Jessica Hutto-Schultz is the Manager of Information
Technology at Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs PC
and is a member of ILTA's 2013 annual conference
committee. She believes in finding a way to say "yes"
to the demands of users, which keeps her actively
seeking creative and cutting-edge solutions to issues.
Jessica can be contacted at jch@gdllaw.com.
Millennials, loosely defined as those born between the years
1980 and 2000 (aka "Gen Y"), are often described as entitled,
fickle, disloyal and high-maintenance. On the flip side, some
praise them for their ability to think outside the box, create
new and diverse careers and, most important, make the big
ideas happen — a trait that could shape the future of many
companies. Where do these stereotypes come from, and how can
everyone benefit from the Y factor?
THE DIGITAL EFFECT
Gen Y grew up during the coming of the Digital Age. We admittedly take for granted the
permeating presence of technology and see it as a part of our lives, while our parents see
it as an addition and sometimes a distraction to their lives. Our parents had to wait a week
for cartoons. Today, we can Google "cartoons" and watch or read almost any of them. Go
ahead, try it. Many of my peers' entire social lives are online, and — according to a recent
Cisco study — they rank access to their online social lives higher than salary in terms of
importance in a job offer.
AN AGE OF UNCERTAINTY
Millennials also grew up knowing economic uncertainty. Seeing our parents laid off after
years of employment made us question how much "loyalty" means to a company.
The September 11 attacks on the U.S. and mass shootings of the past decade showed
us life is short and bad things can happen anywhere and to anyone. This made us realize a
balance between professional and personal lives — including having time for family — is
extremely important.
Peer to Peer
57