The term ''young professional'' generally refers to young people between 20 and 40 who are employed in a

profession A profession is a field of work that has been successfully ''professionalized''. It can be defined as a disciplined group of individuals, '' professionals'', who adhere to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as, and are accepted by ...

or white-collar occupation. The meaning may be ambiguous"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
/ref> and has evolved from its original narrow meaning of a young person in a professional field.

Arun Arora Arun Arora (born 10 October 1971) is a British Anglican bishop and solicitor. Since, 2022 he has served as Bishop of Kirkstall in the Diocese of Leeds. From 2012 to 2017, he served as Director of Communications of the Archbishops' Council of th ...

and Andrew Francis
''The rule of lawyers'' in ''Modernising Britain'', Fabian Discussion Papers, iss. 42, 1998, p. 4
/ref> Although derivative of the term '

yuppie Yuppie, short for "young urban professional" or "young upwardly-mobile professional", is a term coined in the early 1980s for a young professional person working in a city. The term is first attested in 1980, when it was used as a fairly neu ...

', 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.John Taylor, '' 'Down With M.B.A.'s' '', New York magazine, November 2, 1987, p. 36
/ref> The age group are people between 20 and 40. Stereotypically, they can also be viewed as having an "obsession with success" and "plagued with loneliness." Max Luca. do, ''The applause of heaven'', 1996, p. 120"> Max Luca. do, ''The applause of heaven'', 1996, p. 120
/ref> Alternatively, young professionals can be seen as highly spiritual and "seeking a spiritual outlet to balance their hectic working lives."Engaging Generation Aleph: A Resource for Young Adults in the Synagogue, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, ed., 1997, p. 3
/ref>

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.''Neighborhood organizing: nurturing strong, unified voices'', charles Stewart Mott Foundation, ed., 2007, p. 8
/ref> Young professionals can also organize themselves and bring energy to shape communities and alter local or ethnic politics.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
/ref> Young professionals are courted by larger social and occupational organizations or employers in some contexts,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
/ref>Government Executive, vol. 26, 1994, pp. 16, 18
/ref> but not in other.Ryan Kohnen, ''Young Professional's Guide to Success'', 2009, pp. 1, 103
/ref> Young professionals are also heavily targeted by purveyors of career and financial advice.Lisa C. Jones, ''Money Management for Young Professionals'', Ebony, October 1992, p. 128
/ref>Tanner Strasky, ''Find Your Inner Ugly Betty: 25 Career Lessons for Young Professionals Inspired by TV Shows'', 2008
/ref> In the workplace, young professionals can be viewed as talented and energetic individuals who present special management challengesRoger B. Winston, Don G. Creamer, and Theodore K. Miller, ''The professional student affairs administrator: educator, leader, and manager'', 2001, p. 394
/ref> or as "cannon fodder" to be cast aside once they are no longer profitable to a business.

As euphemism for "single"

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". However, other organizations specifically for young professionals insist that they are not "singles groups".

References

{{Reflist, 30em Employment classifications Professionals

Traits

Impact and connections with larger entities

As euphemism for "single"

See also

References