LAF Disclaimer: I know there have been many posts on this these past few weeks. As #u30pro co-founder, I felt the need to articulate my thoughts, as many have asked me to.

photo credit: sodahead

Age isn’t an indicator of  executing awesome. Words to live by, right?

Only if you deserve to live by them.

As Gen Y, we go through what Gen X and even Boomers went through – proving our worth. The problem is, along the way with bumper stickers proclaiming we were ‘A Honor Roll Superstars’, some forgot to add in the personal responsibility that we have to carry ourselves/actions beyond our years.

You can’t ask for respect, to be taken seriously and more responsibility if you are putting yourself out there far from professionally. Privacy is a concept that many believe they have, but don’t realize that the information put out there is being judged on by potential employers. It doesn’t matter if they want to hire you now or 10 years down the road. The internet is like an ex-boyfriend – they never forget the bad, but they forget the good in a blink of an eye.

After that? Age isn’t an indicator, and you’re not asked. On the other side of the coin, years of experience doesn’t mean someone is better, but it does mean you can learn from them.

It’s up to you whether it is a.) something you will never do/improve on, or b.) something you can learn from (positive or negative.) The problem with Gen Y is that they believe they don’t need years of experience and are entitled to instant gratification. It doesn’t work.

The Internet is Your Classroom

Gen Y is a generation that grew up on the computer. This isn’t a new revelation. Having access to technology has made it even harder for many to network in person. Learn to leverage networks so youre comfdortable, but battle through hang-ups to make face to face meetings happen. The thing is, that air of maturity and making your intent known will get you farther.

How many articles do you read on a daily basis? How many professionals do you reach out to, just to ask questions? Yes, it’s easy to be inclusive and only talk to a select group. Have mentors. But from that foundation, how you do build? Do you ask them to help connect you with individuals you can also learn from?

Sure, you need to build relationships first, and you won’t always hear yes. Be aware that ‘no’ is an indication they are busy, not an indication that they hate you and your generation. Positioning yourself as a sponge, and someone who wants to learn on a daily basis is a much easier avenue than you just want to get something out of a person. Be confident, not selfish. Be a student. not a debater – unless you have a solid relationship that allows you to question. Evaluate the situation before making a move.

Being Confident Isn’t Cocky

“Confidence is having the courage to walk up to a stranger and say hello. Cocky is thinking said person should be grateful.”

The fine line of being humble while knowledgeable in your ability, instead of coming across as the “I’m Better than You Mentality” is a struggle because many don’t believe there is a line. They think snarky comments said on Twitter is cute and that people will realize it’s just an act. The thing is, Google is a first impression.

Type in your name and see what pops up. As a society, we are judgmental. We decide usually within a few seconds if we like a person – or if their qualities are one we can agree with. Cockiness is an immaturity tactic and a coping mechanism. Declaring that you’re better than someone else (even when proven) leaves a bitter taste that isn’t erased easily.

That pedastool will eventually be knocked out from under you.

It shouldn’t be stated that you have to work hard. Nothing is ever given to you. You don’t get a cookie every time something is accomplished. You have to put in the hours and believe in yourself before someone believes in you.

This Young Minds post was written by Rebecca Denison.

It’s not exactly news to anyone that Gen Y has become a controversial generation. Interacting with fellow Gen Y-ers online has shown me that most of us in the social media space are not what most would call typical Gen Y.

I understand that the descriptions they give to generations are not all-encompassing, but I have found through my personal interactions that those of us who are active online tend not to fit the mold more often than my offline Gen Y friends.

One trap I think it is too easy to fall into these days, though, is becoming anti-Gen Y. While I do not think that I share too many traits with Gen Y, I by no means would consider myself to be anti-Gen Y. Check out what you get when you Google “hate Gen Y.”

