Desire to learn, grow attractive to employers
DEAR J.T. & DALE: I keep hearing about millennials wanting to jump jobs and not having any loyalty. I’m in my 50s and the last thing I want to do is jump jobs. Why, then, am I unable to get hired? — Rod
Dale: Ah, loyalty: I remember it well. Just like I remember my Palm Pilot and my Radio Shack TRS-80 computer. However, I’m not sure that reflecting on any of those would be useful in a job search. Employers want someone focused on today and tomorrow, not on the good old days.
J.T.: However, what you’re saying about millennials is true: Studies show that around one in three want to leave their jobs within a year. However, that comes from their desire to learn and grow, traits that are highly attractive to employers. And, Rod, this also is true: Seasoned professionals are struggling to get hired. Why? One, they are more expensive, and, two, most are failing to give the impression of still being in learn-and-grow mode. Thus, Dale’s right: You need to talk to employers about the future, not the past.
Dale: At the same time, there’s no need to run away from what you are: an experienced man in your 50s. The results of a Korn Ferry Futurestep survey might be reassuring. When executives were asked which generation is most productive, baby boomers (born 1946-64) were chosen almost three times as often as millennials (1981-95), 28 percent versus 10 percent. And while both of those groups were far behind Gen X (1965-80), at 62 percent, the important conclusion is that executives understand that age and experience increase productivity.
J.T.: Perhaps the survey findings on Gen X’ers are whispering one more conclusion: The majority of executives believe that productivity tends to peak in one’s 40s. If so, then your solution, Rod, is to get out and network so that people can see that you aren’t like the stereotypical seasoned professional. Show employers your adaptability.
Dale: The job interview is the perfect place to demonstrate the learn-and-grow mentality of which J.T. speaks. Go into the interview having learned about the company and its leaders, and with questions that demonstrate curiosity. Further, another response from the same survey tells us something else you should demonstrate in the interview. Executives were asked if boomers “will have the relevant tech/digital skills needed in the next five years.” Only 29 percent of respondents answered with a clear “yes,” while another 46 percent waffled, believing boomers would have “some of the tech skills needed.”
J.T.: So you’ll want to show up for interviews having read up on the latest in tech, especially anything relevant to the industry in which you’re applying. You don’t have to try to sell yourself as being a tech wizard, just as someone who is willing to keep up.
Dale: I just Googled “new technology in health care” and got 250 million results and “new technology in agriculture” yielded 270 million. So you’ll have lots of material to choose from. All you need to do is find tech stories that interest you and, hey, there you are: a person interested in keeping up with tech. Do that, and ask plenty of questions in the interview, and soon you’ll feel sorry for those poor millennials who have so little experience to offer.
Dear J.T. & Dale: What’s the difference between a résumé and a CV? — Celen
Dale: Let’s start by defining “CV” — it’s short for “curriculum vitae,” which is Latin for “course of life.”
J.T.: Although you sometimes see them in the U.S., I think of CVs as Europe’s version of a résumé. CVs tend to be designed differently from the résumés we use in America. For example, they sometimes have headshots and personal information, whereas résumés stick just to the professional facts.
Dale: In this country, you’ll most often encounter CVs in higher education, or in circles that employ Ph.D.s. Their CVs will often include pages of published articles or other research.
J.T.: When in doubt, stick with a résumé. It’s widely accepted globally and keeps to what matters most for those screening you for potential employment: your professional history.