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Generation Screwed – It’s Not Easy Being a Millennial

Posted February 13, 2012

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Today’s generation of 18-29 year-old Americans make up nearly a quarter of the country’s population. These so-called millennials are the most educated generation in all of history, yet they’ve also matured in a poor and unstable economic climate — which probably explains why they hold the record for the highest unemployment rate in four decades. College is often seen as a route to career success, but the last five years has illuminated a discrepancy in this ancient adage. What’s going on? Why is it that people who spend years in graduate programs come out of elite institutions without jobs, with tons of debt, and with no experience to drive them forward in career niches related to their studies?

One belief is that the phenomenon stems from the mindset of these millennials. 36% of them depend on their parents for financial assistance, and tons of them are getting majors in things like physical fitness, visual and performing arts, and the humanities — careers that don’t necessarily have high employment demand. Computer science and engineering majors rank among the least popular, and numerous cross-referential surveys suggest that the millennials approach work with an extreme sense of entitlement. In the old days, people grew up under the ideal that success equated to hard work; today, millennials rely more on luck and circumstance. This graphic explores the phenomenon of great educational credentials that lead to joblessness. It’s not about the millennials anymore; it’s about generation screwed.