What Employers Look for in Older Workers
If you're over age 50 and looking for a job, it helps to know what employers want. A recent Society for Human Resource Management and Sloan Foundation survey of 1,913 human resources professionals asked what companies are looking for in older employees. Here's how older workers can impress potential employers.
Demonstrate your experience. The majority of employers (77 percent) recognize that older workers tend to have more knowledge and skills than younger employees. Some companies also commented on the valuable tacit knowledge (51 percent) and institutional knowledge (47 percent) that only experienced employees who have worked at an organization or in a field for many years can acquire, SHRM found. Make sure your decades of work experiences are perceived as an asset.
Emphasize your network. Older workers have a lifetime of accumulated contacts and colleagues. Some employers are interested in tapping into the established network of clients and customers older workers have access to (39 percent). Being able to bring new business into the company is a great way to get hired.
Keep it professional. Companies typically perceive older workers as being more mature and professional (71 percent) and more reliable (59 percent) than their younger counterparts. Human resources professionals also say that older workers tend to have a stronger work ethic (70 percent). Don't give potential employers any reason to think this stereotype doesn't apply to you.
Highlight your communication skills. Some employers say they are looking for older workers who have proficient grammar and spelling (45 percent), reading comprehension (20 percent) and English speaking skills (20 percent). A resume and cover letter without any spelling or grammar errors is the perfect place to demonstrate your writing ability. Other employers are looking for critical thinking and problem-solving skills (28 percent). Be prepared to list examples of workplace problems you encountered and what you did to fix them.
Make a commitment to the company. Some firms say they are interested in hiring older workers because they perceive them to be more loyal to the company (52 percent) and tend to have lower turnover (52 percent). They are also looking for older workers who would be committed to and engaged with workplace goals (51 percent). If you're planning to remain in the workforce for the long term, it can be helpful to point that out to potential employers.
Indicate your willingness to pass on your skills. Many human resources departments say they are interested in older workers who are able to serve as mentors to younger workers (63 percent). Just over half (54 percent) of the employers surveyed say they have training programs designed to transfer knowledge from older to younger workers, typically through mentoring or job shadowing programs.
Find out where recruiters are looking for older workers. While 54 percent of the firms surveyed say they do not actively recruit older workers, some firms are making an effort to hire people in their 50s or older. Companies most often turn to employee referrals (33 percent) and networking (24 percent) to find experienced employees. Other common ways to try to search for older job candidates include websites geared toward an older audience (14 percent), using current older workers as recruiters (13 percent), employment agencies (13 percent) and social media (12 percent). Among employers that use social media to recruit older workers, the most popular social networking sites for job opportunities are LinkedIn (74 percent) and Facebook (49 percent).
Emily Brandon is the senior editor for Retirement at U.S. News. You can contact her on Twitter @aiming2retire, circle her on Google+ or email her at ebrandon@usnews.com.
