William Eggers and Owen Sanderson: James Kotecki is your typical 20-something. His day starts with a shower, a bowl of cereal and a few minutes catching up with his favorite blogs. But it’s here where his morning routine departs from many of his friends who work for big consulting firms, large banks and news syndicates. Instead of donning slacks and a tie — typical of America’s white-collar, service-oriented workforce that has emerged since World War II — James opts for a black t-shirt branded with an image of Disney’s Space Mountain.
James is a representative of the no collar generation, a segment of the labor force that has exploded in the last decade. This new cohort of talent is trading in starched collars for t-shirts. James in particular is a new media savant. He has been able to craft a profession at the intersection of technology, social media and humor. He is an online author and video host who blogs for The Huffington Post, combines journalism with jokes for The Not Safe For Work Corporation and hosts a political humor show for The Daily. The Economist once referred to him as “probably the world’s foremost expert on YouTube videos posted by presidential candidates” — a lofty accolade, to be sure. He’s finding a professional niche at the fringe.
James is one of millions of members of the no collar generation. Like many others, his success can be directly traced to the emergence of America’s knowledge economy — where the acquisition and transfer of knowledge is key. By some estimates, knowledge workers represent between 28 and 45 percent of the U.S. labor force. This segment is expected to grow rapidly according to the Department of Labor. Within the knowledge economy there is what author Dan Pink has called free agent nation — in which working for one employer for your entire career is a thing of the past. Rest