6 Ways for Older Workers to Impress Hiring Managers

August 4, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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Don't stereotype younger workers (or bosses). You shouldn't assume that you know something about a coworker simply because of their age. Misty Johnson, assistant director of recruiting and diversity at the Principal Financial Group, noticed that some of the older workers automatically assumed that all the summer interns would be technology savvy, which is not always the case and can be off-putting to younger employees. The same goes for younger supervisors. "Remain positive and remain focused on what you can do for an organization to add value rather than operating with a chip on their shoulder," advises Sweere. "Focus on the accomplishments of the past that you can bring forward and apply to future opportunities you are presented with."

Pass your knowledge on. Companies want older workers willing to coach and mentor younger workers. "We're basically looking for the ability to share ideas, good interpersonal skills, and good communications skills," says Walter Caldwell, manager of staffing resources at the Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, Calif. "Not only do we have to come up with solutions, we have to be able to explain how we got to a certain point and explain what needs to be done to fix a problem."

Tags:: careers,; hiring

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I am a very young 51 and this article and the comments are extremely revealing on how rampant age-discrimination and stereo-types have infected our society and our culture. I have been looking for employment over the last few months so I have experienced first-hand some of these cold-hard realities. My acquired Wisdom, know-how, maturity, high-level of enthusiasm, master of change, I've been through the wars, my people friendly skills plus my learned eating and exercise habits has restored my energy levels to that when I was 25!
With all these attributes and more, I can run-circles around 99% of the younger generation. BUT I know when most employers look at the years I have been employed their very flawed, first instinctual reaction would be not bother to even contact me for an initial phone discussion! That is SAD and a CRUCIAL FLAW of our society! We keep tripping-up on the Basic-Fundamentals.
The rest of the world keeps running circles around us because those in so many positions of so-called leadership have no clue what TRUE leadership is composed of. (...Add this to the growing list on why we are fast becoming a 3rd world country)
So I'm sorry to have to disagree with that adage that age automatically brings WISDOM. If it did then this sad state of affairs would not exist in our country. Be REAL, there are A LOT of us Senior Citizens running the ship in a lot of companies who have NO CLUE on what a crummy job and great disservice their Recruitment Departments are doing to their organizations.
So many people have BOUGHT INTO THE LIE...that SADLY it now passes for THE TRUTH! What's even sadder is that A LOT of senior citizens have bought in to the lie as well and have lost their self-worth. :-(
We must not get complacent the older we get and always be open and embrace change folks. Don't Allow change to intimidate you gang! Change has always been around us all our lives. So we know change better than anyone and know best how to adapt to it and take advantages. WE OWN CHANGE! AND WE KNOW WHAT IS REALLY GOOD and what it takes to PRODUCE GOOD & GREAT! CHANGE should not faze us!
So go out there and sell yourselves as MASTER CHANGE-AGENTS FOR WHAT IS GOOD & GREAT!!!

BIG O of FL 4:22AM May 22, 2010

The best thing would have been to get a job that provided at least a minimal medical retirement coverage. Yep, that propbably would have meant earning less money in the 1st place for years during your career. (Civil/ Public Service)
The good news is public agencys can't discriminate if you apply for a position you do qualify for. Many Municipalities DO at least get you group discount, if not at least partly pay for your medical coverage.

Guy of CA 1:11AM January 18, 2009

appy for medicaid if u cant get medicare. no embarrassment. I get food stamps, too. Every little bit helps. Right now, I can afford my meds anyway because I asked my dr. to check the Walmart formulary everytime he wants to write a prescription.
My eyedrops are going to be a problem. I had to make extra trips to opthmalogist because of possible glaucoma. Medicaid requires more visits to establish a diagnosis. SO-- they paid for visits, but, the eyedrops are 4 x a day if medicaid pays for them--the kind u pay $4 for at my favorite store. The once or twice a day drops are gong to be a big BIG expense that edicaid will not want to pay for.

ma ce of VA 3:42PM September 18, 2008