Sixty percent of hiring managers say they are more likely to hire an older worker over a millennial at 20 percent, according to a new survey from Adecco Staffing US, a recruitment and work force solutions provider, conducted by Braun Research Inc.
Even 91 percent of respondents believe older workers are more reliable, and 88 percent of respondents call them more professional.
"The rise of mature workers in today's workforce is a direct result of economic and societal factors," says Joyce Russell, president of Adecco Staffing US. "These are individuals who long ago paid their dues, and given their years of experience and work ethic, they make excellent job candidates and strong employees—and the results of this survey show how overwhelmingly appreciated and valued they are by hiring managers."
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Still, the survey finds that hiring barriers exist for both age groups. While 39 percent of respondents report that the most difficult hiring challenge for older workers is learning and adapting to new technology, 46 percent of respondents are concerned about millennials' long-term commitment. Despite this, 39 percent of respondents say there are no challenges when it comes to hiring older workers as opposed to 27 percent for Millennials.
"Today's economy has created a competitive employment landscape that can be difficult to navigate – no matter what generation you're from," Russell says. "It's important for mature workers to understand what they want out of a job and to seek out opportunities that allow them to combine their skill sets with their personal interests while keeping in mind what hiring managers want to see during their interview."
Both age groups also make interview mistakes, the survey finds.
For older workers, 51 percent of respondents say their biggest interview mistake is high salary and compensation demands while 48 percent of respondents believe overconfidence in their abilities and experience is their biggest mistake. When it comes to millennials, 75 percent of respondents say wearing inappropriate interview attire is their biggest mistake, and 70 percent of respondents report that posting potentially compromising content on social media channels is their biggest mistake.
Thirty-three percent of respondents express concerned about the possibility that older workers could be resistant toward direction from younger management, and 27 percent of respondents say they are worried about millennials ignoring direction from older management.
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