Senior Job Search

Employment for people over 50

Why Hire Older Workers (Seniors)?

Unfortunately, the idea of hiring people over the age of 50, 60, 70, or even 80 has had a bad rap.  Younger managers often believe that older workers are incapable of working efficiently, have excessive health issues, or are just unable to adapt to new ideas and work as part of a team.  

Nothing could be further from the truth.  Seniors have had to adjust all their lives and in most cases, they have learned adaptation techniques that their younger counterparts will not develop for decades.  Here are just a few of the things you will discover about hiring seniors:

	Seniors are a very loyal market that comprises 25% of the population, is growing, and controls 77% of the financial resources in the United States?  Hiring seniors also shows that you are interested in serving this market. For the most part, your clients are far more comfortable with people that are their own age.  Since many businesses don't put seniors out in front where they are visible, doing so will make your business stand out.  Hire senior employees to attract senior customers away from the competition.
	Seniors are generally more reliable.  They've done their job-hopping, they don't have sick kids at home or have to make an emergency rush to the school to pick up Junior who has a fever.
	Seniors take their jobs more seriously.  They understand that jobs for seniors are a bit harder to get.  Therefore, their jobs are worth more to them.   How much does it cost you to hire and train an employee and how much does it cost you if you have to fire someone?  Your turnover rate with seniors is lower, and so are your employee acquisition and training costs.
	Seniors know that every job isn't perfect and have had the experience of working with and for people that aren't perfect.  They also know that your customers are not perfect and have had to learn to deal with it all.  They seldom leave jobs because things are not perfect.
	Seniors are generally cheaper to hire, even if you pay them a higher wage.  For all the reasons mentioned here, seniors stay at one job far longer than do their younger counterparts, they have more experience to draw from, and while you might have to spend a bit longer walking them through new technologies, they are easier to train overall.
	While seniors are no strangers to romance, they aren't pining away over and flirting with the latest hire.  Emotionally stable employees work better and are more reliable.
	Seniors haven't gotten so many years behind them without learning some very valuable lessons that new kid with the lip ring won't even know about for another 20 years.
	Seniors who are on Medicare are cheaper to hire.  Even if you provide them with a Medicare supplement policy, it is far cheaper than a full insurance HMO or PPO.
	Seniors may not be as strong or as fast as some of their younger counterparts.  However, if you provide them with the proper tools and a bit of assistance for those rare heavy tasks, will probably get the job done faster, better, and without the supervision that would otherwise be necessary.
	Seniors still remember and understand the effect of common courtesy and customer service.  They understand that customers are not a nuisance but the reason that they have a job.  Their work ethic is more evolved.  Most know the value of a smile and a handshake in making and retaining customers.  They have learned that their job is not guaranteed, and that taking care of a customer is far easier than finding a new job.