 |
| Prime Computer HQ |
The posts that I have been writing about unemployment over 50 opened a
little door in my memory that had been closed for a very long time. I went through that door back to when I worked as Corporate
Advertising Manager for Prime Computer, one of the two best companies in my
career. We had a small department and
for some project—I don’t remember what—we needed some temp help. HR sent us Herschel.
He was a very smart man in his mid sixties who was doing temp work
while he looked for another job.
Herschel had a strong resume along with a B.A. in math and an M.A. in
statistics. (Did I mention that he was
smart?) Despite his credentials and
experience, he could not find a job. He
relied mostly on phone calls and the U.S. mail to conduct his search. With all the dubious wisdom of a
thirty-something, I recommended that he aim to schedule an interview so he
could sell himself face to face.
Herschel gave me a sad smile and told me that he couldn’t afford to let
people know how old he was right at the beginning or he would never get the
job. This was before the Internet,
before online job applications, LinkedIn, The Ladders, Facebook and other social
media. It was possible then to be
somewhat circumspect—one might even say reticent--about one’s age just by removing
older jobs from your resume and not
including graduation dates. Today it
takes more work with a far smaller chance of success. There are just too many ways for hiring
managers, HR departments, and recruiters to Google your name and find those dates—among
other information that will reveal your age.
 |
| The Silver Ceiling |
That conversation with Herschel was my first education on the
#silverceiling, a problem that is growing rapidly and will become epidemic in
the next five years.
Herschel was very professional, did a good job for us, and was a
pleasure to work with. He would have
been a great addition to any company savvy enough to hire him. Eventually he moved on to another temp position
but I kept in touch with him for many years, visiting his house in Acton (with
a barn full of books!) and exchanging Christmas cards. He never got another full-time job.
A hiring manager might argue that Herschel, because of his age, would
not have been able to hold down a job for more than a few years. The reality, though, is that our young
Millenial employees probably won’t even log that much time in one position. They look for speedy
advancement and will move on quickly if they don’t get promoted where they
work. You might get a year or two from
them and then have to train a new replacement.
Herschel would have given any company that hired him a smart, hard-working
and dedicated employee who would have been effective and productive for three
to five years. The same is true of the
Baby Boomers who are now entering their unemployable years. I know too many folks who are intelligent, well
educated, experienced, dedicated, hard working and business-savvy but can’t
find a job. From what I read, they are
just the tip of the #silvertsunami, a wave of older workers that is swelling by
the day.
Most companies will look at this demographic trend as a liability the country. A smart company will see an opportunity for
themselves.
Related posts:
No comments:
Post a Comment