Some Employers See Perks Of Hiring Older Applicants; Cite Experience, Dedication

[Purveyor]

Matt Sedensky, The Associated Press
Published Friday, September 13, 2013 11:18AM EDT

Older people searching for jobs have long fought back stereotypes that they lack the speed, technology skills and dynamism of younger applicants. But as a wave of baby boomers seeks to stay on the job later in life, some employers are finding older workers are precisely what they need.

"There's no experience like experience," said David Mintz, CEO of dairy-free products maker Tofutti, where about one-third of the workers are over 50. "I can't put an ad saying, 'Older people wanted,' but there's no comparison."

Surveys consistently show older people believe they experience age discrimination on the job market, and although unemployment is lower among older workers, long-term unemployment is far higher. As the American population and its labour force reshape, though, with a larger chunk of older workers, some employers are slowly recognizing their skill and experience.

About 200 employers, from Google to AT&T to MetLife, have signed an AARP pledge recognizing the value of experienced workers and vowing to consider applicants 50 and older.

One of them, New York-based KPMG, has found success with a high proportion of older workers, who bring experience that the company says adds credibility. The auditing, tax and advisory firm says older workers also tend to be more dedicated to staying with the company, a plus for clients who like to build a relationship with a consultant they can count on to be around for years.


Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/some-employers-see-perks-of-hiring-older-applicants-cite-experience-dedication-1.1453353#ixzz2en3hWCZr

[Safetykitten]

1. Yes, like the 87 year old that I worked with at Home Depot that was worked like a horse. Charming.

[SheilaT]

2. I'm inclined to think age discrimination occurs in some

job areas, not so much in others.

I was out of the workforce for twenty-five years while raising children. So I was over 50 when I finally returned and was looking for work. There's no real way of knowing, but I don't think I faced much age discrimination when I was job-hunting. The fact that I was looking for entry-level positions might have actually been in my favor. Lots of times I didn't get the job, but the job search has often been highly competitive, no matter what the state of the economy.

There were times when I quickly got a job offer, and other times they hired someone who was clearly better qualified than I.

In fact, when I started one job the person doing the training expressed gratitude to HR that they hired someone a bit older into the position.

[backscatter712]

8. The tech industry is a classic example.

If you're not twenty-something, with five years under your belt after graduating with your computer science degree, they turn your nose up at you.

Forty-something? Your skills are outdated, and you'll demand too much money for having experience.

Fifty-something? Forget it.

[SheilaT]

9. Tech didn't used to be that way.

Thirty years ago my husband was hesitant to go into programming for fear that he'd be declared old and obsolete in about five, at the most ten years. It took 25 years for that to happen.

[winter is coming]

3. Interesting quote here...

"Some Gen Ys and Millennials have this notion of, 'I will have five jobs in 10 years,"' said Sig Shirodkar, a human resources executive at KPMG. "We're looking for ways to tame that beast."

They created the beast they want to tame when they started cutting benefits and raises and stopped investing in their employees. People started job-hopping when it became the only way to get a decent raise. Phasing out pension plans removed an incentive to stay with one company your whole career. Companies began treating employees as disposable, just-in-time commodities rather than people they expected to employ for decades. If they want to change that trend, a little soul-searching about how they treat employees now as opposed to how they used to treat them would be in order.

As for targeting older employees... I haven't seen it yet in my area, and the cynic in me says that now that they've dumped the older, experienced employees who were "too expensive" in the days of pensions and health care, they'd like to hire them back at lower salaries with far fewer benefits.

[ck4829]

4. When discrimination against older applicants and 'overqualified' ends, it will be a bit of sanity

They still need to eat, people!

[mahina]

5. Health I insurance will cost more for older workers next year.

I hope that doesnt worsen discrimination.

[KG]

6. that's a load of hooey.

[CK_John]

7. Don't see, Itel closing plant 700 employees dropped, JP Morgan just laid off 2500 workers,

Cyber-era in effect more people than jobs for at least the next 50yrs.

[Oilwellian]

11. Hmmm...

there will be a lot of boomers retiring and dying off in the next 20-30 years. That's a huge number of vacant jobs that will need to be filled. What my husband is finding with the GenX'ers and Millennials, at least in his particular line of business, they believe they can manufacture their product from behind a computer. They hate getting out in the plant and obtaining hands-on experience. The business is in for huge problems once the old timers start retiring in the next few years. We suspect they'll be calling my husband and offering him a consulting job once he retires, and that is the day when he will stick it to them and demand top dollar for his knowledge and experience. They're going to desperately need it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. k&r