Why Gen Y May have a Competitive Career Advantage


Every generation has their individual advantages. While many view the personality traits of Gen Y as a bad thing, they may be able to put Gen Y at a competitive career advantage against members of other generation groups. Here’s why:

Up-to-date generation

Gen Y may be dependent on the Web and social networks, but that’s not a bad thing. Some statistics indicate that this generation is on social networks like Twitter “all the time.” Though this may not always be for job searching or learning about an industry, it’s not too far fetched to assume that Gen Y is up-to-date with news, trends, and sharingthree things that may be needed to stay on top of your game.

Innovative portfolios

Work portfolios may be the modern day resume. So, who better to embrace this new visual storyboard than Gen Y? After all, this generation embraces images, endorsements, feedback, as well as their reputation. All of these elements can go into a work portfolio, which makes Gen Y’rs look good. These work portfolios also help Gen Y manage their career inside the organizationhelping them get promoted and recognized for a job well done, and enhancing their professional brand.

Showing off is a good thing

Some argue that members of Gen Y are narcissistic and obsessed with standing out. But, what if this could actually work to their advantage? Let’s look at it from the perspective of an employer. Ultimately, they want to know why a candidate would be an asset to an organization. The only way they can know this is if they see numbers, reports, endorsements, etc. Gen Y, who are naturals at displaying their strengths, have a competitive career advantage because many aren’t shy away from showing off their results, both personally and professionally. It’s not so much about being boastful, it’s about displaying why you’re good, which something no one should hide.