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Mark Liston is the Director of Sales Recruiting for Valpak. In 2008 Valpak will hire over 700 Sales Representatives and they continue to expand. Liston has been active in the International Franchise Association and is on their International Certified Franchise Executive Board of Governors as well as on the Board of Trustees for the IFA Educational Foundation.
He joined Valpak in 2002 as the Director of New Franchise Development before he took over the Sales Recruiting Department in 2005. Valpak has been listed by the Princeton Review as one of the 2008 editions "Best Entry-Level Jobs". He also is on the DECA/DEX National Advisory Board and works with DEX as well as University Directories with their college
programs.
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New here? Employee Evolution is a blog written by Ryan Healy. Ryan is a Co-Founder of Brazen Careerist, the webs #1 social network for young professionals. Ryan speaks with organizations on best practices for recruiting and retaining Generation Y and how to effectively use social media to reach your target market. To contact Ryan, please visit our contact page.
Back to the Future — A Recruiter’s Thoughts
OK I admit it. I’m a baby-boomer looking to recruit Millennials. Or is it called Gen-Y now? Or the “Me” generation? Wait, am I talking about you guys coming out of school . . . or am I talking about those of us who graduated in the 60’s and 70’s? You know us. The workaholics. The crackberry users. We can’t text message and we never learned how to get out of work on time to make it to our kids ballgames. Some of still can’t set the VCR, we have old Beatles records in the garage, a turntable that doesn’t work, and probably some 8-tracks somewhere in the house.
Now you are hearing some of the boomers say that “we are worried about the Millennials because they want balance in their lives” & they want “teamwork”. Duh. THAT IS WHAT WE WANTED!
You guys are much better than we were. We had race riots in L.A. and in Detroit. We ducked bullets at Kent State. We went on Peace marches against the war. We went to Woodstock. Listened to the Who and the Rolling Stones. (My God, are those guys that old ???) Our parents were so worried that we would be in charge some day.
When we finally got in charge we didn’t know how to stop working. We really weren’t friends with our parents because we learned to do things “because they said so”. Phone cards. No reason besides “I’m the dad, that’s why”.
So here we are now wanting to hire you but are concerned about your “work ethic”. The sad thing is that we are saying to you EXACTLY what was said to us when we were trying to find jobs. Many of you graduated in the top 5 percent of your class. 95 percent of you didn’t though. That’s ok. 95 percent of all doctors who graduated weren’t in the top 5 percent of their class. Hey, Michael Dell and Bill Gates didn’t even graduate from college. Last I know they did fine.
If you are stressed about finding a good job let me give you some thoughts that might make you feel better:
- The best class I ever took in school was typing. 9th grade. Mrs. Howard was my teacher. Roosevelt Junior High School in Rockford, IL. I’ve used what I learned in that class more than any other class. Ever.
- No one has asked to see my report cards at any job I had. No one cared.
- No one asked to see my college transcripts. No one cared.
- Don’t worry about knowing what you want to do 20 years from now. All of us who knew what we wanted to do changed our minds 423 times. Some of us still are.
- Hiring managers who want to stereotype you based on your age, your education, your ethnicity and/or anything else create their own problems. Ignore them.
- Your biggest challenge is getting in the door. Not working once you get in the door. You will be fine. You ask questions. You know how to get along with adults. Remember, you get along with your parents. We didn’t.
The best job you get in your life will probably be one that you find by networking. Not on CareerBuilder or Monster. Your parents, your parent’s friends and your friend’s parents will try and help you all they can. Ask.
Also pursue careers that you feel you can be passionate about. The only problem with relying on your parents advice is that they may not be aware of some emerging industries. They may also have a prejudice on a company or an industry based on their own experiences with that business 30 years ago. (Hey, can you tell that I REALLY didn’t listen to my parent’s advice on jobs!)
Book’s like the “Princeton Review’s Best Entry-Level Jobs” can give you great insight to companies.
Finally, let me give you a couple of tips on interviewing with some babyboomers.
- You only have one chance to make a first impression. It is easier to “overdress” than “underdress”. Guys - ties. I don’t think earrings on guys are cool. My sons have tatoos. I don’t. I don’t want to see them in the interview. Ladies - I want to hire you, not date you. Dress appropriately.
- Be early.
- The interviewer wants to know what you can do for them. Make sure they know that before you find out what they can do for you.
- Send a thank you e-mail.
