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Six Tips for Improving Your Ability to Recruit Experienced Workers

Do you know what attracts experienced individuals to your company? Better yet, do you know what their impression is of your organization after interviewing?

To attract mature workers, it's important to know which recruiting practices are effective and which may be detrimental to your efforts to attract and retain talent. The perspectives of mature workers are ones you'll want to consider before targeting your recruitment efforts to this pool of skilled and experienced workers.

1. Pay attention to words used in job ads
   At age 55, Trudy W. Schuett began hunting for a part time job. When scouring the want ads, one sentence in an ad caught her attention: "Great opportunity for working moms and retirees."

   "I knew I wanted it," recalls Schuett, explaining that she knew her age would not be an issue. She says the interviewer also mentioned that the job would never evolve into a full time position, which is exactly what she wanted to hear. Schuett accepted the position.

   Words matter. The words or phrases used in job ads can turn job seekers on or off. While mentioning that you're an equal opportunity employer is fine, stating, "great opportunities for retirees" is better. There's no second-guessing. Mature workers know they're wanted and will apply.

2. Explain why interviewees didn't get the job
   Carol Ethridge was excited about her job interview for a certified medical coder at an insurance company. But she was surprised that the company never contacted her afterwards to explain why she wasn't hired, especially since they paid for her travel expenses to the out-of-state interview.

   "It may have been my age," suspects Ethridge, who is 64 years-old. "They didn't know what I looked like. And I still see the job notice so they haven't hired anyone yet."

   Follow up is essential. Contact all interviewees explaining why they were not chosen for the job. Otherwise, qualified candidates may jump to the wrong conclusion and alert others to your company's practices, potentially damaging your reputation in the labor market and opening the door to possible age bias claims. Communicating with applicants up front minimizes the need to undertake damage control efforts on the back end.

3. Train interviewers on assessing skills
   Back in 2005, Richard Gray, Ph.D., was hired to develop a doctoral program for Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, AL. At the time, he was 70 years-old.

   "Age, education and experience are things that are very desirable for white collar positions," says Gray, who now serves as the dean of the college of business at Columbia. "Have the people doing the interviewing have some maturity about this…[Not everyone] will have the experience or knowledge of how to assess an older person's contributions."

   Train interviewers on how to determine whether someone's skills and experiences can be applied to the job or even other open positions. Recruiters need to understand the benefits of experience.

4. Avoid making assumptions
   William Wages, age 53, interviewed for a computer technical position at a local college. Although the position paid almost 20 percent less than his previous computer job, he still wanted it because of the potential for advancement. But by the time he returned home, an email was waiting for him from the college, stating that they had hired someone else.

   "They hired two more guys who were in their twenties," says Wages. "Because of my age, I guess they didn't think I would drop down to the lower salary. They made [wrong] assumptions."

   Many mature candidates are interested in opportunity, not just income. Wages says the salary decrease was acceptable because there was potential for growth and learning. In the long run, he says the college short-changed itself and him. He says mature workers are there for the long haul and typically don't job hop for better wages

5. Appeal to a broad customer base
   As a 68 year-old pharmacist, Jerry Welenc worked full time at a supermarket chain and one day a week as a pharmacist at a national warehouse chain.

   He recalls how recruiters began "circling [pharmacists] like buzzards in the desert" when the supermarket began closing its stores. But Welenc was hoping to land a full time pharmacy job at the warehouse. Little by little, his hopes began fading. Pharmacy jobs were being offered to younger people. Even the warehouse's print ads reflected its preference for youth -- "Come to our pharmacy and visit our fresh, young faces."

   Fortunately, one drugstore actively recruited Welenc, now 71, who works at one of its Chicago stores. The main reason he accepted the job was because of the recruiter's attitude toward mature workers. The pharmacy valued Welenc's experience, which was also reinforced by a benefit package that appealed to experienced workers.

   Recruiters need to cast a wider net to snatch workers of all ages. Not only can employees learn from each other, but they can also attract a broader customer base. For example, mature individuals who need prescriptions may be more comfortable with a pharmacist closer to their own age - they may be more familiar or able to empathize with their health issues.

   As for companies that blatantly advertise for "fresh, young faces," such recruiting tactics risk running afoul of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

6. Focus on ability, not age
   As manager of large dollar accounts, Faheem Salaam found himself out of a job. After working 28 years for the same bank, his department would soon close as part of the bank's restructuring.

   More than two years and a dozen interviews later, Salaam still can't find a job. But what bothers him more than being unemployed is his perception why: at age 60, no one wants to hire him.

   One interviewer even crossed a legal boundary by telling Salaam that, although the bank needed someone with his abilities, it wanted a younger person.

   "It was at that point I fully realized that my age would be a barrier to my employment," he says, adding that he contacted every employer he interviewed with to find out why he wasn't hired. Only 20 percent responded. "I cannot believe given my experience and education that I cannot find work."

   Make sure hiring managers, recruiters and interviewers have a clear understanding of age discrimination laws. It's also crucial to address more subtle forms of age bias and stereotyping in the hiring process. This can be done through ongoing training on age diversity, as well as by fostering an atmosphere where talent and ability, not age, are the deciding factors.

AARP Resources

Highlights of Winning Strategies: AARP's Best Employers Program Honorees
AARP recognized these companies in 2007 for developing and implementing exemplary practices to recruit, retain, and manage workers 50+.

AARP Age Equity in Employment Checklist for Employers
An online checklist to help employers assess their company's policies and practices to attract and keep valuable employees, including older workers. Topics include recruitment, policy development, training, and job redesign.

AARP Profit from Experience:
Perspectives of Employers, Workers and Policymakers in the G7 Countries on the New Demographic Realities Addresses, through best practices and case studies, how to develop and implement effective strategies for recruiting and retaining workers 50+.