Narcissistic College Graduates In the Workplace?

SpuriousLogic writes "I work as a senior software engineer, and a fair amount of my time is spent interviewing new developers. I have seen a growing trend of what I would call 'TV reality' college graduates — kids who graduated school in the last few years and seem to have a view of the workplace that is very much fashioned by TV programs, where 22-year-olds lead billion-dollar corporate mergers in Paris and jet around the world. Several years ago I worked at a company that did customization for the software they sold. It was not full-on consultant work, but some aspects of it were 'consulting light,' and did involve travel, some overseas. Almost every college graduate I interviewed fully expected to be sent overseas on their first assignment. They were very disappointed when told they were most likely to end up in places like Decater, IL and Cedar Rapids, IA, as only the most senior people fly overseas, because of the cost. Additionally, I see people in this age bracket expecting almost constant rewards. One new hire told me that he thought he had a good chance at an award because he had taught himself Enterprise Java Beans. When told that learning new tech is an expected part of being a developer, he argued that he had learned it by himself, and that made it different. So today I see an article about the growing narcissism of students, and I want to ask this community: are you seeing the sorts of 'crashing down to Earth' expectations of college grads described here? Is working with this age bracket more challenging than others? Do they produce work that is above or below your expectations of a recent college grad?" We discussed a similar question from the point of view of the young employees a few months back.

Comments

Re:Precious Snowflakes

[AliasMarlowe]

I have been sent exciting places like Indianapolis.

Oh, I used to lie awake at nights, dreaming of being sent to Indianapolis. Or was it nightmares.

Re:Yeah, well, you know what?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, well -- if you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!

Re:oh really?

[DNS-and-BIND]

This idea that people have to work for years before moving up the ladder and it's all based on experience and not actual skill is bullshit and it needs to stop.

Uh, guy? I think you're the one they're talking about in the article.

Re:Obligatory

[baKanale]

And what happened to the future of the ancient Greek people? Conquest by Alexander the Great and annexation by the Romans.

Re:Obligatory

[SirLurksAlot]

Let me translate that from the original Greek for you: "Hey, you kids get off my lawn!"

Re:Oh they'll crash all right

[aamcf]

It makes me wonder if they will be disappointed with their first jobs, which will mostly consist of sitting at a cubicle all day and writing documents.

I am a tech writer, you insensitive clod!

Re:Precious Snowflakes

[Swizec]

Spellcheckers are for pussies, I just read everything twice ...



... sometimes.

Re:Oh they'll crash all right

[elthicko]

As a recent engineering grad, I can attest that I wasn't exactly impressed by the typical duties of most of the positions I was interviewing for. I always pictured myself doing more R&D and design with my engineering degree, but that wasn't really what I was seeing out there. I've since decided to change my career path a bit go to grad school. After I finish I expect I will try to work as a technology entrepreneur or a professor at a university.

Re:Yeah, well, you know what?

[Sponge Bath]

You have to give the moderators who recognize this quote a little extra time.

First they need to put their dentures in so they can cackle maniacally.
Then they select the mod category and forget to push the 'Moderate' button.
After a while they grow frustrated and slap the side of the CRT.

This /. tip brought to you by Wilford Brimley.

Re:Precious Snowflakes

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm nothing special, I've just been using computers and programming for a long time. I learned BASIC when I was 7.

But you are special. You are a special kind of asshole, the kind who thinks "Why oh why isn't everyone just like me?"

My god, you must be one insufferable twit.

Re:Oh they'll crash all right

[caluml]

A lot of bosses have Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

How can I get this? Are there courses I can go on?

Re:Oh they'll crash all right

[benjamindees]

I am a tech writer, you insensitive clod!

Not for long! I'm programming robots to do technical writing.

Re:Precious Snowflakes

[budgenator]

I stand corrected.
  It's much easier to pretend to agree with a narcissist than to argue with them.