Generation Z: Growing Up in Technology
As a Gen Z’er growing up with technology was the normal, starting a career in technology seemed like the obvious path, little did I know that when it comes to business communications there is a whole other level of technology that I had no idea about. Here is my journey…
My first phone was an iPhone. That in itself should give an indication to the normalcy of technology growing up in the late 90’s. Let me first begin by saying, Generation Z is defined as individuals born in 1996 to 2009. Generation Z was the starting generation of growing up with a piece of technology in our hand or around at all times. We’ve truly become accustomed to this “normal” way of living. Our parents and grandparents ask us to set up their TV’s and other electronic devices and think that we’re the next Steve Jobs for completing it in a swift manner. When in reality, how can a person who grew up with iPads, Kindles and smartphones not think they know everything there is to know? Working in technology is a wakeup call that a lot of individuals, generation Z included, may face. I mean, I can’t be the only one, right?
I began my career at NetCarrier in August. Working for a Technology Company so far has been challenging. Previously, I worked for a retail technology company and thought coming into this position that I would have good footing of the basic technology terms and applications. Wrong. As far as using a CRM system or familiarity with excel, yes. Otherwise, no. It was all foreign to me and it was like everyone around me was an engineer or computer science expert.
Starting a position in telecom, the terminology that’s company specific alone is a handful. It’s an entire next level of business technology that you don’t think about because it goes beyond basic internet. Now, to be on the opposite side and work for the company selling these services it’s actually pretty cool. Currently, I’m learning about entering orders, creating proposals/contracts and qualifying services. It sounds fairly simple until I have to differentiate the product type and determine what options need to be selected, or what tabs need to be filled out. It makes a difference.
Trust me. I had to realize I can be in countless trainings and view 100 PowerPoints but, if I don’t see and associate the terms with the everyday tasks I complete it won’t resonate. If I could give one tip it would be to create cheat sheets and notes for yourself for various tasks. Even two months in, I notice myself not reverting to using notes for everything. But, having a reference point is always refreshing.
If you’re starting a career and unsure which industry to dive into, think about the telecom industry. Truly, it’s a growing field because technology is constantly advancing. Having started at NetCarrier fairly recently, I think it’s cool that everyone works as a team to help one another. It allows everyone of us to relate to one another and be more understanding of the learning curves that we may face. Also, the training I have received has been extremely helpful and in depth.
One take away from this blog, look for a company that wants to hire and invest in young talent. Generation Z is very tech savvy and immersed in our own understanding of technology. Working in business communications is the perfect field to start a career. Most of us already have the basic foundation of technology and just want to further enhance our knowledge.
If you are a potential customer that is not tech savvy, just know that even someone who grew up with all the latest technology, doesn’t fully understand everything involved with Telecom. However, with a provider like NetCarrier who provides employees and customers the tools to understand your communication services, you will truly be in good hands.
Stay tuned for my three month check-in… find out if I can break down in laymen’s terms what UCaaS is.