June 10, 2013
College graduates receiving their diplomas this year were teenagers when the first iPhone debuted and Facebook allowed anyone to create a profile. As this tech-saturated generation enters the IT workforce their familiarity with technology -- especially consumer products -- can lead to communication and work style clashes with more seasoned employees who may not share a passion for digital life.
And while new hires are versed in current technologies like mobile, social media and cloud computing, these recent students may struggle adjusting to professional life. Managers and co-workers may too find themselves at odds when trying to communicate with people who are used to sharing ideas in 140 character bursts.
"If you look at the individual coming right out of school, they're born in the Facebook era," said Corinne Sklar, chief marketing officer at IT consulting and staffing firm Bluewolf. "They leverage technology and expect it to do something for them."
To solve these generational workplace differences, companies are turning to training methods tailored to meet the specific challenges facing college graduates and their managers and co-workers.
