worn. The males thought it was cool to get shitfaced after work every day. It was more daycare than work for them... And yes, they were lazy and felt like they were owed something. Just the shift in generations and how spoiled toddlers turn into spoiled workers.

Don't you think this sense of entitlement is learned from their parents?

[Anonymous]

I agree that there seems to be a generation of entitled brats now entering the workplace. Not all, but some. It just makes me very selective about who I help with letters, etc. If someone is not living up to their end of the bargain I usually let them know it. The worst issue I've had is someone I hired and promoted who then turned very nasty especially to her first-line supervisor who actively supported her. Her immaturity was noticed by others and it came back to bite her when she wanted a certain job.

[Anonymous]

Why not mentor them, you stick in the mud? How else are they supp'd to learn? Maybe you came out of the womb knowing how to be a professional. Not everyone is as lucky.

I personally find it fulfilling working with young people starting out. That's just me, I guess. But, you might find out that you do too?! Or maybe you just want to complain.

[Anonymous]

Listen - they will get old and disillusioned like us soon enough! And when they have kids they will be exhausted and worn out.

Let them have their youth now - it's wasted on them anyway.

[Anonymous]

I work at a govt agency and most of our interns are law students, but some college and a few high school too, and they are usually good. NO, I don't want to be friends with them, and some have a hard time making eye contact, but they seem to focus on the job and give me good work (most resesarch projects I need done). They usually are unpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a SAHM now but the interns are all spoiled, entitled brats where I worked. The females has no concept of appropriate office attire despite having been directed by HR in orientation as to what could and could not be worn. The males thought it was cool to get shitfaced after work every day. It was more daycare than work for them... And yes, they were lazy and felt like they were owed something. Just the shift in generations and how spoiled toddlers turn into spoiled workers.

Don't you think this sense of entitlement is learned from their parents?

100% absolutely I think that they get their work ethic from their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not mentor them, you stick in the mud? How else are they supp'd to learn? Maybe you came out of the womb knowing how to be a professional. Not everyone is as lucky.

I personally find it fulfilling working with young people starting out. That's just me, I guess. But, you might find out that you do too?! Or maybe you just want to complain.

It's a generational shift in work ethic. Working in HR we had to attend lectures on what different generations value in the work place. Generations X & Y both lack work ethic. They are given things, do not need to earn anything, they are daycare kids which is where they socialized. This trickles into the workplace and they think it is also a place to socialize. They depend on technology for everything and are not very motivated.

It is not something that "sticks in the mud" are required to pass on to these kids... it is something they are lacking from the get go. Think about how people who were born in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's behave at work. For the most part they have strong work ethics.

And don't you think work ethic and professionalism is something that you need to pick up in college and from your parents? I mean, if you are paid to do a job, go through lengthy orientation which OUTLINES what is acceptable and what is NOT acceptable and the interns STILL DO NOT GET IT there is a larger issue... Mentoring helps but doesnt solve anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not mentor them, you stick in the mud? How else are they supp'd to learn? Maybe you came out of the womb knowing how to be a professional. Not everyone is as lucky.

I personally find it fulfilling working with young people starting out. That's just me, I guess. But, you might find out that you do too?! Or maybe you just want to complain.

It's a generational shift in work ethic. Working in HR we had to attend lectures on what different generations value in the work place. Generations X & Y both lack work ethic. They are given things, do not need to earn anything, they are daycare kids which is where they socialized. This trickles into the workplace and they think it is also a place to socialize. They depend on technology for everything and are not very motivated.

It is not something that "sticks in the mud" are required to pass on to these kids... it is something they are lacking from the get go. Think about how people who were born in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's behave at work. For the most part they have strong work ethics.

And don't you think work ethic and professionalism is something that you need to pick up in college and from your parents? I mean, if you are paid to do a job, go through lengthy orientation which OUTLINES what is acceptable and what is NOT acceptable and the interns STILL DO NOT GET IT there is a larger issue... Mentoring helps but doesnt solve anything.

I disagree with the Gen X characterization. No, we don't work as hard as the baby boomers, but the reason is not lack of work ethic, rather that we wanted a more balanced life that considered family as important as cash.

[Anonymous]

There was a really great article in the NY Times a few years back about the correlation between "building self-esteem" and "telling kids the truth." I'm paraphrasing here but the article essentially underscored how for the last 10 or 15 years "new school" parents are going overboard in their praise so little johnny or susie doesn't feel like a failure, etc... eg, when all artwork is praised even though it's crap or when children are praised for writing letters backward, etc...

All of this has apparently led to an unrealistic need by gen x to be told that they are great all the time AND they have a tough time accepting responsibility, admitting mistakes and hearing constructive criticism. I know I veered off topic a little but I DO believe that these 20 somethings want to go from graduation to the boardroom because they've been told their whole lives that they are exceptional individuals. When in reality, they are avg performers at best.

I feel so sorry for all the parents who believe their DC's WPPSI scores are indicative of future success. They will likely be the interns you all are talking about. Insufferable bores with bad manners.

[Anonymous]

Hold on a minute, folks. These interns are not Gen X. They are much younger.

