Shaping Generation X: Your Teen Years--And What They Mean for Your Work Life

By: Tamara Erickson

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Synopsis: Remember Tylenol tampering, the rise of MTV, the start of the AIDs epidemic, and mothers re-entering the workforce in droves? They are all experiences shared by you and your fellow members of Generation X, and whether you like it or not, these experiences shaped the way you fit into the workplace. Many of our most powerful and lasting beliefs are formed when we are teenagers, when we first shift our focus from tangible objects and begin to wrestle with the values and ideas in the world around us. What we see and hear - and the conclusions we draw - influence for our lifetimes what we value, how we measure success, whom we trust, and the priorities we set for our lives, including the role work will play in it. For Generation X'ers, institutional let-down, over-education and under-employment set the stage for your participation in the workforce. Part nostalgic tribute and part ethnographic study, this chapter is about how Gen X'ers got to be the way they are and what it means for their careers. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 1 of What's Next, Gen X?: Keeping Up, Moving Ahead, and Getting the Career You Want.