Growing Up Gen X: How Our Past Affects Our Planning

Expect the unexpected.

There's something only Gen X can understand about being a kid during the Cold War. When you lay your head down at night wondering if you'll wake up in the morning or if a deadly missile will have been launched by then, you tend to live in the moment. Gen Xers adapt well to change because we never counted on things being static and predictable. In our adolescence, we thought it was cool not to have a plan, but what we really need now is multiple "what if" scenarios for all the things life might throw our way. We doubt we'll be able to rely on Social Security. We're not convinced our kids will go to a four-year university after high school. We've even thought about quitting our corporate jobs and becoming entrepreneurs. Help us understand what each of those situations might look like.

Talk and listen.

Examining our upbringing as the first latchkey kids, it's not hard to understand why independence is a common trait among Gen Xers. At age 12, and sometimes younger, we'd be trusted to babysit multiple kids for a whole night — without cell phones. And so long as you made curfew, you could go anywhere your bicycle would take you. Self-sufficient and resourceful? Yes, we have those qualities in spades. So while many boomers may look to experts — whether financial, medical or otherwise — to tell them what's what, we Gen Xers have more questions and are more likely to push back. We don't want to be given advice the same way our parents were. Seek to understand our individualized views and experiences, and then help us prioritize our goals.

In summary, we Gen Xers have a diverse set of goals that need achieving, and enough complexity that it makes sense for advisors to help us get there. We won't accept your guidance with blind faith, but we're accustomed to dealing with variable situations, and not scared to dig into the numbers with you. If you can serve us in the way that works for us, you'll create lasting relationships. Brushing up on some John Hughes film references wouldn't hurt, either.

— Check out 5 Tips for Advising the New Sandwich Generation on ThinkAdvisor.

Amy Jones is the chief talent officer for PlanCorp. Amy considers human resources "the business of people." Throughout her career, she's had the opportunity to solve complex business challenges in a variety of settings, from public to privately held companies, and from startup stage to global organizations. A St. Louis native, Amy graduated magna cum laude from Missouri State University. Her 18+ years in HR have been concentrated in the professional services space.

Although Amy's work is often of a serious nature, she doesn't take herself too seriously. She says her years in the HR field have made her a believer that sometimes the most difficult thing is the right thing— and that sequins are ok for daytime. When she's not wearing her HR shoes, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter.