Generation Yer

Q: What do you hope to do when you graduate?

Ding: Either become a registered accountant and work for one of the big four, or go into finance and become a registered financial analyst.

Do you have a career plan? What do you want to be doing in your 40s?

Yes I do have a plan actually. By my 40s I would like to be an executive officer in a company, or possibly be running my own company.

How comfortable are you with technology?

I first used a computer seriously in Year 7 and got a mobile phone last year. I think technology gives us much larger social circles because of the Internet and also makes us more mobile. We will also be able to work from home and be more flexible. We also have more access to information so we are not so blind to what goes on in the world. I do think that this poses a challenge for corporations because when we are looking for work we can go and look at their Web site and see what sort of culture they have and what they are offering. I think that is a challenge for employers because if you want the best people then you are going to have to make them a superb offer.

What do you understand by the term generation Y?

It has no meaning for me.

How would you describe the people you mix with at university and socially?

My personal opinion is that there is a lot of confusion in terms of the meaning of life and what we want. I think we bum around a bit and today want to be prime minister and tomorrow a pop star. I'm glad we haven't had to face a war. And [we] live in a country where no one is starving and we have access to education. In terms of entering the workforce, people are working really very hard. I wouldn't say we are lucky because we face other challenges. My parents and grandparents' generation did not have to work so hard to enter the workforce. The competition is so fierce. I think people are aware of that; but besides working hard they also want to have fun and I personally don't think that's possible.

When you do get a job do you expect it to be a long-term position?

It depends how you define "long-term" - I'd like to stay two or three years in my first job.

Do you think your generation of women will find it easier to rise through the workforce?

I've never got involved in that debate. I think we will have to work a little bit harder than men because I do think that the boss will give a man the advantage. Because if you are a mother they think that you are not going to give the same amount of devotion to your work as a man because parenting takes time. I think that's right. To some degree they are right if you think about it from the child's perspective.

What can you learn from the older generation?

I don't really learn from them, but I take their advice into consideration. But I do look at how they behave, and if they are successful and independent it must have something to do with the way they behave in society - so I do learn from them that way.

What can older people learn from the younger generation?

I'm not quite sure. A lot of the older generation are really good with technology. My dad's really good with technology; I don't have to teach him anything.

What do you think about the current crop of senior managers in Australia. Are they good at their jobs? Are they overpaid?

In my opinion running a corporation is a difficult thing, and it falls on them to take the responsibility. It is a very difficult job to do. Taking on responsibilities deserves a reward.