I am, though, and I. Work. My. Ass. Off. I have since I was old enough to hold a job and several years before that. I also think I'm pretty typical. We work plenty hard.

I don't think it's so much a generational thing as it is just being in a different phase of life with certain privileges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree with the Gen X characterization. No, we don't work as hard as the baby boomers, but the reason is not lack of work ethic, rather that we wanted a more balanced life that considered family as important as cash.

My fellow Xer, I respectfully disagree. We work harder and longer hours with less safety netting than our boomer predecessors did when they were our age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree with the Gen X characterization. No, we don't work as hard as the baby boomers, but the reason is not lack of work ethic, rather that we wanted a more balanced life that considered family as important as cash.

My fellow Xer, I respectfully disagree. We work harder and longer hours with less safety netting than our boomer predecessors did when they were our age.

me too!

College loans alone are opressive. How does one get out from under 200K in debt. That would be working my ass off.

Luckily, I found work PT, but before that I was working 60hrs a week and killing myself.

My DH is out the door at 7am and rarely home by 9PM (which is why I HAD to work PT and not FT). He owns his own company and our house and entire life saving are up as collateral against the loans. In these economic times we could lose everything. He has to take NO SALARY for 2 years as he was getting his company off the ground. He is taking a big gamble, so that one day he can sell the company and retire. It's brutal.

[maynie]

Anonymous wrote:Hold on a minute, folks. These interns are not Gen X. They are much younger.

I am, though, and I. Work. My. Ass. Off. I have since I was old enough to hold a job and several years before that. I also think I'm pretty typical. We work plenty hard.

I don't think it's so much a generational thing as it is just being in a different phase of life with certain privileges.

I agree with this. There's so many unfair generalizations here. I started working 13 years ago and haven't stopped. I had a strong work ethic from the beginning. It's just the type of person I am.
I have a few teenagers that I've hired over the past year. One of them is my favorite employee. Another one I just let go because he sucked. I also have 4 girls that started when they were in high school. They're now in college and work whenever they're on break. They are all amazing. They're the type of girls I hope my daughter grows up to be like. Their parents have given them cars. paying for school, etc, but they don't have a sense of entitlement at all. They all have strong work ethics and are tons of fun to be around. People are individuals.
I will also say that I have met kids over the years that have literally never held a broom. That just shocks me. I won't even say where that was because it might make some people here upset.

[Anonymous]

maynie wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hold on a minute, folks. These interns are not Gen X. They are much younger.

I am, though, and I. Work. My. Ass. Off. I have since I was old enough to hold a job and several years before that. I also think I'm pretty typical. We work plenty hard.

I don't think it's so much a generational thing as it is just being in a different phase of life with certain privileges.

I agree with this. There's so many unfair generalizations here. I started working 13 years ago and haven't stopped. I had a strong work ethic from the beginning. It's just the type of person I am.
I have a few teenagers that I've hired over the past year. One of them is my favorite employee. Another one I just let go because he sucked. I also have 4 girls that started when they were in high school. They're now in college and work whenever they're on break. They are all amazing. They're the type of girls I hope my daughter grows up to be like. Their parents have given them cars. paying for school, etc, but they don't have a sense of entitlement at all. They all have strong work ethics and are tons of fun to be around. People are individuals.
I will also say that I have met kids over the years that have literally never held a broom. That just shocks me. I won't even say where that was because it might make some people here upset.

Maynie, I understand how you would think this is a generalization but there are actual studies done on different generations in the work force. HR staff at large companies have to have an understanding on what motivates the different age groups. It is really very fascinating and not a generalization. Values have shifting, trends in parenting have shifted and it all trickles down to how college grads behave when they enter the work force. These kids truly feel entitled. It's a study in social studies and something very much researched by HR professionals. Of course these kids are individuals but as a "whole" they have the same needs and motivations.

As far as mentoring. If you tell a female intern during orientation that open toe shoes & low cut t shirts are not allowed in the office and she signs the acknowledgement that she received the firm policy manual, yet she proceeds to wear flip flops and tank top with short skirts why is it a matter or mentoring? It is a matter of not taking policy seriously and not caring enough to respect it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not mentor them, you stick in the mud? How else are they supp'd to learn? Maybe you came out of the womb knowing how to be a professional. Not everyone is as lucky.

I personally find it fulfilling working with young people starting out. That's just me, I guess. But, you might find out that you do too?! Or maybe you just want to complain.

It's a generational shift in work ethic. Working in HR we had to attend lectures on what different generations value in the work place. Generations X & Y both lack work ethic. They are given things, do not need to earn anything, they are daycare kids which is where they socialized. This trickles into the workplace and they think it is also a place to socialize. They depend on technology for everything and are not very motivated.

It is not something that "sticks in the mud" are required to pass on to these kids... it is something they are lacking from the get go. Think about how people who were born in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's behave at work. For the most part they have strong work ethics.

And don't you think work ethic and professionalism is something that you need to pick up in college and from your parents? I mean, if you are paid to do a job, go through lengthy orientation which OUTLINES what is acceptable and what is NOT acceptable and the interns STILL DO NOT GET IT there is a larger issue... Mentoring helps but doesnt solve anything.

pardon me? i'm sorry. but you're stupid.