Millennial's are going to see it rough...........

[shaz]

I have friends that went into engineering and they couldn't buy a job. Medicine's where it's at. If you're smart enough, nursing, NP, PA, and MD/DO will pay through the nose, pay back loans, pay relocation costs, bonuses AND will be pretty much guaranteed to be available anywhere you want to go.

Sounds like civil engineering to me. There is also industrial engineering and quality control and neither of those are recession proof because they're not very difficult.

With the manufacturing leaving the country a lot of engineers underemployed right now. I have not seen Farmer listed yet by anybody as a good future occupation.

I wouldn't encourage anyone to try to make a living farming. I also haven't seen an unemployed farmer either.

 

[bball]

I am inclined to strongly agree with this post. To continue one step further, many that do behave this way did not grow up going without their wants and desires because they had parents that provided for their every want. Then adulthood kicks in and they do not have the basic coping mechanisms to deal with a world in which mommy and daddy arent there to provide for everything. As a parent myself, many of my contemporaries believe i am way to hard on my children...expecting them to work around the farm, pay half for their car, pay for their own cell phones after a certain age, have rules and expectations, etc. However, the same contemporaries will also cry on my shoulder because their children dont listen or appreciate or respect them. Parenting to prepare children to function in todays world is challenging. The world is a very different, ever changing place.

I couldn't agree more Brad. I guess I am technically a millennial. I was born in 1981. But I certainly don't fit the mold. Never have. Even when I was growing up. And the only thing that I can attribute that to is the way I was raised. I worked for local farmers from the time I was 12 in order to get my spending money. Loading watermelons, toting irrigation pipe, cropping tobacco, fixing fences then graduated to plowing, spraying, and baling hay. When I started picking peanuts and planting in a cab tractor I thought I was somebody. Turned 16, got a full time job at the local hospital after school till midnight and worked a full time job at a marble shop one year during the summer and at a local timber company the next summer during the day and my regular job at the hospital on second shift all the while maintaining my grades. Had a sack full of money bc I didn't have time to spend any. Just the way I was brought up. My first truck... my dad bought it and financed it for me. Charged me interest. Thought he was being unfair to me but looking back I appreciate it more than he will ever know. Didn't have a cell phone till after I graduated high school. Went to college two years during which I started my first business laying ceramic tile. After college I went to real estate appraiser school and after 4 years became certified. Housing market collapsed, mortgages became all but non existent so I went back to carpenter work and within a few years I was building a few houses and doing all the remodel jobs and additions that I could handle. Still what pays the bills today. In the process I managed to acquire half a dozen rental properties, a kennel business, rent several farms, buy some equipment that I thought I'd never be able to own, build a decent herd of momma cows, and later buy one of the farms.

I said that not to brag or boast (bc there is still some debt to go with some
of it, not all paid for yet) but to give credit to my parents, grandparents, family members, Sunday school teachers and other people who were involved in the way I was raised. I was taught that this is how things were done. You want it? You work for it. You pay your own way and you take responsibility for your actions, good or bad. No one owes you anything. People give bc they want to give not bc they owe it to you. Most of the time a little effort goes a long way. I'm raising my three kids the same way. My boys are 14 and 12 and my little girl is 8. My decisions are always popular with them but I guarantee you they respect me and we have a great relationship. They are as well mannered as any kids you will see. Manners are like cleaning up, both are free. I've told my kids, especially my boys, because I think they are old enough to understand, that my first job is to be their parent. Then I will be their friend. They will buy their own vehicles, they don't have phones yet, grades come before any extracurricular activities, etc. Too strict? Maybe. But I don't think so. In exchange for helping me they all have cows of their own. I pay all expenses and they keep all the money when they sell a calf. I've taught them how to save. Taught them that what you make is what you have AFTER you pay expenses. They may turn out to be the sorriest of the sorriest but it worked for me so I'm trying hard to raise them the same way. Far bigger than any accomplishments in my life for me, would be to see them grow up to be self sufficient, productive, happy members of society with families of their own. Like you said, the parents are as much to blame as the kids in some cases bc of the way they were raised. With that being said, even if you weren't raised to be independent, the time comes when you're old enough stand on your own to feet and be your own person and quit blaming someone else for everything that goes wrong in your life. Sorry I wrote a book but this is one subject I'm pretty passionate about. ALMOST everyone has a chance if they willing to take it and work at it.

