23 Things You Must Know About Gen-Y

We’ve all heard of Baby Boomers and Gen-X. And we can all somehow describe one and the other. But when it comes to Gen-Y, there are few who can explain or even understand this generation, including those that make up Gen-Y. By the way, I’m Gen-Y.

So here are a few things I’ve picked up on. These are 23 things that you must know about Gen-Y. It might help you figure us out.

1. Individuals born between 1980 to about 2000 make up Generation Y, give or take a few years based on different opinions.
2. We rival the Baby Boomers in size.
3. Estimates suggest we are to become the largest generation in terms of spending power.
4. We are, arguably, the first global generation.
5. Gen-Y is completely and utterly connected to everyone thanks to the internet, social media and different forms of mobile communication like cell phones, smartphones and laptops.
6. I got my first cell phone in high school, approximately grade 12. The latter half of Gen-Y is getting smartphones as early as grade 8 and 9.
7. Gen-Y is also referred to as Generation Y, Millennials, Generation Me and anything else that would constitute the ideas of “self” and “now”.
   

   By Leonard John Matthews

8. We believe we deserve everything, contrary to what our elders might think.
9. We believe we can do anything, contrary to what our elders might think.
10. At home, I have access to the web through at least 6 different ways.
11. We surf the net as much as we watch TV.
12. Radio?! What’s radio?!
13. We’re career mercenaries. 30-year careers with one organization will be few and far between. Career loyalty goes to the the highest bidder. We like to make the rules.
14. We don’t want to wait for anything. We want it now.
15. Generation Z is the generation after Gen-Y. What an interesting bunch they’re going to be.
16. Gen-Y is super opinionated (highly opinionated would be an understatement). A personal opinion goes further than advertising dollars do.
17. We will never fax a CV or apply for a job in person.
18. It’s about what you know, who you know and who knows you (I must admit, the last one I have to credit to a great friend of mine).
19. We grew up watching Seinfeld, Friends, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Married with Children, etc. We still watch Seinfeld, Friends, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Married with Children.
20. I can’t remember the last time I used MSN. Does anybody??
21. Gen-Y loves credit. We’ll care about our credit rating when we have to.
22. We want our own car, laptop, digital camera and so on. Doesn’t matter if there is already access to a car, laptop or digital camera and so on.
23. Gen-Y talks, texts, posts, shares, updates and does anything else that involves having a detailed and communicative relationship.

Although these 23 characteristics are a glance at a generation, they don’t conceptualize everything we are. Gen-Y is dynamic as any other generation but the times are accelerating through a variety of dimensions faster than we’ve ever seen in this technological revolution.

What does this mean for Gen-Y in the next 5, 10 and 20 years? Further, what will it say about Gen-Z?

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