Generation X (Xers) refers to the cohort of the population born between 1960 to1980, in 2011 they are aged 31 to 51 years old. Xers are the main generation who have had to deal with the ‘demise of lifetime employment’. This group developed their first career schemas during the 70’s and 80’s when the expectation of work was that it was for ‘life’. New Zealand following WW2 until the 1980’s was an insular economy and the Muldoon Government instigated radical employment policies that signalled to workers that the government was committed to offering many secure jobs in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Xers had been taught by their parents and other Baby boomers that once one pursues an occupation it sticks for life. However, political change and ‘deregulation’ in the 1980s resulted in sale of SOEs, loss of many jobs, high unemployment and a change in emphasis in the labour market towards labour Capitalism. Following soon after that, major economic Globalisation over the 1990’s until to now further catalysed the changing nature of careers.
Xers now have to deal with short-term job contracts, redundancies, professional training and learning how to generate satisfaction from working as a short-term contractor rather than as a life-long employee. Bettins Lankard, a researcher at Ohio State University, states that Xers place little faith in job security and tend to see every job as a stepping stone to something better. However, for many this transition has come during their lifespan and was not desired. Individuals have varyingly adapted to this new labour environment and some are not adapting or coping well.
Many of Careerology’s clients are Xers finding the career journey a very rough ride moving from job to job, occupation to occupation, despite their best efforts to find a ‘perfect’ job. It comes as a shock to find that their is no perfect job and that to create career satisfaction we need to adjust our mindset and attitudes to create satisfaction from our work whatever we are doing at the time and to be ready for transition when it comes.
Generation differences between Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y (modified from McGulgan, 2010).
| Baby boomers | Gen X | Gen Y | |
| Work values | Personal gratificationPersonal Growth
Team work Personal Uniqueness |
Self-relianceAutonomy
Independence Entrepreneurship Diversity |
HonestyIntegrity
Diversity Responsibility Team work |
| Work ethic | IndividualisticSelf-absorbed
Competitive Materialistic Relationship focused Team players Sensitive to feedback Uncomfortable with conflict Respectful of authority |
Comfortable with changeCynical
Pragmatic Flexible Adaptable Multi-tasking Creative Resourceful Autonomous Goal-oriented |
SocialConfident
Optimistic Achievement oriented Community oriented Educated Street Smart Technology savvy Team workers Socially aware Altruistic Multi-tasking Practical |
| Work preferences | Linear career pattern“live to work”
Job security Power Career progression |
Transitory career pattern“work to live”
Work life balance Lack of job security Informal approach to work |
Meaningful workFlexible work
Mentoring/Feedback Rewards must closely match effort Co-operative
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