Is older better?

Being a buyer for more years than I am going to tell you about and a buyer for an industrial distribution company, I must admit I read the Purchasing and also take a gander at the Industrial Distribution Magazine on a monthly basis.

The article by Skip DeVilling in the Industrial Distribution Magazine caught my eye, “The Case for hiring older workers.” Now you may not be in that bracket yet, but eventually you will make it. Every time some long lost salesman or previous employee comes in to the office, they continually comment, “I can’t believe you are still here.” Now if I did not have the bad habit of liking to shop, I probably would be long gone. 

The subhead on the story reads “Gray matters: The American workforce has changed, offering more experienced workers than ever before. Smart distributors and manufacturers will embrace this new demographic.” I have not seen this happen much in the procurement area, however I have seen a lot more older salesman come thru and call upon us buyers.

I have to include this in case you don’t get to read the article. DeVilling says “There is a shift in the hiring and employment process that will bring challenges to job seekers as well as those who are hiring. The most influencing factors are:  

• Baby Boomers are appearing in the work force looking at second careers, now satisfied with lesser positions to make ends meet;:
• More and more retirees are forced out of retirement by dwindling income from investments and are starting second careers;.          
• Older employees are postponing retirement;
• Essentially, the workforce is now older and more experienced.”

I had to look up the baby boomer years 1946-1964. This does vary a year or two, depending what reference you are using. Does anyone have a list of the Generation Timeline? I would like to have a list. I can’t find my copy.   

I can relate to this comment by Skip though:

“Years ago, there was a name for experienced, well-educated candidates applying for lesser positions than their previous jobs. It was called ‘over qualified.’ Today, those candidates have new value.”

My husband was unemployed with the closing of the Kroehler Mfg. Co. in Dallas.

There was a job he wanted very badly, for less money, and they came back to tell him his was over qualified. He was willing to work for less. Some people are unemployed today because they will not consider a job for less money or a lesser title. What would you do?