“As we enter the 10s, the majority of top leaders at Microsoft are in their 40s and 50s.” That’s striking at a tech company, and Microsoft knows it – so they commissioned a study to help figure out what motivates these “millenials” (basically those aged 23-29) and how to attract and keep them.
It’s a pretty interesting read, not least because, you know, I’m 23; as odd as it is to see people like myself written about as if we’re a different species, the analysis is pretty much on the money. It’s also good to see that MS realises they’ve got to look to the youth not just as people to train to take over the reins, but also people who may have a skill set and knowledge that the older generation doesn’t. [ZDNet]
Liane Hulme
Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 12:00 AMGee, what should MS do with all the ‘old folks’? Now that they are over 40 I guess we could see if there’s something not so intelluctually challenging they can take on…..sweeping the store or maybe ushers at the cinema? The ‘skillset’ may be present in the indicated 23-29 group, but very few in my experience have the necessary life, work or ‘common sense’ experience to implement anything to the real world with success….and yes I’m over 40.
matt
Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 11:25 PMI’m 22, I work at a games development company as a coder, and I can tell you that you’d be hard pressed to tell the 40 yearolds from the 20 yearolds. maybe its a case of you don’t struggle to keep up with technology when you’re creating it.
If your thinking that this is the reason that the old MS is falling behind Apple and Google, just remember; Balmer is 55, Jobs is 56.
people think the tech industry is all college drop-outs with their bedroom programming.