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July 2024

“I hired someone over 55” was the title of a post on LinkedIn that recently caught my eye.


As you can imagine, I get a lot of articles about aging sent to my inbox. But this one resonated.


It turns out, it resonated with a lot of people. The post went viral with 75,000 likes and almost 5,000 comments.


The CEO that published the post, Tom Hunt from the international marketing firm Fame, was recently looking to fill a position. When an older candidate sent in a resume, the CEO ran through the myriad of thoughts that can lead to apprehension: he is over-qualified, he’s not tech savvy enough, he won’t keep up, he won’t fit in, etc. But he hired the over-55 job seeker anyway, and what a difference it made to the company.


The lesson he shares: “If you want great talent, don’t ignore experience.” What matters when hiring is the skill set and most importantly, if their values align with your company’s.


He ends the post by writing, “Let’s end ageism. Who’s with me?”


I am. Next is.


According to a recent survey by the American Staffing Association, two-thirds of the over 60 year old respondents feel their age puts them at a disadvantage when job hunting and have experienced age bias.


I am part of Birmingham’s Ad Hoc Committee for Aging in Place. Just this week, we reviewed the results of the survey distributed through the city of Birmingham. Over 690 people filled out the survey and some of the results were surprising.


In one question, respondents were asked, if they are currently not employed, would you like to reenter the work force? A significant percentage, 15 percent replied yes.


Will they be given the chance?


As Tom Hunt points out, recruiters need to stop looking for 25 year olds with 20 years of experience. Older candidates bring a different set of skills that only years of experience can offer: temperament, versatility, expertise, critical thinking and time management.


These skills aren’t always tangible but they lead to measurable results.


At Next, our staff is most often over 50 years old and have often come to Next after a very successful career as a way to slow down a bit in a meaningful shift.


Next benefits greatly from that transition as these employees come with a highly developed set of skills that have become a real advantage. Whether it is experience in finance, marketing, healthcare or customer service, our staff not only aligns with the core values of Next, they have helped define them.


SEMCOG (South East Michigan Council of Governments) data indicates with our aging population, the labor shortage will pose a significant challenge in the near future. It’s time to let go of age bias and embrace the wealth of experience and expertise that comes with an age diverse work force. By letting go of outdated stereotypes, companies may be surprised at the many benefits there are to hiring an older employee, both tangible and intangible.


Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next

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