by Aaltje Van Zoelen

Created on: July 29, 2008

Out of sight, means out of mind; a description of my generation
For years now, I have put up with it, fought it, ignored it when possible, but it has reached a point of no return. If I do not do something about it, I have only myself to blame. What do you do, when life has you stumped and you do not know where to go or what to do about it? It is not that that you have not tried to solve the situation, you have, but the reality is that it would require a worldwide support in order to do so. That is because, it requires changing people's minds, creating new thought patterns, starting local, national and international movements, etc. Not that I am not ready to take the helm. And that is why I am writing this article.

Yes, there are plenty of articles published about reaching maturity, and feeling redundant or underused, but they usually address the problem, and do not offer workable solutions. They do not address the fact that a growing part of our society is not given or taking the opportunity to continue to play a significant role in business, volunteerism or in their own lives. And in most cases, it is because they are buying into what society feels is their role. One of the signs, if you think employers really believe this and are not using the statement as an excuse, is t herm "overqualified." This statement is usually offered when we apply for jobs we could do with our eyes closed, and which jobs are usually the only ones for which we will be considered. Now if I was an employer, I would want and love to hire "overqualified" people. Doesn't overqualified mean that you know more than what you would have to in order to get the job? Why have we not set employers straight on this issue? Why about the status of our health as it relates to absenteeism? Pardon me folks, but aren't we the generation which was taught to be on time, to not take any little cough as a sign of illness, and to take the term "responsibility" serious? But then, of course, this generation, who most likely do the hiring, does not know anything about that? Are we better communicators, you bet we are! All those years as parents, even grandparents, or even negotiating the world of commerce have taught us a bit here and there. Have our reasoning skills improved to navigate both in the good and bad times, you bet they have. Do we know more in general and in specific areas, significantly, of course, we do. Then why in the heck are we begging for jobs that are way below our knowledge and experience?

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