I think one of the best things about Gen Y is our highly developed sense of acceptance. The easiest way to quickly distinguish yourself (in a not-so-good way) is to paint yourself as someone who is anti-Gen Y. if I don’t identify with any other qualities typical of my generation, I certainly believe that I am an accepting individual.

Even if we don’t all share Gen Y qualities, what a lot of us do share is a quality of acceptance, which allows us to embrace even those who do not necessarily like the average Gen Y kid. So what does this mean for you?

While I encourage you to get online and have a unique voice, I think that becoming an anti-Gen Y voice is an incredibly bad idea. Gen Y is not in charge yet, but we are quickly growing into the workforce and we’re more comfortable with technology than any generation before us.

If you make it clear that you’re completely anti-Gen Y, you may tell older generations that you will be a better employee than your peers. At the same time, you will alienate your peers and tell them that you think you’re better than they are. In the long run, this will only hurt you more than it will help you.

What do you think? Is there really a difference between being atypical Gen Y and being anti-Gen Y? Tell me how you feel about Gen Y and having your own (and unique) voice online.

LAF Note: This From: {Young Minds} post was written by Christa Marzan.

Have you ever listened to the song “Generation” by Emerson Hart?

We are the wind of change coming/We take a stand where so many never go/We will shout it out to let you know/This is my generation

This song randomly came on my iTunes recently, and I think it describes the Millennials (otherwise known as Gen Y) perfectly.  Each generation hopes to do something great, something to make them stand out from all others.  As a community, Gen Y continues to push the envelope further and further, defying social norms and creating new ones in every way imaginable.  We do this especially well in the forms of communication and community building.

Social networking creates new ways for us to connect with one another in our personal and professional lives.  Our families, friends, co-workers, and social networks form different communities for us, all to fit different needs.  A multinational survey produced by Deloitte states that 73 percent of Millennials engage in online socialization in some way.  With the invention of laptops, webcams, smart phones, instant messaging and email, this generation is able to always be connected to someone at any given time.

Yet could communication at our fingertips be driving us apart, rather than together?

Teenagers are especially connected, even more so than when I was that age.  A PEW study cites that in early 2008, 71 percent of teens (age 12-17) have a cell phone.  That number has grown 45 percent since 2004, and will continue to grow exponentially with the coming generations.

As a generation, we are certainly taking a stand in the way we communicate with each other.  The question- is it propelling us forward or holding us back?

Image from: http://www.pink-world.co.uk/

LAF note: This Young Minds post was written by my co-worker, Chad Sour.

Look around you. Day-in and day-out, it’s abundantly clear to those in the public relations industry (and especially those of us that read this blog) that we’ve reached a new chapter in our industry. The way we communicate with the consumer on behalf of our clients has completely changed. Some call it PR 2.0, and while many of us have kept pace with these rapid changes, who among us is able to pinpoint the exact date that we turned the page into this new chapter of public relations?

As I make my rounds to various networking events, I’ve noticed that while many of us have flipped the page, there are still several who have not – they seem to be stuck PR 1.7.  While they all seem to be aware of what lays ahead – social media, shrinking news rooms and 24-hour news cycles,  to name a few, they don’t seem ready to take the plunge. These folks seem to be stuck in the days of massive cold-call “media-lists” and fax distribution news releases. The practitioners in this category run the gamut in age, from PR rookie to 20-year veteran and many of them are still very good at communicating their client’s message, but there is nevertheless some resistance to changing their processes and protocols.

As I see these practitioners struggling to catch up, to post their first tweet or distribute their first SMR, and I have to wonder if one day all of us PR 2.0ers will have trouble adjusting to whatever is next- let’s call it PR 3.0.

Sure, public relations, much like any other industry, is constantly evolving so I don’t know that you can put exact dates on these shifts, but I wonder how we will know when PR 3.0 gets here.  What will mark its arrival; set it apart from the previous chapters in the book of public relations.  Perhaps more importantly, what can we do to make sure we’re not left in the dust?

*Image copyright of http://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/