Sobering job realities for GenX, GenY
An interesting and sobering New York Times story on the current job market for, and the attitudes of, the GenX and GenY who're 30- and 20-something:
The current economy is putting the concept of free agency to the test. Unemployment is higher among younger workers than in the general population. As of September 2003, the national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, but it was 10.9 percent for those 20 to 24 and 6.3 percent for those 25 to 34, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Jeff Taylor, the chairman and founder of the Internet bulletin board Monster.com, said that "of the college class of 2003, 93 percent are still looking for full-time employment." Monster.com, which is aimed at workers of all ages, is popular with young people. On Oct. 21, an online poll of 4,570 visitors to the site revealed that when finding a job, 71 percent planned to stay put, 14 percent expected to move on within two months and 14 percent planned to leave within six months.