While researching for my writing, I was poring over a stack of HR materials when I came across a highly popular LinkedIn article on the subject. It was spectacularly out of touch - in fact, the advice would've invited eye rolls in every paper mill and been tossed in the garbage, it was so impractical.
Reading it instantly reminded me of dozens of conversations I've had recently with friends and contacts in large companies across multiple industries. And every single person is saying the exact same thing.
When someone is interviewed by HR lately, the same handful of questions keep coming up - questions that are asked exclusively of people 50 or older.
So I thought I'd share few of the most common questions and the real answers.
Because first of all, the answers to these questions can both encourage and help people in this age range, whether you're looking for a job or not. Or if you have an unemployed friend who is not in the paper industry, but rather in a completely different industry, this could help them as well.
"How do you keep up with technology?" This is perhaps the first and most frequently asked question of all in interviews of people 50 and older.
Think about it...
Of course you know technology. In fact, you also know fax machines. You know how to use a floppy disk. You may even have experience with punch cards. You were using the internet before Google existed, back when it was dial-up and you had to wait for a solid minute before it connected.
You've been using computers since you could wipe out the entire drive using Crtl-Alt-Del, and you still managed to keep that computer running. You've been using continuing versions of the latest software systems, constantly having to relearn new software operating systems every how many years?
And you've constantly adapted. You've had pagers, palm pilots, and the latest phones. You've adapted to every single technology change since well before the Berlin Wall came down. You built entire workflows before "user-friendly" even existed.
How does someone 50 years or older stay up-to-date with technology? The same way as everyone else. You keep learning and using the technology.
The Double Whammy: Competence and Duration
In an interview, 1) calm confidence and competence unnerves a surprising number of HR staff and hiring managers. A person who can take charge of a messy situation, who has seen every flavor of crisis multiple times, who knows exactly what to do without breaking a sweat - that person can feel threatening. Add to the fact that they're over 50 and are 2) more interested in doing a job well done rather than leaving in two or three years, and the discomfort spikes even higher.
Yet these are the exact people who bring value to any team.
The older professional has fought the same fires so many times that wisdom looks like instinct. When everything hits the fan, they're the calmest ones in the room because they've seen it before, and they know how things turn out. They don't have to think hard, they just act correctly the first time.
So when you do have an HR rep that is open to someone 50 or older and understands your relevance, then you (as a potential interviewee) can easily share about how you've seen it all and can fight the fires that come, as well as how to prevent them, with your confident attitude. You can show HR how you would benefit the company and bring great value to the table.
In summary, for people who are 50 and above, I hope this encourages. And whether you're in the paper industry or you know someone outside the paper industry who can use this information, I hope this helps.
Also, for people in HR, be aware of the bias that is creeping in from society. When hiring, don't overlook the most valuable and experienced people you could be hiring. There's a lot of amazing talent out there.
Wishing you all the best for a Happy New Year. |
