I have a bookshelf in my office filled with mementos from my 17 years of operating my business.

Fortunately, I have less than a handful of checks with insufficient funds or account closed. I have an alarm clock to remind me of the all-nighters I pulled when I was younger. I have a typing eraser, typing ribbons, correction tapes and 5-1/4 inch diskettes to remind me of technological advances. My newest addition is a spiral bound transcript and a digital recorder -- not a very good recorder I might add. I guess if my husband ever goes to the grocery store he can listen and be reminded to pick up milk, eggs and butter or tell him where he parked the car.

The digital recorder belongs to a Master's Degree student. She purchased it to record an interview last week. Although I told her to make sure the audio recordings could be downloaded to the computer, she chose a cheaper model without a removable media card and can't be be downloaded to a computer -- which is the reason I have her recorder. I had to use a patch cord to re-record onto my digital recorder and then download to my computer. She emailed me on Monday asking how much she owed me. That is the last I have heard from her --

My husband, being the optimist that he is, keeps telling me that she probably has to wait until she has the money. Me, being the pessimist I am, keeps telling him that with 4-5 more similar recorders, I would pretty much break even on this project.

It's no wonder that more and more big businesses no longer accept checks. To me, this is nothing but theft -- and it doesn't hurt the thieves -- it hurts all the innocent people that try to do right -- they are the ones that have to pay for the abuse, and will be required to pay me in advance the next time. Being a Master's Degree student, I even gave a rate reduction -- the innocent and honest people will now be required to pay upfront.

On another abuse front, apparently the California circus organization came through town recently recruiting signing agents for loan signings. I've changed all my notary on-line profiles to reflect that I no longer sign for signing services, title companies or brokers. I continue to perform mobile/general notarizations for the public. After the circus act, a fresh, never before notary recruit contacted me to mentor her. I suppose she felt she wasn't a threat since I openly advertise that I no longer witness mortgage loans. After talking with her for 30-45 minutes on the phone, she didn't even thank me -- either on the phone, a follow-up email or an offer to buy me lunch or coffee. It's been nearly a month since her initial contact. Last night she called -- she has her first signing today and wanted my assistance, once again in tutoring her and got perturbed when I told her I didn't have the time. I may no longer do signings, but I'm also not the Goodwill Ambassador for wet-behind-the-ears/don't know what they're doing signing agents that will ultimately add to the economic/mortgage situation mess the world is now facing.
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Are you finding yourself holding your head because you've made the wrong hiring decision?

There is a definite difference between the quality of the work, the quantity of the work and the general work ethics between baby boomers and the younger generation of workers just entering the work force.

It's not just a generation gap thing.

During the past couple of months, I've received three inquiries from attorneys just now seeing what many an older secretary has recognized for years -- the younger worker doesn't know how to work. Attorneys are telling me "I can't leave them on their own -- they need constant supervision -- I might as well do the work myself. Oh, sure, they want a job and they usually show up, but they don't really want to work or don't know how. When they should be working, they are surfing the Internet, answering personal emails or phone texting their friends. H-E-L-P me!"

Baby boomers started at the bottom and worked our way up. If someone said jump, we asked how high. We were sponges while we soaked everything up. Don't get me wrong -- we thought we knew everything -- no different than today's youth -- the difference, we only got away with that way of thinking at home and would never have thought of trying it at work. "That's not my job" was not in our vocabulary.

Baby boomers didn't grow up with cell phones, texting, Ipods, Internet. I may be able to type 120 wpm, however, it takes me more than 30 minutes to enter a couple of lines of a phone text message.

Growing up and listening to Mom and Dad's lectures, I remember thinking how old they were and that I was never going to be "that old." Today I find their words coming out of my mouth. I've seen the younger workers roll their eyes at me and other boomers -- be happy that I only harp about work quality and ethics and I haven't began telling you about how hard you think you have it, or telling you about my own parents walking to school -- what was it?--8, 10, 12 miles and uphill in both directions!

The next time an employer is driven between the decision of hiring an inexperienced/unskilled employee in order to save money, or hiring the experienced "been around the block a couple of times" employee -- take into consideration how much your own time is worth. Employers need to recognize and appreciate the boomers and the the fact that we take initiative, use our own judgment, do something without being told and have the skills and dedication to see a job through. We've earned your respect.
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