What's Next, Gen X?

by Tamara J. Erickson

You're a member of Generation X-the 30-to-44 age cohort. And you've drawn the short stick when it comes to work. The economy has been stacked against you from the beginning. Worse, you're sandwiched between Boomers (with their constant back-patting blather and refusal to retire) and Gen Y's (with their relentless confidence and demands for attention).

You're stuck in the middle-of your life and between two huge generations that dote on each other.

But you can move forward in your career. In What's Next, Gen X? Tamara Erickson shows how. She explains the forces affecting attitudes and behaviors in each generation-Boomer, X, and Y-so you can start relating more productively with bosses, peers, and employees.

Erickson then assesses Gen X's progress in life so far and analyzes the implications of organizational and technological changes for your professional future. She lays out a powerful framework for shaping a satisfying, meaningful career, revealing how

-Identify work that matches what you care most about

-Succeed in a corporate career or an entrepreneurial venture

-Spot and seize newly emerging professional opportunities

-Use your unique capabilities to become an effective leader

Provocative and engaging, What's Next, Gen X? helps you break free from the middle and chart a fulfilling course for the years ahead.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

237 pages, Hardcover

First published December 11, 2009

Reviews

[Everett Shupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I loved it - I am a Gen X'er.

[University of Chicago Magazine]

Tamara Erickson, AB’76
Author

From our pages (July–Aug/10): "Americans aged 30 to 45 have had a particularly hard time in the workplace, Erickson argues, caused by job competition with aggressive baby boomers, an influx of idealistic Generation Yers, and a global recession. Erickson, an expert on the changing relationships between individuals and corporations, offers tools and ideas for this cohort—a group she defines as self-reliant, creative, and pragmatic—to reach their personal career goals."

[Librarylady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Erickson's research on the generations, and as a Xer, I appreciated the insight into our working lives. While I don't think that anyone should be sterotyped by the general characteristics of their generation, I do think seeing the shared experiences & motivations is a great help for understanding colleauges and clients alike.

[Ken Domen]

Reading this signed book from Tammy Erickson which I received at the nGenera Insights meeting

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written by a Boomer. Clueless.