Philadelphia Business Journal's survey of the week is "grade recent graduates in the workforce." While the grades themselves fall into a pretty typical collegiate-like curve, skewing towards the "Gentleman's B," the more revealing part of this survey can be found in the comments. Here are some of my favorites:
Motivation and commitment level are average at best even if they have great knowledge and skill. A few shining stars, but most feel the world owes them something and therefore, they don't feel they should have to work hard to achieve success. They feel entitled. This is what our culture and schools/unversities are producing today for the most part, and it's a shame.
Motivation and commitment level are average at best even if they have great knowledge and skill. A few shining stars, but most feel the world owes them something and therefore, they don't feel they should have to work hard to achieve success. They feel entitled. This is what our culture and schools/unversities are producing today for the most part, and it's a shame.
Their writing skills and knowledge of contemporary history is sorely lacking.
Does anyone else see the irony in that last comment? Doesn't take a college graduate to know subject-verb agreement.
Anyway, are their any employers out there who want to say something positive about recent college grads? Do you think employers in cities that are well-known for attracting the best and brightest college grads are having these same issues? Are their any recent college grads who want to respond? My sense is there's a certain amount of the curmudgeonly "in my day..." at work in these comments but it could be true that things are actually worse in this department than they were a generation ago.
Food for thought.
Comments (4)
Apparently Dan the survey is speaking in volumes of measurement and in twisted messages. Sadly by missing contemporary history recent grads have missed the fundamentals of revolution and reform in which most people learn in supporting one's knowledge and skills instead of believing the world owes you a break.
Dan I see no tremendous talent among grads just a silly primitive alluring they figure will land them on the charming scene of being distinguished.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | June 13, 2007 2:53 PM
I've been out of college for 7 years, so I don't know if I qualify, but "work hard to achieve success" is subjective. I once worked for a company that seemed to think that "working hard to achieve success" meant 60 hour weeks, not being able to take a decent vacation (and working from home when you did take time off), and getting blamed for things that weren't your fault.
I also worked for a company that was run into the ground by upper management (the people who are fed up with recent college grads) and ended up getting laid off.
My current job is much better in many ways, but it still seems like all but one or two people in the company have little or no idea what I do -- I don't mind not getting patted on the back and lauded in public, but the fact remains that management needs to be aware of what you have accomplished if you're ever going to get anywhere (including a half-decent raise). People who don't understand what you do also have a tendency to weigh you down with very unreasonable expectations and deadlines.
I do sometimes feel like I'm getting a little bitter, which could be affecting my performance (including my "motivation and commitment"). It's a struggle to strike a balance between not letting myself get treated as a doormat and being a cheerful, hardworking employee who cares about his job and makes others want to work together to make the company succeed.
Posted by Anonymous | June 13, 2007 9:23 PM
I agree with Anon. I'm also a seven year grad and there are worlds different between what I was taught and what I experienced. It was probably the inexperience of youth, but my parents and teachers had me to believe that if you work hard, you'll be rewarded. If you go to college, you're all but guaranteed a good job with good pay. When I graduated from college, the good jobs didn't materialize (not good when you have a mountain of student loans). The crummy jobs I WAS able to find were static at best. The raises were little more then cost of living adjustments, advancement was nil, and hard work and long hours WEREN'T rewarded. In fact I watched as otheres who didn't work as hard got the breaks. I later learned that this is called workplace politics. Something that anyone with pride hates to play. This would probably explain the current state of politics and in the workplace. The butt smoochers would rise up the ranks, while the talent slaves away for them. After dealing with all this, I withdrew from the world in disgust and filed for disability with depression. I really want to get back to work, but am afraid of encountering the same crap again. I am bitter and pessimistic about future prospects. Now dealing with the topic. I think parents and teachers need to give more of a realictic impression of the working world and prepare their children accordingly.
Posted by Lost and Confused | June 24, 2007 2:11 PM
Seriously? "Are their any employers..." ??? Ever heard of that saying about glass houses?
Posted by Excuse me? | June 28, 2007 10:27 PM