Google Search Tips: Using Google’s Lesser Known Functions for Research

Millennial Workers – New Ways of Doing Things

My daughter, Toni Rothpletz, and I wrote The Young Adult’s Guide to Understanding Personalities for the post-boomer generation.  We refer to them as NewGens in the book.  Part of this post-boomer generation includes the millennials.

In a recent Inc article, Leigh Buchanan interviewed Amy Gutmann,  a political theorist from the University of Pennsylvania about millennials and their impact on the future of businesses.  To see this interview, click here.

In our book, we address how this group has been labeled as difficult, and at times has received some criticism.  I found the following question and answer from this Inc. article to be particularly interesting in that it shows the positive attributes of this often misunderstood group:

“Question: A lot of people seem to think the current crop of students — the so-called millennials — is a new species that must be trained and managed in new ways. What have you found works in the classroom?

One of the characteristics of millennials, besides the fact that they are masters of digital communication, is that they are primed to do well by doing good. Almost 70 percent say that giving back and being civically engaged are their highest priorities. We see this in the classes they select. For example, they flock to academically based service-learning courses. That’s where they get credit for doing projects out in the community, like helping the American Cancer Society to develop a new fundraising model. So to the extent that employers can, they should offer work that in some way contributes to society.”

In our book It’s Not You It’s Your Per…

In our book It’s Not You It’s Your Personality, Toni Rothpletz and I write about the needs and preferences unique that the millennial generation.  I recently found a millennial marketing site.  It includes an interesting compilation of articles based on that group’s attitudes and values.  Anyone looking for some good information about how to target this unique group, should check it out.  This site is set up as a Wiki.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Wiki’s, click here to find out more.  I have taught some courses on a Wiki and see some great uses for such a platform.  To see specific information about millennials and their special needs in the workplace, click here. To add information to the discussion of NewGens, the term coined by my Toni Rothpletz and me to refer to post boomer generations, please click here.

Millennial Women – What Millennial Women Think

via womensissues.about.com

Millennial women – born between 1980 and 1995 – are part of a generation that’s bigger than the baby boomers and more influential. Studies indicate that millennial women believe work-life balance is achievable and don’t see gender bias as an issue. They’re entering a workforce that is 50% women and will soon dominate the workplace. If you’re a millennial woman, how do you see yourself as different from previous generations, and what are your expectations for the future? Share Your Opinions

Working Millennials

If you have not already seen it, I would recommend watching the 60 Minutes show “The Millennials are Coming”. It is an interesting look at the expectations of post-boomer generations. Dr. Twenge has also done some important research in this area. She has been cited as saying, “today’s employees are prepared to take greater risks and are encouraged and rewarded for thinking outside of the box rather than sticking to the traditional ways of doing things.” This can be advantageous, because it steers the organization away from group-think and promotes more of an entrepreneurial atmosphere. I think today’s women are much more open to new challenges. I believe understanding personalities and making adjustments based on having emotional intelligence is going to be a big factor in success and that is why my daughter, Toni Rothpletz, and I wrote our book about understanding personalities in the workplace where we address this issue in the post-boomer generation workforce. www.drdianehamilton.com

—DrDianeHamilton

Students Using Social Media for School Shopping

Marketing school products has taken a virtual direction with sites like Facebook, My Space, Twitter and others focusing their messages on young shoppers.  Advertising on cell phones and social networking sites is becoming more common.  Students can now see virtual dressing rooms right on their phones.  Apps, or applications, are the big thing now.  With them, companies can set up pages on Facebook and other sites to show off their product line. 

In a recent article in the Arizona Republic, Staples Inc. spokeswoman Karen Pevenstein stated that virtual retailing is big business. “It’s the best way to reach teens.”  This same article cited that “Young shoppers are expected to spend more than $200 billion of their own and parents’ money this year, making them one of the retailers’ most sought-after demographic groups.”

According to ABC News, the latest trend is to post haul videos.  “A new phenomenon called haul videos means they can show off their purchases to the whole world. There are more than 110,000 haul videos currently on YouTube, and some videos are racking up tens of millions of views. Hauls are short product review videos. The “vlogger,” or video blogger, shows off her goods, gushing about everything from lip gloss to flip flops and gives her opinion on the quality of the products. Haul videos are the perfect marriage of two of Generation Y’s favorite things: technology and shopping”

It is not just teens and tweens students that have the retailer’s focus.  This year it is anticipated that $34 billion of the estimated $55 billion in back-to-school spending will collected from college students and their parents.  The Arizona Republic reported, “To reach that market, retailer Target Corp. has added a “college” tab to its Facebook page with coupons, supplies, checklists and sharable cellphone apps to help students determine how to furnish their dorm rooms or apartments and manage shared bills and chores with roommates.