We know the credentials Generation Y brings to the table.

They bring Internet expertise, strong desire and drive to succeed, and the ability to motivate from within and continue on a forward-moving path.

The workplace will embrace them with open arms, hungrily devouring the qualities they deliver to help the business succeed. But will they get in return the equivalent of what they put forth?

Right now, the Baby Boomers are struggling to keep from being tossed aside in the workplace. Forced retirements are a commonplace as Generation Y is being ushered in the door and courted with attractive financial enticements and benefits.

With Generation Y, stimulants (not the pharmaceutical kind) were a staple. They were raised with ample technology to entertain them and parents who were on a never-ending quest to keep them occupied.

Employers will struggle to keep them satiated and keep them from moving on to another, more rewarding job. Generation Y knows what they're worth and they know the value of their skills and talents.

This is great because the workforce, which used to be geared to a system of "do what I say," and "follow these commands," is morphing into a mutually rewarding arrangement where the employee indicates what they need to feel satisfied and want to perform for the company.

This is a smart generation of individuals the world has produced. Generation Y questions authority, goes for what they want (not what someone else tells them they need), and hones their skills to perfection without being told to!

The problem arises when the traditional workplace, managed by Baby Boomers and Generation X individuals, butts heads with Generation Y, creating conflict. One group is used to an environment where you're given tasks and you do them for pay.

Generation Y, on the other hand, is like the curious toddler who always asks, "Why?" They want answers - not because they get a thrill questioning authority, but because they genuinely want to do everything the best way possible. If they see a situation that doesn't make sense, they will sound off about it.

While parents of Generation Y and teachers learned to adapt to their untraditional approach, managers in many workplaces have yet to accept the Gen Y style. This will be a give and take issue in a Generation Y employees question for career satisfaction.

They'll have to learn to navigate the working environment using traditional etiquette while never allowing themselves to be walked on. In fact, with the Internet being so familiar to Generation Y, many will take the lessons they learned in college and enter the workforce as an independent entrepreneur, creating their own wealth.

One thing is certain - they won't be unhappy in whatever they pursue because they'll be in control of their destination!

Read any newspaper, business magazine or blog today and you are likely to find an article about the "problem" of Generation Y (a.k.a. the Millennials) entering the workforce:

"They feel entitled to everything!"

"They don't want to pay their dues and expect to be promoted on day one!"

"They won't stop texting me!"

As someone who coaches and writes a blog for college students and young professionals, I think there is some merit to these complaints. A lot of young people today grew up with doting parents, a healthy sense of self-esteem and an innate understanding of technology. We can focus on the downsides of these characteristics, or we can fall in love with the upsides.

I've chosen the latter, and I hope you will, too. Here are five reasons to love working with today's twentysomethings:

1. They are eager to work hard. No one accuses Gen Y-ers of being lazy. If you find yourself feeling annoyed by their desire to start at the top of your organization, choose instead to feel energized by their motivation. Make a decision to channel Gen Y-ers' energy into meaningful results-and profits. Work with your Gen Y employees to set goals and then watch them exceed your expectations.

2. They love feedback. According a recent survey commissioned by Yahoo!HotJobs, 60 percent of Gen Y-ers want to hear from their managers at least once a day. This may sound incredibly time-consuming, but think of the upside potential: by providing regular feedback, you have the opportunity to tweak an employee's performance regularly. Plus, positive reinforcement is great for morale.

3. They want to be trained and mentored. Gen Y is the most educated generation in American history, and they love to learn. Don't be afraid to send your entry-level employees back to the classroom-for training in writing, presentation skills, etiquette, customer service or any other topic where they need some improvement. If you don't offer training at your organization, your Gen Y employees will be more than happy to take their training through an online provider.

4. Their lives are an open book. Thanks to their comfort with websites like Facebook and MySpace, Gen Y-ers are comfortable talking about pretty much anything-their likes, dislikes, opinions and more. If you want to know what your young employees are thinking, feeling, buying or anything else (anything it is legal for an employer to ask, of course!), go ahead and start a conversation. Your Gen Y employees would love to provide their opinions. Think of this as free market research into an important customer segment.

5. They are diverse. Generation Y is not only our country's largest generation (over 75 million-even bigger than the Boomers), it is also our most diverse. One in three Gen Y-ers is a person of color, one in four was raised by a single parent. I have also found most members of this generation to be broadminded about religious differences, sexual preferences, regional differences and gender roles. Your youngest employees will bring a naturally diverse and tolerant perspective to your organization, which reflects the diverse customer bases we all serve.

Want to learn more about your Gen Y employees and what they can do for your organization? Simply start a conversation. The more dialogue we have among the generations in the workforce today, the more we can all succeed.

What is your most burning career question?

Ask Lindsey!

According to The Seattle Times, the "Millennial" generation is used to boom times. Now young workers are studying up on how to survive a recession.

Born between 1980 and 2000, they are the "millennials," so-called because they're the first generation to enter the labor force in the 21st century. Most can scarcely remember the brief, mild recession of 2001, which was followed by an extraordinary, six-year economic boom that coincided with their entry into the work force.

A recession has traditionally been defined as two consecutive quarters - six straight months - of decline in the gross domestic product, the nation's total output of goods and services.

Using the National Bureau of Economic Research, the last recession started in March 2001 and ended in November.

All this means anxious times ahead for young worker. Fresh out of school and working at their first adult job, many are trying to whittle down a mountain of student loans while also taking on auto loans and rent.

Read the rest of this story here:
Vulnerable to Layoffs if Recession Occurs

Not surprisingly, many view jobs as a place to abide, then move on, and are not concerned.