Mike,
I sure have missed you being on CT and am glad your back my friend! Awesome post.

 

[herofan]

I didn't read the article, but from personal observation I think what gets many young couples in trouble (going back 20 years or so) is they want everything their parents had after working 30 years, but they want it now, not 30 years from now, and if someone will loan them the money they're going to get it.

I was about to post a very similar thing. I'll always remember an older guy once say that his kids wanted everything right away that it took him 30 years to get.

I don't think anybody who will work will have to live in a cardboard box, but they might have to live more modestly at first.

 

[Brute 23]

They were all promised if they took out student loans for a 4 year degree they would make 6 figures straight out of school and live out the american dream. Cant blame them for wanting what they were promised.

 

[slick4591]

A different thing this age group is doing is called ghosting. Used to be you would interview for a job and never hear a word unless you were hired. Things are getting turned around and it's driving companies nuts.

 

[Nesikep]

I think another *part* of the problem is the advertising pressure now.. you can't look ANYWHERE anymore without advertising, and credit cards are particularly evil (especially retailer branded cards).
I got to 7K in credit card debt, but not for frivolous purchases, I had lost my job in the fall, a horrid time to look for work, I paid rent and ate, and actually lived out of the back of my Chevy Blazer for a few months in the winter.
It took me YEARS to claw my way back.. Can't get a line of credit with lower payments when you're broke, everything works against you.

Louis CK about being broke..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-1l_SlA7c

 

[Bestoutwest]

A different thing this age group is doing is called ghosting. Used to be you would interview for a job and never hear a word unless you were hired. Things are getting turned around and it's driving companies nuts.

Drives me up a wall. I can't get people to contact me about coverage when I have a sick person. I have millennial young ladies that take hours to respond. Then they wonder why they're not going anywhere.

 

[bball]

A different thing this age group is doing is called ghosting. Used to be you would interview for a job and never hear a word unless you were hired. Things are getting turned around and it's driving companies nuts.

Great article and is it ever true. I see it more frequently these days also. Some good explanations as to why as well.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Mike,
I sure have missed you being on CT and am glad your back my friend! Awesome post.

Good to be back Brad. I stayed away awhile due to lots of obligations, time constraints, and family sickness, death, etc. Missed the conversations and information so I start coming back and lurking around but it wasn't as much fun without posting. Ive never met but a handful of members personally but in some kind of strange way I consider a lot on here to be "family and friends" of a sort. Hopefully the future will allow me to meet more of you.

 

[Rafter S]

Going back to the millennials, I definitely blame a lot of it on the parents doing too much for them. Both of my children knew up front that I'd help them until they finished school, but then they were off the payroll.

I've even heard of young adults the same age as my children who graduated from high school, but then didn't go to college or get a job, and still living at home. I made sure mine knew that wasn't an option. My exact words were "Don't you EVER think that's going to happen in my house."

My wife and I don't agree on everything, but we do agree that parents job is to take care of their children's every need while they're small, and transition into teaching them to take care of themselves. Too many others don't seem to share that philosophy. I'm going to stop now before I throw my shoulder out of joint patting myself on the back.

 

[greybeard]

They were all promised if they took out student loans for a 4 year degree they would make 6 figures straight out of school and live out the american dream. Cant blame them for wanting what they were promised.

Like the free bubble up, rainbow stew and flyin cars?
There are only two promises that are ever any good. One is ironclad, that begins with the word 'Whosoever" and the other less lasting is any promise one makes to him/her self.
Anyone that unflinchingly believes what a banker, college counselor or career adviser says, is too stupid to be loaned $$ to begin with.

 

[Bestoutwest]

The bad part is that for a lot of decent paying WHITE COLLAR jobs, you need a degree. My wife works for a university and needed a 4 year degree to get the interview. This is where part of the "need" for a 4 year degree comes from. I grew up in a white collar house, my father was a college professor (and is a registered Republican for all of you getting ready with anything about liberalism), and I grew up with zero idea how much that plumbers, electricians, linemen, welders, etc could make. Nor was it presented in school as anything someone like myself would want to do, therefore I didn't ever find out about it until later in life. I still think there's a ton of people out there that are unwilling to work with their hands, maybe I'm too optimistic, but society just needs a way to get these kids introduced to something other than computers, technology, and the antiquated thinking that a 4 year college is the only path.