- Send a thank you card, too. (Remember that first impression thing above )
- Relax.
Finally, things that are too good to be true usually are. For most of us we “didn’t get rich quick”. So, we believe that there aren’t many jobs out there that are really that way.
Have fun. Looking for a job can be great - especially if you know that the perfect one for you is right around the corner.
Leave your thoughts here. (13 responses)
- 1 Pingback on Aug 22nd, 2007 at 10:05 am
- 2 Pingback on Aug 31st, 2007 at 11:19 am
Great post! and very well-written.
Thanks for offering to help instead of chastise.
There is some really good advice in here. I especially appreciate the analysis of our relationship with our parents and how that translates into other areas.
Keep posting here!
I have always been a little skeptical of recruiters posting here, but I agree with Jacqui; there is some good advice in this post. Our relationships with our parents can only help in our career search. Whether its guidance, connections or just learning how to be “friends” with our parents friends, this should make connecting with older co-workers much easier than past generations. But, like Mark says, don’t take their advice as the end all and be all. It’s your life!
One thing that does bother me however is the constant comparison to baby boomers. Sure, there are similarities between us and every generation, but why can’t people let US define US? There are also glaring differences between our generation and every other generation.
All in all, good article.
Great post. I’m gen x, so in between Mark’s age and the target audience. As part of some research I’m doing at work, I’ve been looking at the role of generational change in workplace changes (going to more mobile and flexible options).
I’ve been talking to senior HR-related executives as well as consultants who are involved in making changes at some large Fortune 100 type firms. They’re observing that the younger baby boomers are as enthusiastic as the millenials about introducing quite radical reorganizations to office space and office work.
One person suggested that it was the pre-baby boomers that had continued to hold back workplace change until recently — it was pre-baby boomers (and the oldest baby boomers) who didn’t “get” technology and were too set in rigid industrial notions about office work.
Some of Mark’s comments reflect that exactly — the baby boomers, especially the younger ones, were never fully able to create the workspace and trusting, collaborative atmosphere they dreamed of — until now.
Perhaps instead of thinking of Gen X and Gen Y as the “anti-boomers” in the workplace we should be thinking of these generations as building on what the boomers started and refining and improving it.
Mark,
Great insight. I think one of the best things that is coming out of this blog is the increasing diversity of people who post entries.
Mark,
Great post. Glad to hear someone who is (almost) on our side and can see things the way that we see them. Working for a job board I know that we provide access to a lot of great opportunities but it is still the personal networks and connections that can make or break a career and make it an enjoyable one. Heck, it’s how I got my job!
Good post! I certainly wish I would have spent less time in college on academics and more on the professional development side of things. Listing “Graduated with Distinction” on my resume does not seem worth the time or effort except what I may have gotten out of it regarding stamina and time-management!
Hey, great post and great advice! It also really got me thinking about the differences (or lack thereof) between workers of different generations. I posted some of my thoughts on the subject on my blog, The Recruiter (therecruiter.typepad.com/my_weblog/). I’d love for you to take a look!
Jacqui,
It is great you have that relationship with your parents. It can really help - especially if you like them!
Ryan:
You sound like me. I don’t ever want to be compared to anyone. I want so say I “broke the mold”. Take take generational comparisons personally. You are right, there are glaring differences in EVERY generation. THANK GOD!
Wendy,
Being “anti-boomers” isn’t bad. Who says we have the answers. Just ask most Gen X’ers! (I say that with love in my heart. My daughter is a Gen X’er and one of my closest friends)
Greg,
Proof positive. Networking rocks. The last three jobs I got were done by networking - not any ads in the paper, Monster or CareerBuilder.
Rebecca,
You hit on the one of the keys. You already learned how to juggle 48 different things and have time management. Great life lesson. You can also look yourself in the mirror and say, “Graduated with Distinctin”. Sometimes it more important the you impress yourself versus anyone else.
Anna,
I went to your blog and posted. You also gave me inspiration for my next one. Thanks.
I’m always telling people I know who are looking for that first great job it’s all POFs and FOPs (parents of friends and friends of parents). I agree 100% that the best jobs come through networking. My job - for a company I love - did. Thanks for the post and for the candor. I think young job seekers need to understand where the other side is coming from and this is a great insight into that.
Hello everybody, my name is Damion, and I’m glad to join your conmunity,
and wish to assit as far as possible.