“There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots”
Those of us in the business world shouldn’t have to abide by that old Air Force adage but in a lot of ways we do.
A buddy sent me the follow article - Labeled
The fact is there’s getting to be a large number of us “experienced” veterans out there and we all are running into the overqualified stigma on an escalating scale. Probably the strangest element is the person sitting on the other side of the desk saying those words is often someone who would be labeled the same way if they were on the street.
You can almost understand it when it’s some droopy-eyed, wet-eared, thirty-something kid. I mean, after all, they still know everything so how could someone with 40 years of experience be of any value? Hell, we’re all worn out.
Those of us in the business world shouldn’t have to abide by that old Air Force adage but in a lot of ways we do.
A buddy sent me the follow article - Labeled
The fact is there’s getting to be a large number of us “experienced” veterans out there and we all are running into the overqualified stigma on an escalating scale. Probably the strangest element is the person sitting on the other side of the desk saying those words is often someone who would be labeled the same way if they were on the street.
You can almost understand it when it’s some droopy-eyed, wet-eared, thirty-something kid. I mean, after all, they still know everything so how could someone with 40 years of experience be of any value? Hell, we’re all worn out.
To be fair I find it ironic to be part of a generation that absolutely believed that anyone over the age of thirty was not to be trusted. More to the point, we didn’t really believe we’d live past the age of 30. (See Logan’s Run). I find it amusing when I listen to young people today talk about how uncertain the world is as I think back to the drills we had in school teaching us to kneel under the desk for when the thermo-nuclear attack from Russia came raining down.
But I digress.
I talk with many of my contemporaries about this dilemma and hear the same thing over and over. “My kids are grown, I have a lot left in the tank, I’m no longer interested in being the CEO, I don’t need the massive paycheck, I’d love to find a situation doing something interesting and have a position with some relevance where I could have some fun and use some of this talent I possess.”
Wow, could anyone out there use someone like that?
The fear on the hiring side is that us old guys:
Won’t be able to keep up
Aren’t capable of understanding “this new stuff”
Won’t be happy with a lesser position than they’ve had in the past
Will be unhappy with a lesser paycheck
Won’t fit in with a younger culture
Will require the company cafeteria to load up on bland food
Let’s see? Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, maybe.
There’s a lot of useful talent out there that’s ready, willing and able to help you and your company. Don’t want to take the chance of hiring some long-tooth in? Contract them for a project or a time limit. Do a bit of a test drive to see how things work out. If it’s not working after 90 days, cut it. If it’s working after six months put a package together.
But be careful. You might learn something.
Aren’t capable of understanding “this new stuff”
Won’t be happy with a lesser position than they’ve had in the past
Will be unhappy with a lesser paycheck
Won’t fit in with a younger culture
Will require the company cafeteria to load up on bland food
Let’s see? Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, maybe.
There’s a lot of useful talent out there that’s ready, willing and able to help you and your company. Don’t want to take the chance of hiring some long-tooth in? Contract them for a project or a time limit. Do a bit of a test drive to see how things work out. If it’s not working after 90 days, cut it. If it’s working after six months put a package together.
But be careful. You might learn something.
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