 

[Rafter S]

A good friend of mine has a small plumbing company. He says he used to be a doctor, but it didn't pay enough.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

"We often miss opportunity because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work"

― Thomas A. Edison

Opportunity is out there for every generation, they just have to go look for it.

 

[Nesikep]

This is why I quite enjoy Mike Rowe

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

A different thing this age group is doing is called ghosting. Used to be you would interview for a job and never hear a word unless you were hired. Things are getting turned around and it's driving companies nuts.

I hired one last Saturday, and he was supposed to start at 7:00 on Monday. Still haven't heard from him, and we'd agreed on $25/hr starting pay. I have a couple of good young guys that help part time, but they both have bigger plans than building fence, and it's hard to fault them for that.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I hired one last Saturday, and he was supposed to start at 7:00 on Monday. Still haven't heard from him, and we'd agreed on $25/hr starting pay. I have a couple of good young guys that help part time, but they both have bigger plans than building fence, and it's hard to fault them for that.

That's dang good starting pay!! Two years ago I had 7 employees. Now I have 2. I figured out that 1) It ain't about the money. Doesn't matter how much you pay them. Some just ain't gonna work and be dependable. 2) I can't do as many jobs with 2 men as I could 7 but my bottom line is virtually the same.

When you find a good one keep him if you can. Good luck with your search. I fear it's only gonna get tougher.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I hired one last Saturday, and he was supposed to start at 7:00 on Monday. Still haven't heard from him, and we'd agreed on $25/hr starting pay. I have a couple of good young guys that help part time, but they both have bigger plans than building fence, and it's hard to fault them for that.

That's dang good starting pay!! Two years ago I had 7 employees. Now I have 2. I figured out that 1) It ain't about the money. Doesn't matter how much you pay them. Some just ain't gonna work and be dependable. 2) I can't do as many jobs with 2 men as I could 7 but my bottom line is virtually the same.

When you find a good one keep him if you can. Good luck with your search. I fear it's only gonna get tougher.

Yes, it's only going to get worse. The direction our business is headed, we have a need for people that can work their way from a fence crew to a sales desk. I really need an IT/marketing person that can get it done, too.

 

[hurleyjd]

I hired one last Saturday, and he was supposed to start at 7:00 on Monday. Still haven't heard from him, and we'd agreed on $25/hr starting pay. I have a couple of good young guys that help part time, but they both have bigger plans than building fence, and it's hard to fault them for that.

That's dang good starting pay!! Two years ago I had 7 employees. Now I have 2. I figured out that 1) It ain't about the money. Doesn't matter how much you pay them. Some just ain't gonna work and be dependable. 2) I can't do as many jobs with 2 men as I could 7 but my bottom line is virtually the same.

When you find a good one keep him if you can. Good luck with your search. I fear it's only gonna get tougher.

Yes, it's only going to get worse. The direction our business is headed, we have a need for people that can work their way from a fence crew to a sales desk. I really need an IT/marketing person that can get it done, too.

Hire you some Mexicans and get rich off of their labor. Pretty soon they may not be here and it will be a do it your self when it comes to hard labor.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

That's dang good starting pay!! Two years ago I had 7 employees. Now I have 2. I figured out that 1) It ain't about the money. Doesn't matter how much you pay them. Some just ain't gonna work and be dependable. 2) I can't do as many jobs with 2 men as I could 7 but my bottom line is virtually the same.

When you find a good one keep him if you can. Good luck with your search. I fear it's only gonna get tougher.

Yes, it's only going to get worse. The direction our business is headed, we have a need for people that can work their way from a fence crew to a sales desk. I really need an IT/marketing person that can get it done, too.

Hire you some Mexicans and get rich off of their labor. Pretty soon they may not be here and it will be a do it your self when it comes to hard labor.

I'm already rich, and it's got nothing to do with how much money is in the bank.