Gen Y Reports Optimistic Attitudes about Work and Value of Education

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Experience, Inc. (http://www.experience.com), the nation’s leading provider of career services for college students and alumni, today announced results from its 2009 Economic Impact Survey, which measured the impact of the US and global economies on Generation Y’s attitudes towards higher education and career prospects.

The survey found that many young adults are bullish about the job market:

• Fifty percent (50%) of college students and recent grads feel the job outlook is still positive, and a nearly quarter (24%) believe the job market is stronger than depicted by national media
• Seventy five percent (75%) of Gen Y says the value of their education will increase or remain the same in this market

“Gen Y represents the highest growth segment of the labor market,” says Jenny Floren, founder and CEO of Experience, Inc. and author of The Gen Y Way (New Year Publishing, April 2009). “Our survey found the general confidence level of Millennials is much higher than that of the general population, which supports the notion that demographic shifts have created high demand for educated, entry-level talent – especially within the growth sectors of the global economy.”

Despite being frequently accused of holding “unreasonable expectations” at the workplace, the survey showed that Gen Y is willing to do what it takes to contribute to individual – and organization -- success:

• 30% are prepared to take on more projects or help colleagues with their work, so they can keep the positions they have
• 33% say they are willing to work more hours to improve job security
• 44% rank job security as more important than personal job satisfaction

“Due to the seismic shift in population demographics, Gen Y will soon dominate our workforce, and will comprise half of the headcount at any given company within 10 years,” continues Floren. “Gen Y is optimistic about the future, and is eager to contribute to finding solutions to today’s challenges. We can all learn from their optimism and willingness to adapt to changing situations.”

For additional data and observations about Gen Y, or more information about this survey, visit the Talent Insights blog.

Methodology

Experience’s 2009 Economic Impact Survey ran from February 3, 2009 through March 2, 2009. During this time, college students and alumni who opted-in to receive information from Experience.com were invited to take the survey. A total of 1,644 men and women from across the country participated, 38% of whom expect to graduate with the Class of 2009. The margin of error is estimated at +/- 3%.

About Experience

Experience is the only university-endorsed career network bridging the gap between college and the working world. Since 1996, we have partnered with universities to educate, assist and inspire college graduates to launch and lead extraordinary careers. Each year our award-winning network connects millions of candidates from 3,800 colleges and universities with more than 100,000 employers. For more information, visit www.experience.com.