7 Comments

	Comment: Posted by Lindsey Pollak on March 10, 2008 at 4:22 pm
	@ Miriam – Thanks for the comment, and the compliment (although I think I need to wear foundation in the future — I look so pale and shiny!). I agree that generational differences can have just as much impact as cultural differences. I am reading the book “Generation Me” by Jean Twenge and she talks a lot about that. You might be interested to read that book too. Thanks for your great comments! - Lindsey

	Comment: Posted by Miriam Salpeter on March 10, 2008 at 2:47 pm
	Lindsey, First, may I say that you looked very nice on tape! :-) Your point about the importance of trying to understand our cultural differences and similarities is something that cannot be emphasized enough! College is such a great opportunity for students to look for places to gain new information and perspectives. Studying abroad is one great opportunity! Other opportunities exist all around most colleges. Students shouldn’t miss chances right on their own campuses to take cross-cultural classes, attend events that may give them a broader perspective and meet classmates from varying cultures and backgrounds. I’ve just finished reading Retire Retirement by Tamara Erickson, so I’ve been thinking a lot about how generational differences are similar in some ways to cultural differences. To work most effectively, we need to try to really understand each other. Erickson’s book includes a really interesting section that describes how each generation was shaped by the cultural norms of its formative years. It really gave some insight that could be useful in our cross-generational workplaces! (I’m looking forward to her next book on Gen Y!) Thanks, Lindsey, Miriam Salpeter Keppie Careers

	Comment: Posted by Lindsey Pollak on March 9, 2008 at 10:33 am
	@ Leslie – Thanks for your thoughtful response. I am really fascinated by the cultural difference. I agree that American colleges teach you to form and defend your own opinions much more than they teach facts and “correct” answers. I absolutely agree that — as with most things in life — moderation between the two extremes is the best path. Some career issues have “definite” answers (such as having no typos in your resume) and other career issues are much more fluid, such as deciding what career path to take. Li Yuan from the WSJ told me that, in China, many students follow the career path their parents tell them to follow. I think the majority of parents in the U.S. would encourage their children to find a career path they will enjoy. Thanks again for the great comments, Lindsey

	Comment: Posted by Leslie Forman on March 8, 2008 at 7:53 pm
	Hi Lindsey – Thanks for your kind offer! Unfortunately I can’t read Chinese, so that version of your book wouldn’t be too useful for me. I can speak basic conversational Chinese, and I’ve learned that the appropriate response to “Your Chinese is very good” is “Thanks, but my pronunciation is not so great.” The first time I played a song in English for my Chinese university students and asked “What do you think of the song?” one of the brightest students in the class replied, “Excuse me, teacher, we want to know what you think first.” I was taken aback by this comment. He was truly not used to being asked his opinion. In Chinese schools, knowledge comes directly from the teachers and the textbooks, and there is generally one correct answer to any given question. Realizing this, I explained that I truly did care about his opinion, and provided some ideas to inspire him (Is it romantic? slow? boring? lovely? interesting? etc) After I’d provided these examples, several students responded with their own opinions. In my American college classes, we were often asked to put together sophisticated arguments about literature or politics, and defend our views with evidence. I consider this a high-brow form of asking “What do you think?” In my (limited) experience, I think that success in the workplace depends on bridging these extremes — mixing respect for authority with critical thinking skills. Therefore, transitioning from college to career presents a challenge in any culture. Would you agree with this? - Leslie

	Comment: Posted by Lindsey Pollak on March 8, 2008 at 10:09 am
	@ Leslie Forman – Thanks for these great comments. I couldn’t agree more about the value of working overseas. I studied and worked in Australia for two and half years and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I can’t even imagine the benefits of having experience in China! I am fascinated by what you said about American students being asked, “What do you think?” and Chinese students focusing on standardized exams and answers. I am reading the book “Generation Me” by Jean Twenge right now, which is all about the self-focus of today’s young people and the pros and cons of that. If you are interested, my book, “Getting from College to Career” was just published in Chinese and I have a few copies — I’d love to send you one. If you’d like a copy, email me at lindsey AT lindseypollak DOT COM. I hope you’ll become a subscriber to this blog and keep commenting! - Lindsey

	Comment: Posted by Leslie Forman on March 7, 2008 at 7:20 pm
	Also, I’d like to add that I’d highly recommend that America’s Generation Y work overseas! I taught English at a Chinese university, then found an internship and a freelance gig in Shanghai. This has been a fabulously eye-opening experience for me, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! I think it’s so important to learn to see the world from a completely different perspective.

	Comment: Posted by Leslie Forman on March 7, 2008 at 7:16 pm
	I’m part of Generation Y, and I recently returned from a year and a half of living and working in China. I agree with Li that Chinese people love compliments just as much as Americans. I also believe that the gap between Generation Y and the baby boomers is much stronger in China than it is here in America. China’s Generation Y has been shaped by the one-child policy, hard-core capitalism, and sky-high expectations. I believe that this is China’s first truly individualistic generation, and it makes for workplace challenges that are a bit unlike those here in the US. For example, the educational systems are quite different, and this has a huge impact on how people approach challenges. The big question of my American liberal arts education was “What do you think? And how can you express it?” In China, most education focuses on standardized exams, and students are rarely encouraged to think independently. Human Resources is the top challenge in doing business in China, and something like 10% of Chinese college graduates are qualified to work for a multinational company.