There is an alarming trend in the workforce these days in the form of a new type of discrimination.
Age discrimation.
One doesn’t need to be naive to know that just like in years before, in the hiring process there all kinds of discrimination such as race, gender, religion, etc. So let’s be be politically correct and pretend that hiring discrimination does not exist. Yeah, right.
But it does, dear reader. The new discrimation in the hiring workplace has to do with workers over 50 years old. The aging of America. It’s also the “dumming down” of America.
No one talks or writes about age discrimination, so I will.
As an executive recruiter I have witnessed first hand that age discrimination is a factor even on a resume. Employers look at when an applicant graduated college and then do the math to decipher how old someone is and in many cases, will not interview if someone is perceived to be a “geezer.” Over age 50. You read it right over age 50.
This is nothing short of outrageous. Especially in the healthcare field where the average age of an RN is 52 years old.
If you or a loved one is serious ill, wouldn’t you prefer someone seasoned as a nurse rather than a nurse that passed the boards 3-5 years ago? Think about it.
Aging bring wisdom and experience to any situation. Wouldn’t you rather have a doctor, a dentist, a financial planner, an Administrator, a nurse, etc with some real life “been there- done that” experience. I would!
Employers: if you are passing up on interviewing and hiring folks past their 50’s than you are passing up on some of the best applicants available.
It’s such a cliche that “you can’t each an old dog, new tricks.” Seasoned employees bring credibility to the work force. They have life experience that cannot be taught such as loss, great success, failure, raising families, dealing with the relentlessness of life.
And that’s a good thing!
But that does not mean that seasoned workers are unable to learn. In fact, they are more capable of learning and knowing how to work smart.
In summary, age discrimination in the hiring process is a huge and terribly misguided mistake especially in the 21 st century when older Americans are fit, strong and Internet savvy.
And motivated.
I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc. I can be reached at 1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com. I welcome your phone call.