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The Schiff Report

Generation Y Perspective and Analysis.

The Single-Sex WorkplaceNovember 16

Hannah Seligson is onto something.

"I left the egalitarianism of the classroom for the cubicle, and everything changed. The realization that the knowledge and skills acquired in school don’t always translate at the office is something that all college graduates, men and women, must face. But for women, I have found, the adjustment tends to be much harder," Seligson writes in a New York Times article.

She continues:

The more traditionally “feminine” trait of sensitivity, while often appreciated, is not always an asset in the work world. I have spent too much time being rattled by terse e-mail from editors, agents who have told me that I’d never get a book deal, and bosses who have berated me as not being “detail-oriented.” I think that in order to break through any kind of glass ceiling, or simply to get through the day, you have to become impervious to the daily gruffness that’s a part of any job.

I used to think that perfection was the pathway to success. Not so, according to women I have interviewed who have reached the apex of their professions. Rather, it can lead to paralysis. Women, I have found, can let perfectionism stop them from speaking up or taking risks. For men, especially if they are thick-skinned, the thought of someone telling them “no” tends not to be viewed as earth-shattering.

Where Have I Been?October 19

Hello readers, yes, I'm talking to the three of you who have loyally kept checking back despite my glaring lack of updates...

As you can see this is the first time I'm posting in more than two months and my posting was very spotty for a while before that. My absence has been partly the result of a job change and an apartment move. But it's also because I've been thinking a lot about why I'm blogging, what I should be blogging about, the focus of The Schiff Report etc.

After working as an online journalist for just over a year, I made a very deliberate decision to switch to PR and dive into the world of publicity and media relations. With mixed feelings about the future of journalism and specifically my future (which I alluded to here) in journalism, I felt that giving PR a shot at this point in my career would be a worthwhile move. After a relatively short period of networking, I received a good job offer at a small firm (jackpot!) with an interesting niche.

Since starting the job a few months ago, the learning curve has been big. The truth is, it has been bigger than I imagined. Going from being the person who decides what the news is to being the person who tries to sell a journalist on what the news should be is quite a paradigm shift. But I'm learning a lot and

Generation Why Know?May 20

Mark Bauerlein, an English professor from Emory University, thinks millennials are stupid. Bauerlein is the author of "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future," which argues that Americans -- specifically those younger than 30 -- are squandering the numerous opportunities for knowledge and culture that are available today.

This finger-pointing really got to me. "Dumbest" generation? What the heck?

Bauerlein outlines the thesis of his new book in a New York Post op-ed. He writes:

For all their reputed savviness and worldliness, just about every measure of the knowledge and literacy of teens and young adults produces abysmal results. On the last National Assessment of Education Progress History and Civics exams, two-thirds of high school seniors couldn't explain a photo of a theater whose portal read: "Colored Entrance." Forty-five percent of them couldn't make sense of a sample ballot. Last month's NAEP writing scores showed only one in four high school seniors reaching proficiency...

It doesn't make sense, but the evidence is incontrovertible. Y

Your Attitude Towards Blogs is a Reflection of What You Think of PeopleMay 1

A friend sent me this New York Times article, which summarizes a heated confrontation that took place on the HBO sports media show Costas Now. I'm not usually interested in professional sports-related topics, but this discussion got my attention.

On the show, Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights and other books let rip on Will Leitch, the founder of the sports blog Deadspin. Shortly after the show started Bissinger interjected himself into the conversation.

"I really think you're full of shit," he said to Leitch. Bissinger then launched into a full critique of blogging.

"I think blogs are dedicated to cruelty, they’re dedicated to journalistic dishonesty, they’re dedicated to speed," Bissinger said. "Here's insight in blogging, because it really pisses the shit out of me," he said before reading some offensive comments he pulled from the blog.

Later in the show Leitch acknowledged that some blogs are abusive and not responsible, adding that those are not the ones that become very popular. "The nice thing about the Web is it's a meritocracy. Sure anyone can start a blog, but to get a readership you have to be serious, you have to be consistent, it's hard goddam work..."

The Real Disagreement

What is an Arselickocracy?April 30

Well, it's the title of a new blog by Mark Smith, a lawyer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. His introductory post explains the title.

I have to disclose that Mark is my cousin. We grew up together in Joburg and I've always appreciated his sharp wit and sarcastic sense of humor. Recently, we've been talking about blogging and when he mentioned starting his own blog, I jumped at the opportunity to encourage this pursuit. I knew his tone and writing style would go over well in the blogosphere and if you check it out, you'll see why he's already making a splash.

I really enjoyed Mark's second post about being on the cusp of Generation X and Generation Y. Although I strongly identify as a member of Gen. Y, I've been thinking a lot about how some people don't buy the generational analysis and why they don't think it's relevant. Mark's post speaks to some of these issues, so I've pasted it below.


Straddling the Generations
By Mark Smith

Being 27 (almost 28! Oh the silent screams in my head!), I was born in 1980, something of a "nothing year" in t