Your First Job: What Jodie Foster wants Gen Z to know
3 essential rules for early career success, sparked by a Hollywood legend's workplace woes
In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster lamented the attitude of some of the people from Gen Z with whom she has worked.
They’re really annoying, especially in the workplace. They’re like, ‘Nah, I’m not feeling it today, I’m gonna come in at 10:30am.’ Or, like, in emails, I’ll tell them this is all grammatically incorrect, did you not check your spelling? And they’re like, ‘Why would I do that, isn’t that kind of limiting?’
I am shocked by this unprofessional attitude. Based on what Jodie Foster said, I have 3 pieces of advice to all junior professionals:
1) If your employer asks you to do something within the bounds of your job description (like arriving at a meeting by a certain time), then you need to follow that instruction as given. Don't EVER refuse a task simply because you "don't feel like it". You "felt like it" when you signed the employment contract; otherwise, you won't get paid. Following through on your agreement is a basic standard of respect - in the workplace and in all other aspects of life.
2) Write your emails with proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This is especially important in your professional communication, because it allows you to convey your thoughts clearly. Otherwise, your bad writing can lead to misinterpretation, which can metastasize into interpersonal conflict and bad business decisions.
3) If your employer gives you feedback (especially if it is obviously valid), then accept it and use it to improve yourself. Drop your ego. Don't argue or deny it reflexively. Take the time to listen to the substance of the feedback. We are all human, and we are bound to make mistakes from time to time. Use the feedback as a learning opportunity. If you are willing to be realistic about your faults and weaknesses, then you are one step ahead of most other people in terms of advancing your career.
These are 3 basic standards of professional conduct. If you are starting your career, then I hope that this post is valuable to you.
Do you supervise people born in the late 1990s and early 2000's? If so, how commonly do you encounter this type of behaviour from them?