The term young professional generally refers to young people between 20 and 49 who are employed in a profession or white-collar occupation. The meaning may be ambiguous[1] and has evolved from its original narrow meaning of a young person in a professional field.[2] Although derivative of the term 'yuppie', it has grown into its own set of meanings.

Traits

The term was originally, and is still used to some degree, to narrowly refer to recent graduates of professional schools serving in professional careers.[2][3] The term typically refers to people between the ages of 20 and 40.

Stereotypically, they can also be viewed as having an "obsession with success" and "plagued with loneliness".[4] Alternatively, young professionals can be seen as highly spiritual and "seeking a spiritual outlet to balance their hectic working lives".[5]

Impact and connections with larger entities

Young professionals can provide a welcome increase in a local area's tax base and can also create a snowball effect of attracting and infusing young energy and talent into an area.[6] Young professionals can also organize themselves and bring energy to shape communities and alter local or ethnic politics.[7]

Young professionals are courted by larger social and occupational organizations or employers in some contexts,[8][9] but not in other.[10]

Young professionals are also heavily targeted by purveyors of career and financial advice.[11][12]

In the workplace, young professionals can be viewed as talented and energetic individuals who present special management challenges[13] or as "cannon fodder" to be cast aside once they are no longer profitable to a business.[3]

As euphemism for "single"

Main article: singles event

The stigma that developed in the 1970s around singles functions and singles groups led some organizations to switch the name of their singles events to "young professionals events".[14][15][16] However, other organizations specifically for young professionals insist that they are not "singles groups".[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "I am not sure what "young professionals" means..." After the storm: American society a decade after the Vietnam War : proceedings of the International Conference on "The U.S.A.: A Decade After the Vietnam War", 1987, p. 33
  2. ^ a b Arun Arora and Andrew Francis, The rule of lawyers in Modernising Britain, Fabian Discussion Papers, iss. 42, 1998, p. 4
  3. ^ a b John Taylor, 'Down With M.B.A.'s' , New York magazine, November 2, 1987, p. 36
  4. ^ Max Luca. do, The applause of heaven, 1996, p. 120
  5. ^ Engaging Generation Aleph: A Resource for Young Adults in the Synagogue, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, ed., 1997, p. 3
  6. ^ Neighborhood organizing: nurturing strong, unified voices, charles Stewart Mott Foundation, ed., 2007, p. 8
  7. ^ Glenn Omatsu, "Four Prisons" and the Movements of Liberation, in Asian American studies: a reader, Jean Yu-wen Shen Wu and Min Song, eds., 2000, p. 178
  8. ^ Aart J. M. Van De Laar, The World Bank and the poor, in Series on the Development of Societies, Institute of Social Studies, ed., vol. 6, p. 101
  9. ^ Government Executive, vol. 26, 1994, pp. 16, 18
  10. ^ Ryan Kohnen, Young Professional's Guide to Success, 2009, pp. 1, 103
  11. ^ Lisa C. Jones, Money Management for Young Professionals, Ebony, October 1992, p. 128
  12. ^ Tanner Strasky, Find Your Inner Ugly Betty: 25 Career Lessons for Young Professionals Inspired by TV Shows, 2008
  13. ^ Roger B. Winston, Don G. Creamer, and Theodore K. Miller, The professional student affairs administrator: educator, leader, and manager, 2001, p. 394
  14. ^ Berk, Bernard (1976). "Face-Saving at the Singles Dance". Social Problems. 24 (5): 530–544 [p. 532]. doi:10.2307/800123. JSTOR 800123.
  15. ^ Fried, Stephen (2002). The new rabbi: a congregation searches for its leader. Bantam Books. p. 57.
  16. ^ Engaging Generation Aleph: A Resource for Young Adults in the Synagogue. Union of American Hebrew Congregations. 1997. p. 81. ISBN 9780807406410.
  17. ^ Engaging Generation Aleph: A Resource for Young Adults in the Synagogue. Union of American Hebrew Congregations. 1997. p. 96. ISBN 9780807406410.
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