Feb

8

A view from 60

Posted by cameron

February 8, 2007 |

The advantage of age is that you sit high on top of the mountain peering down at all those who come after you. You have wisdom that comes from experience rather than intellect. You have the advantage of knowing what is ahead for most others and so I believe this post will anger some who are younger than me. When they get older they too will share the wisdom.

I have always had a problem with employers using age as a reason for firing people, even though older people are usually the most expensive employees. Employers have always been able to find ways around the age discrimination law to remove them. These practices have always seemed morally bankrupt and, believe me, I have seen it up close and personal. Now I have passed my 60th year I have a different perspective.

It is a basic truth that certain organizations want young, unattached, type A individuals because they are “hungry”, driven and will work day and night. In particular Sales organizations have this preference. To be honest, part of me doesn’t like it but understands it. The real problem becomes what to do as those young stars become older. For sure their priorities shift as they take on new family responsibilities. Change starts and never quits.

By 35 to 40 they are now in management, working longer hours than they did before. Yet family obligations grow as children arrive and grow up. Now those model employees are totally torn between career and family. Now the employer has competition for the employee’s attention, and he is slowly but surely losing.

Now the clock turns to 50 years old and for the first time in his life that employee begins to think seriously about his retirement. Prior to that he saved but he hasn’t had time to really think about retirement. Besides, it has always been something far off in the future that you save for, but that’s about it. Many don’t even do the saving part. 50 is a turning point where employers not only don’t have their employees attention but the employee is actively thinking about the day he leaves. Some figure on an early “out” through disability but those folks are in a class of their own.

Then comes 60. Holy smoke, it’s just around the corner. Now that employee, who once upon a time was 200% committed to career and nothing else, is not even thinking about career path. What career path? The path to the exit? He is dreaming and preparing for the day he leaves for good. It seems to me that employers who don’t want to hire older people have a point. Of course, they give up all that experience to get someone who is more committed. Sometimes that is the wrong tradeoff but, for the first time in my life, I do understand it.


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Garry on February 8, 2007 10:21 am

    Insightful article. It gives me even more motivation to start my own business.

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