Executive Summary

Since the beginning of the new millennium, a new generation of people, known as millennials, has begun entering the work force. These young people, born after 1980, have grown up with advanced technology that allows them to communicate in new and different ways. While the opportunity to communicate instantaneously on a global level is advantageous, it also promotes a level of informality. Young people are used to typing abbreviated words and acronyms through text and instant messages, largely ignoring grammatical conventions. This form of communication is largely incomprehensible to older generations.

I am interested in studying written and verbal communication skills in members of the millennial generation and evaluating their levels of professionalism. I would also like to have members of previous generations evaluate samples of communication, in print and voice recordings, and express their opinions of the authors. This study will determine if millennials are entering the work force without adequate preparation in presenting themselves professionally. It will also offer suggestions to improve the education of young people so that they learn to distinguish between communication styles needed for professional versus informal communication.