Feb
22
Young Adults Don’t Understand Networking
Posted (admin) in Uncategorized on February-22-2007

We have written much on the topic of networking on this blog and how many young adults are absolutely ignorant to the importance of it in their job searches. 80% of all jobs are never advertised and how you uncover those jobs is through networking.

Many young adults are indeed natural networkers. Look at the popularity of Facebook and Myspace. Unfortunately, for them many Boomers and Xers are not using those channels, and therefore Yers never create an online or offline network of contacts. (Perhaps LinkedIn can bring the generations together online.)

To further hurt them, the accepted and only way most know to search for a job is to post a resume at Monster or other large national job boards and sit back and wait. If they get to a local company website, they shoot an email to a generic email address with an attachment and most often never follow up. Only 10% of jobs are filled through online databases. Just 1 out of 10.

To help young adults with networking, the book Truth and Delusion by founders of BNI (includes co-author and Roanoke’s own Mike Garrison) talk about the six-different groups professionals should have association with. Also, Jason Dorsey’s book My Reality Check Bounced also offers a list or organizations to visit and join.

We all must tell recent graduates (high school and college) that just because you have a degree does not mean you will have a job. Job searching is hard work and takes time. You must be able to sell yourself and your skill sets to the company. 

The gap appears to be getting wider of young adults not being able to communicate with older generations offline. As a result, the default for young adults is to move to a larger city cause Monster says there are more jobs there. But really, using networking in the job search is the same in those cities too. 

Reach out to young people and help them understand the labor market and how to use networking in their job searches.
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    I call this the iPod Gap, and it works both ways. Older people are not utilizing online tools, technology, and resources as effectively as the could. Gen X and Millenials are just the opposite--relying too much on online Web sites, tuning out of the physical world via iPods and other gadgets, and neglecting face to face human relationships.

    The resulting mis-match has become a serious problem, especially since most decisionmakers and leaders seem reluctant to try to learn new skills, and don't take Gen X/Millenial technology skills and expertise seriously.
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    Kids today are using instant messenging and Web sites to establish and maintain localized social relationships among their neighborhood peers in ways that would give befuddle the typical forty something. Yes, they're using iPods to listen to music and playing games on XBOX. But I'm 34 and 20 years ago I listened to music on my Walkman and played games on my Atari 5200. If anything, kids today are the most socially connected generation the world has ever seen.

    Sean
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