Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z, and the Baby Boomers
Jane Holroyd breaks down the brands to reveal the who, what, when and why of those born in the past 65 years.
Baby Boomers: Now approaching retirement age, the "boomers" are those born in the decade following the end of World War II (aged roughly 47-65). They are considered a generation who have "had it all", cosseted by parents who experienced the Great Depression and raised in the prosperous post-war era. Many benefited from free tertiary education and relatively low housing costs. Common put-downs range from 'self-obsessed' to 'stuck in their ways'.
Generation X: Those born roughly between 1963-1980 (now aged early-30s to mid-40s.) Gen-Xers are often labelled the "slacker" generation, uncommitted and unfocused. The "why me" generation. They are the first generation to have experienced divorce on a large scale and are likely to have changed careers several times. While their parents grew up in the era
of the Civil Rights movement, Xers are considered more likely to want to keep their heads down than to change the world.
Generation Y: Those born between 1981 and 1994. Common put-downs include lazy, debt-ridden and programmed for instant gratification. They are portrayed as demanding and unrealistic in their career aspirations. Now we can add "internet-addicted" and "lonely" to the list.
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Generation Z: Those born 1995-2009, they are the first generation never to have experienced the pre-internet world. Accordingly are already technology-focused. The iPad generation
Generation Alpha: Yes, now we're onto the Greek alphabet. This generation begins with those born in 2010. It has been predicted they will be the most formally educated generation in history, beginning school earlier and studying longer. The children of older, wealthier parents with fewer siblings, they are already being labelled materialistic.
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Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z, and the Baby Boomers
you confused about generation terminology Here at Talented Heads we talk a lot about Generation Y, but this doesn’t mean we don’t care about the other generations too! Let us break down the terminology for you…
 
Baby Boomers The Baby Boomers are a generation of people born during the post WWII ‘Baby Boom’, roughly during the years 1946 to 1964. In the years following WWII many western nations experienced a spike in births as they slowly recovered from the economic hardships experienced during wartime. This new generation of Baby Boomers experienced an unprecedented level of economic growth and prosperity throughout their lifetime. They entered the world in a time of relative hardship, but thanks to education, government subsidies, rising property prices and technological advancements they have emerged as a
successful and affluent generation. Many baby boomers are now settling into retirement, with many more luxuries and comforts in their golden years than experienced by generations before them.
Some examples of people born in The Baby Boomer Generation:Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Sylvester Stallone, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, George W Bush, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Richard Gere, Richard Branson, Mr T, David Hasselhoff, Liam Neeson, Steven Seagal, Pierce Brosnan.
 
Generation X  Generation X came after the Baby Boomers, and typically covers people born between the mid 1960’s and the early 1980’s. Gen X was shaped by global political events that occurred during this generation’s youth. Events such as The Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War, and the Thatcher-era government in the UK were events that helped to shape the culture and upbringing of Generation X. Relative to previous generations, Gen X is more open to diversity and has learnt to embrace difference
s such as religion, sexual orientation, class, race and ethnicity.
Some examples of people born in Generation X:  Charlie Sheen, Ben Stiller, Sarah Jessica Parker, Adam Sandler, David Cameron, Gordon Ramsay, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Z, Gwen Stefani, Matt Damon, Miranda Hart, Liam Gallagher, Robbie Williams, Victoria Beckham.
 
Generation Y:  You guessed it, Generation Y came after Generation X. Generation Y covers people born between the 1980’s and the year 2000, and these individuals are sometimes referred to as Gen Y, the Millennial Generation, or simply Millennials. Generation Y has been shaped by the technological revolution that occurred throughout their youth. Gen Y grew up with technology, so being connected and tech savvy is in their DNA. Equipped with latest technology and gadgets, such as iPhones, laptops and lately tablets, Generation Y is online and connected 24/7, 365 days a year. Many Millennials grew up seeing their Baby Boomer parents working day and night doing stressful corporate jobs, beckham
which has shaped their own views on the workforce and the need for work-life balance.