The Big 4-0!

As you may know, The H.S. Group is celebrating 40 years of service this year, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to reflect back on other significant events from 1967…

In addition to the inception of The H.S. Group, 1967 presented the world with many other “first looks.” Forty years ago, The Doors’ self-titled album was released and Aretha Franklin taught us all a thing or two about Respect. Elvis married Priscilla in a Las Vegas ceremony and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was an instant number one for The Beatles.

Diversity took on a new shape in 1967 as Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first African American justice of the United States Supreme Court and Carl B. Stokes was elected the first African American Mayor of a major U.S. city, Cleveland, Ohio.

The hydrogen bomb was tested in the People’s Republic of China, the United States Army underwent its first experimentation with germ warfare, and the Boeing 737 took its maiden flight. The term Black Hole was coined by Professor John Archibald Wheeler, and, appropriately enough, ‘67 brought about the first color television broadcasts.

Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) was appointed a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Paul VI, and JFK was ushered to his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.

Other notables sharing a birthday with The H.S. Group include musicians Dave Matthews, Faith Hill and husband Tim McGraw, and R&B singer/songwriter R. Kelly. The entertainment world welcomed actors Nicole Kidman, Matt LeBlanc, and Julia Roberts while television gained journalist Anderson Cooper. The sports world gave us boxer Riddick Bowe and sprinter Michael Johnson, along with countless ball players. Comedians Jamie Foxx, Will Ferrell and Mo’Nique shared a 1967 birth, and even Cosby kid Lisa Bonet is turning 40 this year.

Despite the passing of time, one thing that holds steadfast is The H.S. Group’s dedication to top-notch service. Though some may look at 40 as “over the hill,” we’re not winding down anytime soon. Jock Seal, President and CEO adds, “We’re still growing the business. There’s still a lot that needs to be done.”

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group

The "Millennials"

How many of you have received a call from a parent whose son or daughter is in the process of graduating from college/high school and is looking for a job? My hand is in the air.

In the age of millennials, this seems to be more and more a common occurrence. Millennials, ages 8-29, are part of a new-aged group who have grown up with technology their entire lives. Everything from the internet to cell phones have dictated their every step from the time they could walk. On one hand, this technology is very convenient in linking people together; on the other, it appears to be fostering a co-dependence of children on their families and friends much longer than was the norm with past generations.

Along with this co-dependence, we see parents who are overstepping their boundaries in the workplace as well. “‘Parents are writing resumes, applying to jobs and even attending interviews,’ reports Steven Rothberg, president and founder of the CollegeRecruiter.com career site, headquartered in Edina, Minn.” Millennials lack much of the self-assurance to not only do things for themselves, but also to allow themselves to fail and therefore learn from their mistakes. “A 2006 research report bears this out. Roughly three-quarters of executives and HR managers at 400 companies surveyed said that recent four-year college graduates displayed only ‘adequate’ professionalism and work ethic, creativity and innovation, and critical thinking and problem-solving.”

There are some upsides however to this generation being technologically advanced. “‘They can do their job, surf the web, IM friends, have a chat with colleagues on the side and pay attention to everything,’ says [Robert W.] Wendover [director of The Center for Generational Studies]. ‘It’s unrealistic to expect them to have no personal calls during the workday…Don’t settle for poor quality, but don’t fuss if they are also conducting personal conversations while they’re working.’” These natural multitaskers can set a great pace to complete several jobs simultaneously and have no trouble accessing information through their fingertips in a matter of seconds. Because they were brought up in a video-game age, this generation is used to a constant flow of information to keep their brains busy.

Read the pros and cons of the millennials as they enter today’s workplace and learn how you can best manage the “net generation.”

“The Tethered Generation,” HR Magazine

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group