Robin Throckmorton doesn’t believe in defining people by their birth date. “You can go too far the other way, and start stereotyping,” she says, “and that’s the kind of thinking that leads you to ‘all older workers hate change,’ or ‘young employees are not dependable.’” The categories below, she says, are more like guidelines. “It helps to understand where each generation came from, and appreciate the qualities that shaped them.”

RADIO BABIES, BORN 1930 TO 1945

Background: Children who remember the Depression and/or World War II, appreciate employment and career continuity.

Common characteristics: Strong work ethic, extensive job experience. Often perceived as frail or inflexible.

Comments: “People are sometimes afraid of radio babies for health reasons,” says Throckmorton. “But radio babies want people to recognize that their bodies and brains still work. Those hiring people between 60 and 80 tell us they’re the most productive workers they have.”

BABY BOOMERS, BORN 1946 TO 1964

Background: Boomers grew up with post-World War II prosperity and TV; entered the work force when “career path” meant a single company ladder to climb.

Common characteristics: Hard workers, experienced and loyal. Sometimes seen as “stuck in their ways.”

Comments: “A lot of people are reluctant to hire boomers, thinking they’ll retire soon,” she says. But changing retirement scenarios often inspire boomers to second careers. “They want to keep going. They want a better work-life balance. And their second career is often much different than the first one.”

GENERATION X, BORN 1965 TO 1976

Background: Latchkey kids, often from dual-income homes. Entered the work force at the dawn of the Computer Age.

Common characteristics: Independent, flexible, technologically diverse. Can be perceived as self-absorbed or disloyal.

Comments: “This is the first latchkey generation,” says Throckmorton. “So they’re very used to surviving on their own. They change jobs more often, so they put less stock in company loyalty. So, they can be seen (by elders) as impatient with their careers.”

GENERATION Y, BORN 1977 TO 1990

Background: Raised in a fast-paced, violence- and media-saturated, technologically booming world.

Strengths: Energetic, innovative. Can be viewed as arrogant or defiant.

Stereotype: “Gen Y’s are sometimes called ‘Gen Why?’ because they question everything,” she says. “They look for the value in what they do, and are less inclined to confer respect upon someone because of a title.”