GENERATION X: THE LOST ONES

If you grew up watching after school specials, listening to McGruff the Crime dog telling you to beware of strangers, had Hanging Tough, Candy Girl, or Smells like Teen Spirit blasting through your cassette player (I owned a Care Bears player that didn’t have a happy ending); or you can remember the beginning of ‘gangster rap’ and the transition from school computers being housed in ‘labs’ to every classroom having at least two computer stations of their own, then you are a Gen Xer.

We are known as the latchkey kids. Statistically speaking our parents seemed to be more career-driven then shaped in the mold of June and Ward Cleaver (like their parents). Of course many times single parents didn’t have a choice but to place a key around our necks and threaten our lives if we opened the door for anyone while they were working.

Now in our mid 30’s to early 50’s, once again we seem to be lost in the shuffle. In between baby boomers and millennials, we are the forgotten generation in regard to the work place. Don’t believe me? Look around you. Major job-posting sites like LinkedIn have many blogs that cater to Millennials or Baby Boomers with all types of suggestions on how to get jobs, how to transition careers, and so forth. When I did a cursory search for anything tailored to a Generation X audience…crickets. But we are used to being ignored, so we trudge along our various career and life paths in virtual solitude.

Why am I talking about this? 

I am in the middle of a MAJOR career overhaul. As such, I have done tons of research on how to successfully transition from one career to another and while I have found some very useful information, it’s almost ALWAYS catered to entry level/college grads (aka Millennials) or Baby Boomers. Well, what about me? What about US? Did I die and someone forgot to tell me? I turned 41 this year, not young and about 14 more years away from receiving that coveted AARP membership. By the way, I can't wait to finally be able to say, “you don’t know AARP!”

My fellow Gen Xer’s our parents left us behind to pursue… whatever...some of the millennials are our children, and they are doing a good job of carving out a niche for themselves. Well, I say let’s not be left behind! Let us remind the work force that we are the generation that remembers before and after technology! Our ability to adapt seamlessly during that time is a testament to our dexterity as good employers, employees and leaders! If you are like me and have decided to make a drastic change don’t let ageism, sexism, or any other ‘ism discourage you. Remember who you are! We are Gen X! We are here now and we will not be stopped! WE are the future!