While age-related biases abound in today’s talent recruitment practices in the corporate world, one must be able to see beyond the usual stereotypes. There exists a vast talent gap that needs to be filled. Contrary to the popular perception of the young entrepreneur, most top entrepreneurs began at an advanced age. Colonel Sanders for example was 62 when he first franchised the KFC brand. Of course, these mature workers will need to brush up their knowledge on technology to help enable this. A career switch is possible quite late as well, due to several reasons. A study conducted recently revealed that one’s ability to transform has little bearing with age. Research by Mercer quantifies that companies are increasingly experiencing talent shortages, while at the same time, the number of older workers is also on the rise. This vast experience needs to be leveraged. Some companies like Daimler AG and IKEA are now valuing older workers more than they did earlier. In spite of what some say, companies must stick to age-friendly managers. Corporate training facilities must be provided to these older workers so they may become more tech-savvy. The older workers on their part must constantly network to solicit increasing workplace support. And finally, they must be able to express the passion and energy, so vital to any kind of work.

Source:https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/am-i-too-old-to-switch-careers-9441

Uploaded Date:11 September 2018