I'm starting to hear from folks older than me (those I've worked with as peers and those I've reported to) that as the job market tightens, it's getting harder and harder for them to land the job.
Not that they're old. But hey, they're older than me, so that's the lead...
Here's the other thing. Most of my friends/colleagues, who are in the job market at this time, don't readily embrace a lot of the new technology. Sure, most of them have an iPod at this point, but trust me, you're not impressing anyone from a tech standpoint by contrasting the storage of a Nano and a Shuffle. That's expected, Sparky...
The point - and there is one - is that if you're a candidate over 40 today, you have to stay up on the technology. And that means not dismissing it as "non-core" and "for kids", regardless of how it's used in society. Your interest in technology and ability to navigate the tech world are a part of the hiring process. A closed mind to technology will often result in you being eliminated from the process - not for age, but for not having an open mind, a sense of curiosity and a demonstrated ability to stay on top of tech trends.
Jason Averbook at Knowledge Infuser recently cited a study that captures a glimpse of this challenge for the boomer:
"According to a recent ThirdAge/JWT Boom study, people over age 40 participate heavily in word-of-mouth and value personal recommendations and expert opinions, but they have not embraced social networking or blogs despite being heavy users of other online services.
That's a scary chart, but also an opportunity for every boomer it wakes up. For the bootstrapping boomer, capturing a demonstrated ability to weave technology into their professional identity becomes a key way to standout in a crowd.
Final note. Based on the chart above, there's a high likelihood that the person interviewing you isn't really up to speed on the new technology pollution either. Guess what? They need someone to do that for them. You can have a sweet background in your specialty, but unless you can enable that knowledge with the spice of technology, in many cases, they won't be able to hire you.
The ugly truth as to why? Because if their department doesn't embrace technology soon, they'll probably be concerned about joining you in looking for a job. With that thought in mind, they'll opt for the person who can bring the technology understanding to their shop.
Sadly, it doesn't have to be a kid. It can be you, but only if you're not dismissive of every new technology trend that comes down the pike....
People need to realize that bridging the tech gap they might be experiencing is more comparable to investing in a 401-k than learning a new (secret) language.
I got into blogging for the same reasons you cite above...to stay current. In my early 30s I was not behind. But I knew I needed to get engaged to make sure that remained the case.
Six years later, I now know that I am ahead of some college students. Whereas before I assumed that since college kids were born into all things tech, they would know all of this as second nature. They do not.
So that's the dividend of my investment. And I'm trying to help students figure this stuff out too.
It can be overwhelming. Just as you learn one flavor of the month, the calendar changes. But you do not have to learn and know everything inside and out. And everything new tends to build on what you've already learned.
So to abuse another cliche, it's a journey. I'm not stopping as I hurtle towards my 40th. But I may look into getting my hair colored (too much gray!).
Posted by: Kevin Dugan | Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 07:06 PM