I always thought this was a question you asked of an old, pipe-smoking man sitting under a shade tree with his dog.

But after nearly 44 years with Homesteaders, my answer is easy… ideally find a place where you see the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, enjoy going to work every day and really feel good about yourself and what you are doing. Happiness, income, success, recognition or whatever you feel is important will all fall into place.

But then again that advice is probably a predictable response from an aging “boomer.” Every generation has a unique perspective on what they seek in a career and in an employer:

My Parents’ Generation

“Your experience will be an asset here.”

“We see you in our future.”

My Generation

“You can make a big contribution here.”

“We’re team players.”

My Kids

“People who work here have a life beyond work.”

”You can build a dynamite resume here.”

Their Kids

“We care about your goals.”

“You will be treated with respect here.”

So it’s pretty clear that the career philosophy that worked for me won’t necessarily resonate with the next wave. Not only are mindsets changing but also career opportunities are rapidly coming and going. Here are some stats that I recently came across:

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that people entering the job market today will have 10-14 different jobs before they are age 38.

Half of the people working today have been with the same company for less than five years.

The top 10 jobs in demand in 2010 did not exist in 2004.

Assuming this pace continues, you can conclude that we are preparing young people for jobs that don’t exist today… using technologies that may not be invented… to potentially solve problems we do not yet know about.

How all of this will play out, I don’t have a clue. If I’m still around, you can ask me again in 10 years… You’ll find me sitting under a shade tree with my dog.