How to overcome the 'over the hill' bias -- Career Center Blog

January 16, 2012

How to overcome the 'over the hill' bias

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By Randy Woods
NWjobs

In October 1984, during a televised debate with Democratic presidential challenger Walter Mondale, President Ronald Reagan gave one of the more succinct defenses of older workers ever given by a politician. When asked about whether his advanced age (he was 73 at the time) would affect his ability to serve a second term, Reagan quipped, "I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." Mondale said many years later that after that perfectly timed jab, he knew he never had a chance. And he was right.

Today, however, most workers "of a certain age" -- or, less delicately, those aged 50 and above -- don't have speech writers and TV networks to defend their abilities. Older workers usually have to overcome an ingrained bias on the part of hiring managers that people over 50 demand high salaries, are resistant to change, are out of touch with technology and don't have the stamina to help the company succeed.

Authors Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane have heard all of these excuses before, but they understand the true value of older workers that is going largely unrecognized today. Mays and Sloane, founders of executive job search coaching firm OptiMarket LLC, have written a book, Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Executive Job Search Challenge, which discusses methods to show hiring managers how workers who have been around the block are worth every penny they command.

The following are a few tips that Mays and Sloane suggest adopting to turn your age and experience from a liability to an asset.

Focus on your flexibility -- If the hiring manager thinks you're too set in your ways, describe how your management style has changed over the years. Have some anecdotes ready about how you have stayed up to date with technological changes, multitasked by taking on special projects beyond your usual duties, and shifted your strategy to meet new and unexpected priorities.

Demonstrate how you've worked for someone younger -- In an interview, it can make both parties feel uncomfortable to know that someone with 30 years of experience might be taking orders from someone with just 10. In such cases, you have to show that your ego will remain intact and that you will not be a threat to your prospective boss's job. Mays and Sloane suggest telling stories about how you have helped other younger workers succeed in previous positions and emphasize how your skills can do the same for the hiring manager's company.

Adjust your expectations for compensation -- In the end, money will surely play a large role in the hiring manager's decision to hire an older worker. To defuse the situation, Mays and Sloane say it's best to be as flexible as possible when it comes to salary. Try to negotiate for a lower salary than you previously had in exchange for a promise of bonuses or pay raises based on performance.

Focus on leadership and judgment -- One of the biggest trade-offs in hiring a younger worker vs. an older one is a lack of leadership skills. Over the years, most seasoned employees develop an ability to manage a crisis decisively and delegate responsibility. Mays and Sloane recommend describing how you have been able to take on challenges, assess talent, make good decisions and solve problems quickly. If you can show how your smart decisions positively affected your employer's bottom line, your experience will be irresistible to hiring managers.

Note: For more local information about job search for older workers, please visit the Mature Workers Alliance of Puget Sound, the Seattle Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens and the Employ Experience page on the Workforce Development Council site for Seattle-King County.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.