One more stereotypical remark about age and its relationship to job-hunting may lead to my own personal meltdown—my point being that job hunters often suffer from lack of confidence, particularly after a lay-off, and they don’t need to contend with urban legends, myths, lies, and age-related stereotypes. Let’s analyze a few of these pseudo-ideas about ageism and employment desirability that seem to pop up periodically like dandelions in the spring:

Myth #1: The young are more energetic, resilient, and have more workplace stamina than older workers.

Based on my experience, in conversation with HR professionals, engagement is critical for all individuals—young and older alike—in the workplace. Stamina, productivity, and energy are often indicators of work satisfaction, rather than an attribute of age. An unhappy worker is generally an unproductive, enervated worker. A happy worker is the opposite. Enjoying what you do generates energy.

Myth #2: Younger workers land jobs more easily than their elders because they will accept less compensation.
 
Thousands of members of the 2000-2007 classes dispute this, according to my research.  Companies today want employees with a college degree, skills, and experience, so youth is no guarantee of a good job offer. Yes, there was a time when employers hired with no experience because they expected to train all new employees. Younger workers were less expensive to hire, but that is no longer the case.

Myth #3: Older workers cost more to employ.

This tiresome myth definitely needs dispelling.  The “cost” of any worker is a function of the marketplace—that is, the going rate a company must pay for talent. Before compensation and salary surveys became prevalent, workers’ salaries often climbed from 10 to 30 percent above prevailing market wages due to longevity. But today, most companies have caps, which means they don’t give annual raises above an established range for a specific job. Many of the workers who did command a premium often suffered layoffs or were offered early retirement during crunch times.

Myth #4: Older workers are less resilient and resist change.

Studies have shown that rigidity has more to do with personality than with age. My HR friends tell me that “fortysomethings” are often more open to experimentation and change than their “twentysomething” counterparts. Younger workers, sometimes called “millennials” (those born between 1980 and 1995), are eager to work but tend not to get involved in the workplace environment.  While older workers (“sixtysomethings”) can be Luddite-like in their avoidance of cell phones, computer technology, and other technological advances, and younger workers readily accept iPods, iTunes, cell phone, streaming video, and all the other technological gear, that tendency alone does not for an efficient worker make.

Myth #5: Younger workers will work harder and put up with more demands.

Even during a recession, younger workers tend to be clearer about what they will accept in the workplace. During the 1990s, for example, corporate nomads quickly moved from one high-tech company to another when things began to sour. Whether a person chooses to stay in a job or not depends more on the state of his or her financial obligations.  Younger workers are often less encumbered financially and can move on more easily.  Older workers may respond quite differently to what they perceive as being taken advantage of in the workplace.

Myth #6: Young people produce more new ideas.

Once again, ideas are less a function of age than of character. Creativity within the workplace is another measure of involvement and engagement. A walking zombie in the workplace can be any age between 18 and 80, depending on job satisfaction, or lack thereof. Check out the blank faces of young people working in fast food restaurants.

If you are guilty of harboring any of these or other age-related stereotypes, it’s time to examine your assumptions and clean out the cobwebs that cloud good decision-making. It is important to keep your eye on what is most important for your company or department and hire the best, most qualified individuals without consideration of age. That 50-year-old you just interviewed might be a better fit for a junior-level job than a 22-year old, depending on his/her flexibility, creativity, and willingness to adapt. Conversely, a 22-year-old techie might bring better skills and enthusiasm necessary to train some older workers.

Need more advice on careers and how to achieve your goalsl? Contact Julie Swaner, program manager, Alumni Career Services, at (801) 585-5036 or jswaner@sa.utah.edu.

Return to home page