Navigating Generational Differences in Workplace Communication

Hi friends,

I am a Gen X guy, and we sent an email to a person for an interview, and his reply was:
"Ya I'll be available by tomorrow, sir..."

Whereas our email was:

Sir / Madam,

With reference to your application for the position of Project Executive, you are invited for a personal interview as per the details below:

- Date & Reporting Time: 29 March 2012, Thursday at 10:00 AM
- Venue: [address]

No requests for a change in the date/time of the interview will be entertained. No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview. You are required to fill out and bring the attached application form when attending the interview. You are requested to acknowledge the receipt of this email immediately by return email/phone and indicate whether you will be attending the interview.

Isn't it more professional to reply with at least two lines instead of just one line as "Ya I'll be available"?

Thank you.

Hi,

You have a classic dilemma. The candidate has met all your requirements and confirmed his availability for the interview, so he cannot be faulted on that count. However, from a corporate culture point of view, his response would be an indicator of the possible mismatch that is likely to escalate over time. His job role and job function would also require the candidate to be more communicative, expressive, and follow the accepted norms of corporate culture that align with your corporate values. Apparently, even as a Gen X person, you find it difficult to reconcile with the reply. It is possible that during the interview, you may find the candidate very suitable, but you may find his style, response, and attitude unacceptable to your value system.

Not interviewing the candidate would be a wee bit unfair to the candidate, but you still retain the right to reject him if he does not meet the standards and good fit acceptable to your corporate values, style, and expectations.

Regards

Dear Ravi,

With just one-line reply, the candidate's cavalier attitude is clearly visible. The art of writing letters is taught in schools and colleges; however, he does not seem willing to implement his learning. What does this show?

DVD

It only shows that he is young and grown up using his mobile a lot and needs grooming. Like Jacob has said, he needs to be interviewed, and if found suitable for the job, needs to be educated (he could be qualified; needs to be educated).

Thanks to everyone for your replies,

Jacob is indeed invited for an interview. This reply struck a chord with me, prompting me to seek others' opinions. It made me ponder whether I am getting old, finding this language unprofessional, or if this is the current norm.

The other replies I received were more professional, some expressing their inability to attend:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for shortlisting my resume for the interview. I would like to confirm my availability on the specified date.

Thank you.
Regards

Thank you for inviting me for the personal interview. However, I have my B.Tech final exams ongoing. While I am eager to join, I regret that I cannot attend. Please inform me if there is any change in the interview date.

Thank you once again!

It's interesting to observe the varied responses from candidates of the same age group, reflecting their upbringing. It's crucial for individuals to understand that using mobile SMS language may not contribute to their career growth.

Dear Mr. Ravi,

There is nothing to worry about. To be honest, the majority of Gen X freshers will respond in a similar way because they are not taught about the importance of business communication skills in the corporate world. They also have no idea about effective communication skills, as most educational institutions do not give prominence to soft skills and business communication skills except for conducting sessions for formality reasons.

For your kind information, every month I train project engineers, department staff, and senior executives on soft skills and business communication skills (drafting letters/emails/reports). Even today, I am surprised to note that there are no changes in their drafting style. It is the organization that needs to foster a culture supporting soft skills and business communication skills (written).

I would request you to address him about your expectations. This will help to understand your organization's culture.

With profound regards

Well, sir, I don't agree with the X & Y generation concept. I myself belong to the Y generation, but I would never have replied to my prospective recruiter in that way. In fact, I find that guy very immature; careless would be a right and apt word for him. But never mind, if he is worthy of the job, we should give him a chance. As some of us said, he would need a lot of grooming.

I am glad you shared this for discussion, Ravi. When HR is concerned, the more we are able to explore issues, the better we will be able to do our job effectively. This situation is a clear indicator that more and more, things are not as black and white as we would like - there are definite shades of grey that have to be considered. It is imperative that we keep context in mind and not stay rigid and traditional - however, it is also important that we not lose sight of what our expectations are. It would be great if we manage both!