Wiser Worker Blog

Over the last few weeks I have been doing research on the older worker in general, but specifically on the older worker returning to the workplace. We know that our labor market is shrinking and we need the older job seekers to fill the open positions.   That’s what we know but what I didn’t know was how we can get them hired – or simply put get the older worker in front of the hiring managers.

 

I set out to learn: What the REAL perception of the recruiting manager of the older worker?  What does the term “older worker” mean to recruiters and the population at large?  How does the average younger co-worker interact with their older co-workers?  What is the perceived value of the older worker to a business?  Lot’s questions, since I had them I would imagine that maybe you do as well. So here is what I found out…

 

What is an “older worker”?  Of course there is not a simple answer but according to researches Gergen and Gergen found that current American perception is that “those between ages 18 and 35 were considered young; those between 35 and 60 were considered middle aged, and those between 65 and 80 were considered old.” Current generations do not think of themselves as “old” until age 80.   And we know that anyone over 40 is protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and you are eligible for AARP at the ripe young age of 50. 

 

One could surmise that a worker starts to be older worker at age forty for hiring purposes.     

 

Play Nice? We have several different generations in the workplace; each generation has different goals and expectations of the workplace. Even with the different values, attitudes and expectations the different generations   have found a common ground in the workplace and work well together. Its phenomenon has left management with the task of muddling through generational differences that different groups have created; it’s nothing more than a process. 

 

Traditionalists: Born before 1946

Baby Boomer: 1946-1964

Generation X: 1965-1980

Generation Y: Born since 1980

 

What do older worker bring to the table? Older workers have a good work ethic, and a good attitude toward work. Employers over the last 15 years have the skills of the older workers highly when it comes to loyalty, dependability, experience, and customer relations.

 

Workers 55 and older…

…can serve as mentors to younger workers.

…adapt well to new technology.

…are eager for training.

…have great loyalty to the company.

…are flexible.

 

When all is said and done, I think older workers have come a long way in the mind of the recruiters. Business need to realize that older workers are very positive about themselves and the company they work for. They see themselves as more reliable than younger workers, more productive, and as having great loyalty to the company.

Tags: job, jobs, Older Worker, perception

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 7:49 pm and is filed under Career News, Job Search. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.