Career Rules Baby Boomers Followed That No Longer Work - Money Digest

"However well-meaning baby boomer parents and grandparents might be, the career rules they swore by don't necessarily work today. The working world was quite different. The internet didn't exist, and there wasn't the worry that AI would replace them. Back then, the average American annual salary was around $10,000. Today, you would be lucky if $10,000 was enough money to buy a used car or cover a few months' rent. Compared to the world boomers inherited from their parents, things are much different for Gen Z job seekers."

"Imagine graduating from high school and college during a nightmarish global pandemic. After this, you are forced to contend with a tough job market with layoffs at every turn. Some blame it on unsustainable hiring practices during the COVID-19 era. Others claim that Gen Z lacks the soft skills of previous generations that made it easier to land and maintain job roles. Whatever the case, Gen Z is operating in a completely different professional landscape from boomers. As such, the advice that worked for a generation that hit its stride in the 1970s and 1980s may no longer work."

"It's far more common today for millennials and Gen Z to strive for a college degree, especially if they want to keep up with the competitive job market. Graduating from college is perceived as a rare achievement for boomers and their parents. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that 52% of Americans 25 and older had successfully finished high school. That number would jump to 75% by 1990. Meanwhile, only 20.3% of American adults age 25 or older held at least a bachelor's degree."

"Simply put, baby boomers grew up at a time when you were better able to get by with just a high school diploma. As we stated, this was a time when the average salary was around $10,000. So many people expected to earn a livable wage without a college education beca"

Baby boomer career expectations were shaped by a different economy, with no internet and less concern about AI replacing workers. Average salaries were far lower in earlier decades, making certain assumptions about livable wages without advanced credentials more plausible. Gen Z job seekers face a distinct environment, including pandemic-era graduation, frequent layoffs, and a competitive market. Explanations for the difficulty include hiring practices during COVID-19 and concerns about soft skills compared with earlier generations. Because the professional landscape has changed, advice that worked for boomers—such as relying on a high school diploma to earn a livable wage—may no longer apply. Educational attainment and degree expectations have risen substantially over time.

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