I’ve been thinking about what will differentiate the generations. Today, as I watch packs of children, walk past the restaurant, heading to the museums especially. I’ve heard it said that the Millenial generation was defined by the presence of the Internet in the home growing up. And that 9/11 was one of the seminal events guiding the boundaries of Gen Z. I have been wondering whether large-scale changes in how we use the Internet will also be harbingers of generational change. The incredible change with the consumption of video online via platforms like Youtube, the influence of online social media, and now the introduction of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI for short), all seem like sizable enough changes in the way the world works to help differentiate between generations.
Looking Back – Generations of Employees
In hindsight, there were generations of employees at Indeed, as at any company. You have the founders and those who were there during the startup years. They’re used to the scrappy; everything’s constantly changing culture. Then along comes the team hired during booming growth. They understood the plan: take what worked, scale it up, and lose the rest. Eventually, many companies also have a generation of employees who join after the hyper-growth has peaked and more normalized growth (or reduction) has set in. They see their role as maintaining the status quo, squeezing out more growth or profit, and preserving the base. This post on Medium goes a bit deeper into some of the archetypes if you’re interested in reading more (note: the focus is customer service, but the principles are sound.) (5 min read)
Now mix those different sub-cultures with the different working styles of three to five generations of employees in the workforce. You can get many different approaches to the same problems and an opportunity for cultural clash if the company’s foundational ethos (or values) are poorly designed and imbalanced.
Looking Forward – Generation Layoff
My grandfather was a child during the Great Depression and once shared a story with me about how difficult it had been to replace a pocket knife as a kid. So, he bought one once he could afford a second pocket knife. Even into his 60s and beyond, he still carried two pocket knives. The impact of the Great Depression lasted his whole life.
The tremendous impact these tech layoffs of 2022 and 2023 have had on people, companies, and the industry will be felt for years. It will change the industry as new startups are created who have learned from the mistakes of overhiring and the zero-interest rate phenomenon. This article in The Guardian helps lay a foundation for understanding the zero-interest rate phenomenon for those unfamiliar. (5 min read)
Today’s Tip – You Will Be Found
We’ve already shared this tip in our Slack channel, but anecdotally many are finding it to be useful, so I wanted to share it here to widen the audience. Apparently, if you set an end date on your last job on LinkedIn, it can prevent you from showing up in recruiting searches. This video explainer shares the best practice for making sure your your profile stays in the searches you want it displayed in. (9m watch) the TL;DR is: Setting the end date for your last role on LinkedIn will put you into LinkedIn state of not having a current position and be missed by recruiters searching for people in your role (a likely search.) The tip is to add a new role on LinkedIn that you’re currently in with the title “Currently Seeking {New Role} Opportunity”.
Fun Stuff
Final Words
If I can help with your search, please get in touch with me. Please give me feedback on what you like or don’t care for in this newsletter, and I’ll adjust. For total transparency, I have no affiliation with any of the tools, companies, or resources I share. These are my impressions, not tainted by any outside influences.