While some have reported difficulty finding new jobs, it seems older workers are generally preferred by employers.
A recent survey of 500 hiring managers found that about 60 percent were likely to hire a worker over the age of 50, while only one-third as many indicated they were likely to hire Millenials, Forbes reports. Unemployment and underemployment in the United States have reportedly had a major effect on younger workers, perhaps more than on their predecessors. There may be any number of reasons for this.
The most obvious is that older workers have more experience, which may make them more attractive in an immediate sense. The survey did find that many respondents thought Millenials were lacking in writing skills, which was far less true of older workers. Behavior also seemed to be an issue, with reports that younger applicants would show up to job interviews without dressing properly. Older workers, the survey suggests, are perceived as more reliable and professional, better leaders and possessed of a stronger work ethic.
Younger workers were perceived as more creative and better at networking and using technology, so some points were in their favor. It may be necessary to tweak HR management systems and methods of operating and communicating internally to reconcile the different attitudes of these two contrasting populations.
