Good day to everyone, this is my first guest blog and the subject comes from observing my 15 year old son complete a project for High School about his desired career, being a helicopter pilot for the Canadian Forces.
He obviously doesn't want the fun that comes from being a CIO in a midsized firm and living in the trees day to day as it sometimes feels I spend my time, but I digress as that is another posting.
In my day (I sound so old when I say that) I remember completing bubble sheets with answers to a series of questions. In a few weeks I got a report back on careers that appeared to fit my profile.
Just to note, I never did follow any of that road map, although I think I would have loved being a music conductor.
My son has developed this passion for wanting to be a pilot for our Canadian Forces, no bubble sheets, no reports.
Nope he loves flying based games on his X Box that lead to investigating the options to apply this love. He found the appeal of a helicopter and it's flexibility from online based material that information, video, pictures and sound/music combined into multimedia job kiosks open 24hrs a day online.
So back to this project, we used email to connect with a pilot willing to be interviewed with our digital camera.
In other words everything was done with technology, it wasn't something they used to do this, it is something they use to live and as such naturally use these tools in developing their career habits and skills.
So how do I appeal to this new work force?
I think part of the answer lies in being flexible. We all know about the dangers of face book, IM, using their own equipment because what you give them corporately isn't good enough, and let us not forget about controlling web browsing. Somehow we have to leave the old school thinking behind but bring forward our experience and years of skill to bring corporate needs and find that magic space that combines both. No, I haven't found it yet either.
But what I do understand from watching my son is that these new workers if not already being interviewed by you, will be and if you’re not presenting yourself in a digital friendly format, they may not even consider you.
I also clearly see that we have only a few years left to be ready for this generation, if their not at your doorsteps already.
So what will you do tomorrow to get ready? I know what I will be doing; I will be the video guy as my son interviews in person that pilot he connected with through email.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for listening