Lots of companies have an image in their minds regarding their ideal candidate. The problem is that their ideal candidate looks a lot like the same applicants that everyone else is seeking. That’s why I advise my clients to be open to all possibilities. Talent comes in all different sizes and shapes and dare I say ages.
Although it’s illegal to discriminate based on age, it certainly isn’t illegal to say you are looking for people with one to three years of experience, which in most cases eliminates the older job seeker. But is this really in your best interest? I don’t think so. Here are some of the many benefits of giving mature workers a second look.
- Loyalty-Younger workers are in the beginning stages of their careers and are looking to accelerate their earnings as quickly as possible. How do I know this? Because at one point I was a younger worker too. Younger workers won’t think twice about moving on when they receive a better offer. Mature workers have either been laid off or know someone who has lost their job. They know a good thing when they see it, which means they’ll think twice and sometimes three times before giving notice.
- Reliability-Mature workers usually don’t call in sick after a long night of partying, which means you can rely on them to work the schedule they’ve been hired to work. Can you say the same about your entry-level workers?
- Smarts-Seasoned workers don’t lose their intelligence because they’ve lived to see another decade. If they were fairly intelligent when they were 20 years old, chances are they are at least as smart if not smarter than their younger selves. This means that you can train them to learn new computer programs. Yes, it could take them a bit longer to catch on, but in most cases it will be less time than you are currently spending retraining because people keep leaving.
- Work ethic-Today’s mature worker has a work ethic that is much different than the younger generation. In most situations, mom and dad won’t be supporting them if they mess up at work and they find themselves unemployed yet again. Nor will they be able to return to the nest to live on their parent’s couch until another job opportunity falls into their lap.
- Contentment-A lot of organizations are running lean these days which means that there are fewer opportunities for advancement. That’s not an issue for a lot of mature workers as they are content coming to work everyday and doing a good job without the promise of a promotion.
- Trustworthiness-Many business owners would not even consider leaving their businesses for more than an hour because they feel uncomfortable leaving their livelihood in the hands of someone who is young enough to be their child. But what if you had someone on your team that had a similar mindset as you? Someone that could easily keep the business going in your absence. Imagine what you could do with your new found freedom?
There is no expiration date on talent. Keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to compete for the same people with everyone else. Dare to be different.
via Why There Is No Expiration Date On Talent – Forbes.
Why There Is No Expiration Date On Talent
