Gen Y Trends to Watch in 2010

What has changed since I published “Gen Y Trends to Watch in 2009” a year ago today?

Well, we made it through a tumultuous year. Here are the top three trends I think we can keep our eye on in 2010:

Moving on: I predicted last year that Gen Y would not “settle” because of the crisis, and, as an obvious generalization, I don’t think we have. It’s a good thing, because opportunities are around the corner. Economists predict a slow road to recovery, but many businesses that were afraid to hire are already hiring again. Misplaced GenYers are stronger and eager to get back in the game (or into the game for the first time).

Let's not be overly optimistic, however: Yes, many young careers will take a while to get where they would have been in a boom economy.

Social media marketing: There are many professionals, particularly in Gen Y, who refer to themselves as “social media experts.” For many of us, that distinction is a hobby, or we might also use our knowledge as a side project to help our business grow on Twitter. The demand for those skills is continuing to ramp up. We will see more professionals in various fields find jobs specifically devoted to using social media. A recent Careerbuilder survey found that 37% of employers plan to put a great emphasis on social media in 2010.

Health care reform: Who knows what 2010 will bring in health care reform (I can't keep up with it in Congress). While the final bill might not be as revolutionary as originally expected, I can reasonably predict some kind of reform will make it easier for people to have access to health care.

Health care reform affects everyone, but for Gen Y specifically it could have long-ranging effects on our careers. Perhaps this isn’t a trend that we will really see come to fruition this year, but in the long-term, health care reform will continue to fuel the growing sentiment that Gen Y is not tethered to one job for the benefits. (Not to mention the fact that if a public option for health care goes through, it will give health insurance to young people, which are the largest group of uninsured Americans.)

Surveys show that Gen Yers appreciate their benefits, but we are also a transient workforce looking for flexibility as we hop from job to job. At the end of the day, we are dependent on ourselves and not one employer. The more benefits become accessible outside the workplace, the more Gen Y will move toward being entrepreneurs. Some who lost their jobs were already forced to move this way.

Savings: One silver lining to the recession is that it could make young people more responsible with their money. A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the recession will likely turn those ages 18 to 25 into lifelong savers, much like our grandparents who lived through the Great Recession.

Whatever 2010 brings, it will continue to be interesting to watch how the youngest members of the workforce adapt.